The holly tree and holly branches symbolize Christmas, the day set aside to honor the birth of Jesus Christ, yet the symbolism of the holly extends far back into pre-Christian times. Before Prince Albert brought the German custom of using evergreen trees as Christmas trees to Britain, the term “Christmas tree” actually meant holly trees or shrubs. The tradition of associating holly with winter dates back to ancient Celtic times.
The Holly King as Origin of Christmas Holly Use
The actual origin of holly as a unique Christmas decoration may date back to Celtic times. Celtic myths refer to two figures, the Holly King and the Oak King. The holly king ruled from the summer solstice to the winter solstice. At the winter solstice, the oak king fought and defeated the holly king, thus bringing the new cycle of spring and summer fertility forward again into the new year. The Holly King was depicted as a big man decked in green and carrying a large staff of holly. Many portrayals of Charles Dickens’ Ghost of Christmas Past on the silver screen are eerily reminiscent of the ancient Holly King, including a crown of holly and a holly staff, club or wand carried in the King’s right hand.
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Germanic mythology linked holly to Thor, god of thunder and lightning. People planted holly trees near their homes for lightning protection, and this myth was widely believed through the European countryside. Today, scientists give this some credence, since the tiny spines along the holly’s leaves may actually act as electrical conductors and channel lightning strikes into the ground, protecting the tree and nearby objects.
The ancients believed that the holly bestowed good luck on the bearer. While it was forbidden to cut down a holly tree, branches could be cut off for decoration or used for cattle feed. Holly was also thought to give magical properties of control over wild beasts. Coachmens’ whips traditionally had a handle made from holly, and many coaches and plows incorporated holly wood into their construction.
The use of holly branches and stems for coaches may not have been entirely due to superstition. Holly wood provides an exceptionally smooth and splinter-free surface and was much prized in industry. Looms made during the 1800s used holly for the spinning rod because the smooth surface was less likely to catch and break threads spinning rapidly around the rod.
Today, both living and artificial holly are found as Christmas decorations. Perhaps this echoes the pagan symbolism of the Holly King or Thor. Christians during the Middle Ages prized holly for its symbolic value too, likening the red berries to Christ’s blood shed on the cross. Because many types of holly are evergreen, it also symbolizes hope in the midst of despair, green leaves in the middle of a cold winter.
Whether you believe the pagan myths or the Christian myths, holly is one of the most common symbols of Christmas. Among unique Christmas decorations, a bough of holly cut from a holly tree or a wreath bedecked in holly serves as a reminder that the symbolic meaning of objects changes from culture to culture, yet holds great power in the unconscious minds of people.
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