Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1908-12-24

ivy but little, in American decorations
at Christmas, since both plants are
exceedingly rare here. But in England
the use of the ivy at least is universal,
and the references to it in Christmas
song and story alone would fill small
volume
Besides its claim to appropriate
ness for the Christmas season which
it holds in common with other ever
greens, it has two especially strong
recommendations of its own. On ac-
g" ant of its habit of clinging strongly
TO its supporting tree or wall, 1t is
popular symbol of friendship and
fidelity, and as such, an excellent deco
ration for the season of good will and
universal brotherhood. And it was,
in Roman days, sacred to Bacchus,
who, when a baby was hidden by his
aunt, mo, among its leaves, to save
him from Juno's destructive wrath
Prynne says:
At Christmas men do always Ivy get.
And in each corner of the house it set:
But why do they then use that Bacchus
weed?
Because they mean then Bacchus-llke to
feed.
This satirical explanation was but
too true in the earlier days, when
Christmas lasted for weeks, and was,
given over to revelry almost wholly
heather in character
To-day, in America, the Christmas.
decorations almost exclusively are of
holly, which, for all its popularity, is
less consecrated by legend than any
other holiday greenery To be sure
we make sparing use of the mistle-
toe, which, from the ancient Druidical
meaning of purity given to its wax
white berries, and from its use by
them in the marriage rite, has come
to give charter for kissing as broad
as the wind" And we have added the
bitter-sweet, which has no traditional
Specification whatever, is not an
evergreen, and is to be tolerated
merely for its beauty's sake, and for
the slight suggestion it gives of the
holly berry.
Our American holly is said to be
less beautiful than the European
plant, having leaves of a duller green.
But, making all allowances for pos
sible disadvantages, it still is a re-
markably beautiful tree. And as a.
symbol of the immortality which it is
the seasons special mission to teach,
it surely has no rival The leaves re-
main on the branches for three years,
losing their hold only when they are
pushed off at last by the growing buds
of spring
Throughout England, so little is its
supremacy disputed, that it is popular
ly known as Christmas" just as the
hawthorn is called The May"
It's name has been matter of con-
interest. Theophrastus and
other Greek authors named the plant
Agria;. that is, wild, or of the fields.
The Romans formed from this the
word Agrifolium and called it also
from actum, sharp, and
folium a leaf Bauhin and Loureiro
first named it lex, from the resemb-
lance of its leaves to those of the
Quercus Hex, species of oak which
was the true Hex of Virgil Linnaeus
adopted the name Hex for the genus,
and preserved the name Aquifolium
Tor the most anciently known species.
Our popular name, holly, probably
s corruption of the word holy, as
Turner in his herbal calls it holy, and
holy tree, The thorny foliage, and
he berries like drops of bright blood,
could scarcely fail to remind Chris
Ian of the crown of thorns, and this.
ogether with the universal use of the
)lant in the churches at Christmas
EASILY would account for the name.
In Germany it is known as Christ
lorn. The Danish name is Christorn
md the Swedish Christtorn. The
ame name, Christ's thorn, is found In
ome parts of England But as no
egend connects the holly with the
rown of thorns, this name, universal
-mong the Germanic peoples, must be
merely the result of it's appearance
nd of its Christmas popularity, as
'efore suggested.