The Utah County Democrat. [volume] (Provo City, Utah) 1898-1909, 1908-12-19


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 I'll small
volume
Besides it's claim to appropriate
ness for the Christmas season which
Il holds in common with other ever
greens, II has two especially strong
recommendation of its own. On ac-
count of its habit of clinging strongly
to its supporting tree or wall, II is
popular symbol of friendship and
fidelity, and as such, an excellent deco
ration for the season Of good will and
universal brotherhood. And II was,
in Roman days, sacred 10 Bacchus,
who, when a baby, was hidden by his
aunt, Ino. 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 II set;
But why do they then use that Bacchus
weed?
Because they mean then Baochus-like 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, m 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 a 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 II gives of the
holly berry.
Our American holly is said to be
less beautiful than the European
plant, having leaves OF duller green
But making all allowances for pos.
sible disadvantages, Il still is a re
markedly beautiful tree. And as a
symbol OF the immortality which It is
the seasons special mission to teach
II surely has no rival. The leaves re
main OIL the branches for three years
losing their hold only when they are
pushed OF at last by the growing buds
OF spring.
Throughout England, so little is its
supremacy disputed, that IL is popular
ly known as Christmas" Just as the
hawthorn is called "The May"
Its name has been matter OF con
siderable interest. Theophrastus and
other Greek authors named the plant
Agria; that is, Wild or OF the fields
The Romans formed from this the
word Agrlfolium and called II also
Aquifolium, from actum, sharp, and
folium, leaf. Bauhin and Loureiro
first named It Hex. 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
for the most anciently known species.
Our popular name, holly. probably
Is a corruption of the word holy, as
Turner in his herbal calls il holy. and
holy tree. The thorny foliage, and
the berries like drops OF bright blood
could scarcely fail to remind a Chris.
tian OF the crown OF thorns, and this
r together WITH The universal use OF the
plant in the churches at Christmas
easily would account for the name.
In Germany II is known as Christ
dorm. The Danish name is Christorr
and the Swedish ,Chrlsttorn. The
same name. Christs thorn, is found in
some parts of England. But as nc
legend connects the holly with the
crown of thorns this name. universal
among the Germanic peoples, must be
merely the result of its appearance
and OF it's Christmas popularity, a.
before suggested.