Contact: Diane Relf, Extension Specialist, Environmental Horticulture
Posted April 1997
For centuries, holly has been the subject of myths, legends, and traditional observances. The ancient Chinese used Ilex chinensis extensively for decorating during their February New Year festivals. The Romans used the plant to decorate their houses, temples, and deities for Saturnalia, the mid-winter feast. They exchanged holly boughs as symbols of goodwill and friendship. This practice is considered the forerunner of holly's use in Christmas celebrations.
Ancient history says that the Druids used holly in their religious rites long before the custom came to the European continent. The Druids of ancient Britain and Gaul held the English holly tree sacred. The "holy" connotation continued in later days in Europe, where the plant was widely believed to repel evil spirits. People planted trees and used their branches as protection against witchcraft, mad dogs, and other evils.
Sometime in the past, the pagans of Europe took sprays of holly into their homes so that the tiny, imaginary peoples of the woodland would be safe from the cold of winter in the evergreen boughs. Later, holly was used as holiday decor that gave the good fairies and elves a place to hide as they did their good deeds.
With the coming of Christianity, the use of holly was condemned as a pagan ritual and forbidden by the Christian council. But Christian Romans continued to decorate with holly during festive seasons. European Christian symbolism included the belief that the spiny leaves and red berries were a reminder of the crown of thorns and the blood of Christ. The Pennsylvania Dutch held that the plant's white flowers represented Jesus' purity. The Germans called this plant Christdorn, Christ's crown of thorns. They thought holly had white berries until they were stained by Christ's blood.
The Welsh believed that bringing holly in before Christmas Eve caused quarrels, while some Germans and English thought that the choice of a male or female bough in the house indicated whether husband or wife would rule during the coming year. (Holly trees come in sexes, like people. The female tree has berries; the male does not.)
Some English people thought it was unlucky to leave holly up after Twelfth Night (New Year's Eve) and that the used boughs should be burned. Others felt that the branches should be saved in the home until the following winter to ensure lightning protection. In the same period in Germany, holly that had been used as church decoration was taken home to ward off lightning. In medieval England, holly was kept in the dwelling or on the person as a protection against witchcraft. Europeans also used holly for fortune-telling, adopting various complicated practices for getting information about future spouses and the likelihood of prosperity.
In more recent times, holly has been used very commonly in England as decoration during the Christmas season. This custom was brought to the United States by English settlers. The native American holly was one of the first plants sighted by the Pilgrims. American Indians planted strong, evergreen hollies, their symbol of courage and eternal life, around dwellings for protection. They also made the fruits into buttons and used them in trade.
Holly is traditionally associated with masculinity and good luck. Now when it decorates the home at Christmas time, this symbol of joy and merriment brings up thoughts of celebration and good cheer.
(Originally published as "Red-Berried Hollies," by Virginia Klara Nathan, Extension Technician, in The Virginia Gardener Newsletter, Volume 7, Number 12.)
Visit Virginia Cooperative Extension test