OR, LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS. 185 
THE CHRISTMAS HOLLY 
O it is so pleasing at Christmas time, 
The evergreen Holly to see, 
With its berries red ripe, and leaves so green,— 
Then the heart it filleth with glee. 
While the snow is falling upon the ground, 
And the frost is upon the pane,— 
The prickly old Holly, and the bright glowing fire. 
Will dispel all our care and pain. 
Look at that Holly, so hardy and green, 
Defying stern Winter’s embrace; 
It cares not for wind, for frost, or for snow— 
They cannot its beauty efface. 
Then gather the Holly to hang on the wall, 
And let us be cheerful and gay, 
For the winter it turneth into spring 
And makes night as cheerful as day. 
O sing to the Holly, the evergreen Holly, 
It is loved by peasant and king, 
While under its green boughs we cheerfully feast, 
And the praises of Holly we sing. 
O evergreen Holly, thou cheerest the heart 
When earth’s sweet flowers are dead : 
When the trees are stript, and the earth is bare, 
We have pleasure from thee instead. 
The Ivy is pretty, but it creeps along 
Where death sad havoc has spread; 
