Advent 20 - The holly and the ivy

I did part of the flower arranging in church last week. Not something I've ever done before but something it was very nice to have a go at.

There was a big donation of foliage (or "foil-age" as the gardener apparently pronounced it much to the mirth of the church warden) from the near-by Estate house and it was lovely to have fabulous holly and ivy, laurel and yew at our disposal. So evocative of this time of year in nature and in our festive traditions.

And it's funny that as much as I've tried to remember latin names of plants in my garden I never can, except for Ilex, I've never known why that one stuck!

I thought the web would be full of the mythology about Holly and indeed there are plenty of facts and trivia out there. This offering comes from the Trees for Life Campaign

Though holly doubtless was, and still is, brought into the house for its shiny green leaves and berries, which reflect the light and add colour to the dark days of Yule, it has another significance as well. Christian symbolism connected the prickly leaves with Jesus' crown of thorns and the berries with the drops of blood shed for humanity's salvation, as is related, for example, in the Christmas carol, 'The Holly and the Ivy'. Yet even here the reference to these two plants refers to a pre-Christian celebration, where a boy would be dressed in a suit of holly leaves and a girl similarly in ivy, to parade around the village, bringing Nature through the darkest part of the year to re-emerge for another year's fertility.

Holly was also brought into the house variously to protect the home from malevolent faeries or to allow faeries to shelter in the home without friction between them and the human occupants. Whichever of prickly-leaved or smooth-leaved holly was brought into the house first dictated whether the husband or wife respectively were to rule the household for the coming year.

So with that in mind I'm off to raid the gardens smooth leaved holly post haste!

Our arrangements in All saints really just let the wonderful foliage speak for it's self, some white blooms and silver baubles to add a wintery touch. I'm not sure if people may feel it's not festive enough or jolly but I love the feeling of peace it creates - to me at least. My fellow flower arranger did two pedestals either side of the high alter, not somewhere we go much in church life these days. But it was lovely to be up there in what feels a special place - if only through it's lack of familiarity. The arrangements too stood out white their white washed back drop and as I looked from the back of the church I saw palm leaves. It actually made me catch my breath.

So often at Christmas we get wrapped up with the idea of the baby and all the joy that new life brings, not least to see us through the darkness and dormancy of winter time but here in these simple leaves was a reminder that death too is very present. And that this is no ordinary baby.

And upon a Wednesday
His vow will he make

And upon a Friday
His death will he take

And upon the third day
His rising shall be

And the sun and the moon
They shall rise up to see