THE RED BLOSSOMS OF A DECEMBER ROMANCE : The Poinsettia

Romance is a flower that blooms in the coldest winters, upon the hardest ground, and in the deepest drifts of snow. Its roots hold tightly to the Christmas holiday season's legends and have become one with them. This hearty breed of emotion has even found its way into one of the myths surrounding of the favoured December flower, Poinsettia (poyn-SEHT-ee-uh).

Among the most popular of the myths, is one that originated in Mexico, the domain of Ambassador Joel Roberts Poinsett (1779-1851), the man who "discovered" this Mexican wildflower. The tale portrays a small boy who kneels at the altar of his small village's church on Christmas Eve. Sad that he does not have enough money to buy a present to offer the Christ-child on his birthday, the boy prays. Upon hearing the child's solemn prayers, God sends down and miracle. At the child's feet, in bright crimson red and vibrant green, blooms a flower. This flower becomes known as "Flower of the Holy Night," a tribute to the holy birth. It later becomes known as the Poinsettia.

Another story of the "fire flower's" origins, has a young Mexican girl bearing a handful of hand-picked wildflowers approaching the altar with her gift for the Christchild. The other children laugh upon seeing her simple gift of common flowers. Sad that she does not have more to offer the baby Jesus, the young girl cries. Her true blue tears cause the ratweeds to bloom into beautiful red petals that form the shape of the star of David. At this sight, the other children see the true magnificance of her gift, and the first Poinsettia is born.

The next piece of Poinsettia lore is the most romantic of all and explains the deep, dark hue of the plant. According to this legend, when a young woman becomes separated from her one true love on Christmas Eve and dies of a broken heart, in sympathy, the Poinsettia's leaves turned a red the color of blood. The "flame leaf" called the Poinsettia was once classified by 19th century Botanists as a lowly weed. Now, selling over 150 million each holiday season, it is one of the universal symbols of Christmas, and even has its own romantic myth and has contributed to shaping the face of romance through the ages.

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