Holly Lore
Winter brings many traditions and celebrations to this dark time of the year. One of the mainstays of holiday decorations and traditions is the inclusion of this prickly leaf with red berries. The inclusion of holly in wintertime celebrations dates back to ancient rome, and perhaps even further. It has been woven into many cultures and serves many purposes...so let’s dive into some of them!
Even in the coldest of months, the green, waxy leaves and bright red berries of the holly tree add a certain amount of color and whimsy to the world. It is likely because of its physical appearance and durability in the hardest months of the year that holly gained great renown in festivals and folk practices.
It is said that during Saturnalia, celebrated in Ancient Roman in mid-December, that boughs of Holly would be delivered to friends to celebrate the season. In Britain, people were said to put Holly in and around their homes to protect them from the evil fair folk and welcome in kind fair folk for the cold season. If you intend to bring holly into your home this Yuletide season, it is important that you not cut down an entire tree. It is said that it brings an overwhelming amount of bad luck. Instead, merely harvest a few branches or boughs for decoration...but not enough to kill the tree.
In Celtic mythology, there is an eternal struggle between the Oak King and the Holly King. The Holly King rules one half of the year and is typically depicted as a powerful male king covered in holly leaves, branches, and he even wields a holly bush at his side as a club. He takes over control of the world until the Oak king reappears in the warmer months.
One thing to keep in mind, though, if you have put holly in your home to welcome the fair folk in you must burn it by Imbolc. If you don’t they may stick around all year and cause quite a bit of damage.
The above image is by Me haridas and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
