10. Holly was the symbol of the Pagan ‘King of Winter’- not the Blood of Christ.
With its spiked, glossy green leaves and bright red berries, Holly was a mainstay of medieval Christmas garlands and remains a perennial symbol of Christmas. To justify its association with the nativity, Christians devised stories that linked the use of holly to Christ. In one legend, a young shepherd boy made the newborn savior the gift of a small holly crown. However, after he placed his somewhat prickly present on the baby’s head, the child felt ashamed at his simplicity and so began to cry. His tears caught on the holly leaves- and when Jesus touched them, they turned into scarlet berries.
In a slightly more grizzly legend, Holly becomes the crown of thorns, with the redness of its berries due to Christ’s blood. This story explains the color of holly berries- but has nothing to do with Christmas. In fact, holly was the symbol of another, pagan king; the holly king who at midwinter battled with the oak king of the fading summer season- and won. Despite being a symbol of winter, the vibrant red and green of holly was also a potent symbol of life, as vivid colors stood out in the darkness of the midwinter season.