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Show Reasons For Holly, Ivy, andMstletoe M pjJx Plants like the holly, the ivy and the mistletoe were precious for the IAaXi Druids because they actually bore fruit m winter. Mly was used to Lmn guard agairist lightning and witches. Christians associated its thorns K and blood-red berries with Christ's Passion. Since it takes eighteen XJUfSV years for holly to come to full fruition, some American farmers plant jfff? slips of holly in August following the birth of their first child. It is QjmEr dieir hope that the future crop will help alleviate college expenses. (Ptf Christians banished ivy to the outside of the house because it had vVvSr cf owned Bacchus. He was the god who taught men the use of wine, IMf7mr' dut ne was also a fertility god ot nature who dies and comes to lite J&f AkP? again. The clinging nature of. the ivey reminded some of the feebleness of man clinging to divine strength. In some old English vKjj Criristmas Carols, the noUy and the ivy were connected with die JuIHS- contest between the sexes. The holly stood for men; the ivy, for YSLmp Mistletoe comes from the Anglo-Saxon ' 'rristletan ' , which means rS?T ' 'different twig". This refers to its dependence upon another tree for AQQf X support. The Druids revered mistletoe as a symbol of peace and friendship. They had an elaborate cutting ceremony. Vvnite cloth was Sfs3fy4 spread under the sacred oak so that the falling plants might never -SifeT touch the ground. Then priests in fine white robes cut the mistletoe nW fnt7. t11 G' ierwarck tw garlanded bulls were slain to SjMy Pieces of the plant were supposed to avert fits, epilepsy, poison, jwjSL, tremors, and consumption. To enter a doorway where nistletoejwas n vXttS hanging was regarded as a pledee of peace and friendship. And the ML Wss under the misdetoe is said to be a relic ot some primitive marriage nte. According to one custom, young men pluck a berry J7v5' fiom the bough every time they kiss a girl. The pnvilege of kissing rMjM under the mistletoe ceases as soon as all berries are picked. What can I give Hm, wf F Poor as I am? jSJ$i2X If I were a shepherd ttWtf I would bring a lamb, JlS If I were a Wise Man, hEMSIP would do my part, Sofl Ye what lj&ve m " pl! Christina Rossetti tfwlS Everywhere, Christmas Tonight 9 Everywhere-everywhere, Christmas tonight! SsmPA Christmas in lands of the Fir tree and Pine xvjMii Christmas in lands of the Palm tree and Vine, SplMjia Christmas where snow peaks stand solemn and whi JHyvSf Christmas where cornfields lie sunny and bright, "MHM Everywhere, everywhere, Christmas tonight T Phillips Brooks SaSSr |