Eight things you didn’t know about holly

1. Holly berries are an important food for birds, but you wouldn’t want to snack on them – the berries are toxic to humans, and can cause vomiting and diarrhoea. Not such a merry Christmas, then.

2. Although it is closely associated with Christmas, holly was linked to winter traditions before Christianity: Druids considered it a sacred plant, and often wore holly crowns on their heads.

3. Henry VIII wrote a love song called “Green groweth the holly”, which talks of holly and ivy resisting winter blasts – “So I am and ever hath been unto my lady true”. We can’t help but think that Anne Boleyn might have disagreed.

4. In pagan times, holly was thought to be a male plant and ivy a female plant. “The Holly and the Ivy” is a traditional British Christmas carol which refers to these old fertility myths.

5. In Christian tradition, the berries are often said to represent the blood spilt by Christ, and the prickly leaves his crown of thorns.

6. It is considered unlucky to bring holly into the house before Christmas Eve.

7. In heraldry, holly is used to symbolize truth.

8. It used to be believed that a holly tree could not be struck by lightening – making them a safe place to shelter during a storm. But we wouldn’t suggest you tried it.

source: The Telegraph

True or false?

1. Holly berries are toxic to birds.

2. Holy berries represent the blood spilt by Jesus Christ.

3. Holly symbolizes hope in heraldry.

4. A holly tree is a safe shelter in a storm.

5. It’s lucky to bring holly into the house before Christmas Eve.

Key

1. false

2. true

3. false

4. false

5. false

“The Holly & The Ivy”

The holly and the ivy

When they are full grown,

Of all the trees in the wood

The holly bears the crown.

The rising of the sun

The running of the deer,

The playing of the organ

Sweet singing in the choir.

The holly wears a blossom

As white as any flower,

And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ

To be our Saviour.

The rising of the sun,

The running of the deer,

The playing of the organ,

Sweet singing in the choir.

The holly bears a berry

As red as any blood,

And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ

To do sinners good.

The rising of the sun,

The running of the deer,

The playing of the organ,

Sweet singing in the choir.

The holly bears a prickle

As sharp as any thorn,

And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ

On Christmas Day in the morn.

The rising of the sun,

The running of the deer,

The playing of the organ,

Sweet singing in the choir.

The holly bears a bark

As bitter as any gall,

And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,

To redeem us all.

The rising of the sun,

The running of the deer,

The playing of the organ,

Sweet singing in the choir.

The holly and the ivy,

When they are full grown,

Of all the trees in the wood,

The holly bears the crown.

The rising of the sun,

The running of the deer,

The playing of the organ,

Sweet singing in the choir.