Think of Christmas and I guarantee your thoughts will quickly flit to an evergreen plant. Twinkling Christmas Trees decorated in our homes, carols and songs about the holly and the ivy or wreaths hung on front doors. Many of the traditions we associate with Christmas today have roots reaching far back into history. Midwinter celebrations were held around the winter solstice marking the longest night of the year. Welcoming the slow return of more sunlight. The tough green leaves of evergreen plants along with their colourful fruit and berries gave hope that winter would indeed end. Spring and growth would again return.
Bringing cut fir trees indoors to decorate at Christmas time was made fashionable by Queen Victoria’s husband Prince Albert, who brought this German tradition to our shores. Today of course the Christmas Tree is the focal point of celebrations in our homes. Some say their conical shape points upward to heaven. The choice of trees today is endless from both real and faux, but I personally love the smell of a real Christmas Tree.
Before the Christmas Tree became de rigour in Victorian times, the Georgians decorated their homes with a Kissing Bough. A sphere covered in available greenery was hung in the home. Covered in ivy and holly, inside hung red apples and candles. Below, a bunch of mistletoe was tied. Apparently, no lady passing underneath could refuse any respectable suitor a kiss! Despite being a symbol of good luck and fertility, it’s association with kissing made mistletoe a no-no in polite houses.
Wreaths adorning doors can be traced as far back as Roman and Greek times where households would wear them on their heads and adorn their homes with them in times of celebration. The round shape can symbolise never ending love or eternal life and the different plants used are often thought to offer protection.
Bringing this all neatly to the here and now. Real cut Christmas Trees are due to arrive in the Garden Centre around 24th of November. For the pick of the bunch, choose early. Your tree will happily wait outside in the cool if you are not quite ready to bring it indoors to decorate. We have beautiful Christmas displays inside the Garden Centre to inspire with different themes for decorations along with a huge choice of both indoor and outdoor lights. We sell ready-made wreaths from traditional to modern or why not have a go at making your own? We sell wreath making kits that just need to add your own foliage, which we also sell too, including mistletoe for those not so polite households!
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