This was the week of Christmas and I wanted to indulge myself in nostalgia. I think if most people were to recall memories from childhood, a high percentage would be from Christmas. I am no different. My hope is that my memories stir your own which will keep you in the mindset you need to enjoy this very different Christmas.
Most Western cultures associate the holly plant with Christmas, but holly’s meaning has a long, rich history that reaches back before the time of Christ. Due to its ability to stay green through the harshest winter months, holly has deep-rooted symbolic links to life and hope. Ancient druids, Romans, Celts and even Asian cultures embraced holly as an important aspect of annual celebrations and cultural traditions
Grief is scary. It is uncomfortable and unpredictable. Being with a person who is grieving is all those things. It might be easy, sometimes, to stay away and keep your distance. Surely the grieving person has lots to do and many other people ringing her doorbell and calling her cell phone. Right?
For 2021, Holly may be in our thoughts! Holly stands for good luck! The ancient Romans and Greeks were the first to deck their halls with boughs of holly. Holly bushes always stay green, and need little to no maintenance, even during the harshest winters. For those of us in the northern climates, Winterberry holly is a native plant worth growing. The ancients believed the bush was sacred. Romans would send holly wreaths to friends, family, and especially newlyweds gifts of goodwill and good wishes.
Lately people have been telling me I’m strong. They admire my strength. They don’t know how they’d do it if they were often with admiration. in my shoes. “You’re so strong,” they say,
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