NATURE NOTES # 34                                                                                                December 14, 2021

INTRODUCTION:

Seldom do we think much about nature being a big part of the Christmas, or the holiday season, but if we think about it, Christmas traditions are full of references to plants and animals.  Since many of these references go back hundreds of years, it might indicate how much nature played in the lives of people living much closer to the land than today.  That is what they turned to for symbols, decorations, stories, and folk lore that represented their hope during the darkest part of the year and their celebrations of the sacred season of Christmas.  Many of the origins of these traditions have been lost, or at least muddled, over the years, but just for fun, let’s review some of the these more common parts of…

OUR CURRENT TOPIC:  Christmas nature lore

The Christmas tree was first used by the German people to celebrate the season.  Given the ease of finding conifers in northern Europe, this symbol was readily available.  As German immigrants settled in Pennsylvania, they brought their tradition with them, much to the opposition of some religious groups that thought such nonsense was uncalled for.  However, when Queen Victoria of England introduced the Christmas tree to England in 1846, the whole idea gained traction and became much more common in America as well as Europe.  Initially, candles were tied to the limbs and lit to give it that more festive appearance, however, over time folks determined that was not such a good idea.  Decorating with electric lights soon followed, as did more use of the tree in such places as Rockefeller Center and the White House.  Teddy Roosevelt refused a White House tree for “environmental reasons”.  Calvin Coolidge is credited with the first “official” lighting ceremony of the White House tree in 1923.     

Holly, which exists as several wild species around the world, has always been a part of the celebration of Christmas, or of celebrations of the solstice by many ancient European peoples.  It has been described as representing the crown of thorns worn by Christ with the red berries representing His blood.  It was also considered by the Celts as a symbol of peace and goodwill.  Also, according to legend, it was often planted around homes because it repealed lightning.  While I can’t find much evidence to support this, I am reminded that holly berries are somewhat toxic if ingested. I guess you had to weigh the risks.   Other evergreens were used for decorations during the winter season as they served as a pleasant reminder of the “greening” that spring would bring.  Also, traditionally, it represented life in the hereafter. 

The tradition of Mistletoe goes back a very long time.  The Greeks and Romans thought it had healing powers for a number of health disorders.  The Celtic Druids seemed to have started the romantic story about kissing under mistletoe.  They saw it as a special plant since it blossomed in the dead of winter. Norse legends also feature this plant.

Cranberries that go with your turkey seem to have originated as a Holiday tradition by the early New England settlers.  Cranberries were given as gifts by the local Native Americans, and a Pilgrim cookbook from 1663 has a recipe for cranberry sauce.  Since they ripen in early autumn, they found their way into holiday use. Not only were they edible (and are “excellent against the Scurvy” according to old writings) but they produced a pink dye as well.  Extensively cultivated today, there are a number of native species that grow throughout northern Europe, Asia and North America in acidic bogs.

Then there are all the “Christmas Birds”.  In addition to the Cardinal, which seems to be a favorite of Christmas card artists, there’s the song “12 Days of Christmas” that was first published in 1780 in England that covers one partridge (a Eurasian bird similar to our quail), two turtle doves (similar to our Mourning Dove), three French hens (I guess chickens from France), four calling birds (who knows), and six geese a laying. I suppose we could include the turkey in this list since that seems to be favorite part of nature we enjoy during the November-December season – even though your bird probably never saw a forest unless you have a hunter in the family.  Oh, and the pear tree used by the partridge:  the origin of our domestic pear is a native pear tree from Eastern Europe and southwest Asia.

The only mammal I can connect with Christmas is the reindeer that pulls Santa’s sleigh. They originated from a Christmas poem “The Night Before Christmas” in 1823.  Reindeer, called caribou in North America, do exist in northern Europe and Asia, but I can’t find much in my nature field guides about the flying or sleigh pulling part.  Rudolph, with his nose so bright, was added to the team in a 1939 song.  Again, research doesn’t add much light to this story.

Since snow is usually associated with Christmas, at least in the minds of kids, or sometimes for real, we might want to include weather in our list of nature items associated with Christmas.

Finally, if you want to include knowledge of the heavens in our list, the Wise Men were guided by the Christmas star and their knowledge of celestial navigation to find their way to Bethlehem.

And don’t forget all those gifts arriving from Amazon in boxes and packaging that used to be trees.

So there you have it - A Christmas NATURE NOTE.  Thanks for reading NATURE NOTES this past year.  More are planned for in 2022.

My best wishes to you all for a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday. 

Bob Garst