"WHEN ICICLES HANG BY THE WALL' 



Holly and Ivy 



HOLLY (Ilex aqui folium). Holly, with its 

 beautiful red berries and unique leaf, stiff 

 and prickly, but highly decorative, is the 

 chief emblem of Christmas. We are continuing very 

 ancient traditions when we hang up our Christmas 

 wreaths and garlands. The earliest records of the 

 human race contain references to the custom of 

 decorating houses and temples and evergreens on 

 occasions of rejoicing. Holly comes to us from 

 pagan usage. Five hundred years before the birth 

 of Christ the Romans had been celebrating their 

 midwinter festival the Saturnalia commemorat- 

 ing the equality supposed to have existed on earth 

 in the golden reign of Saturn. The Saturnalia was 

 a period of general merry-making and relaxation. 

 People gave each other presents, wished each other 



"lo Saturnalia," just as we wish each other "Merry 



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