Holly
During
December as the winter solstice approached, and when the bright
red berries appeared on the holly our Celtic ancestors decorated
their
homes
with sprigs of the
evergreen
shrub.
It was believed
that holly brought magical protection for homes against witches and
lightning strikes.
At this time of
the year the Romans gave holly wreaths as gifts during the Saturnalia - a celebration
sacred to Saturn, and we continue to decorate our homes with cheerful
holly
...'deck the halls with boughs of holly'
Green groweth the holly,
So doth the ivy.
Though winter blasts blow never so high,
Green groweth the holly.
King
Henry VIII 1522
