Happy Boxing Day!聽 I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and can now catch your breath for a while and sit back to enjoy the peace of the season. 聽
Did you wonder what Boxing Day really is?聽 My homework revealed that there may be several answers. In Victorian England, wealthy people gave their staff December 26 as a day off, and packed up boxes of food for them to take with them as they visited family and friends.聽 I also read that in the Middle Ages it was tradition to open up the poor boxes in churches on December 26, the feast of St. Stephen, and distribute the funds collected there to the poor. But nowhere in my browsing did I find any plant connected with Boxing Day!
So on to the next big event: New Year鈥檚! The New Year is almost upon us! If we were in beautiful Scotland over the New Year period, we could sing Auld Lang Syne in the country it was written by Robbie Burns, then take part in Hogmanay celebrations, where families welcome friends and neighbors into their homes, and welcome the New Year as well! Have you heard of the Scottish tradition of 鈥渇irst footing鈥�? It is a lovely tradition where the first person to cross the threshold after midnight on New Year鈥檚 Eve brings good luck to the house. This is helped by the special guest arriving bearing gifts of coal, salt, whiskey, shortbread, and evergreens or white heather, a symbol of good luck in Scotland. 聽
You may not be the 鈥渇irst foot鈥� for anyone this year, but if you go calling around New Year鈥檚, you may want to take a gardening gift with you. Many plants have special meaning in the botanical language, and there are many plants for good luck!
Time for some homework! If you take someone a rubber plant, you are bringing them not only a tree that is good to clean the air, but also a plant that symbolizes wealth and abundance.聽 Guess what: the shape of the leaves is significant!聽 Rounded leaves are thought to bring peace and serenity.
The philodendron plant is a plant that does well even in poor light, and the shape of the leaves, heart-shaped, bring the element of fire and emotion to a room that might otherwise be cold and unwelcoming.
A pretty English Ivy has hidden power in the language of plants. The trailing growing habit softens any negative emotions that might be swirling around you. This plant is also excellent at clearing the air.
Beautiful orchids are the epitome of elegance in plants, and they represent strong friendship, love and are restful for our souls. Also, though delicate in appearance, a stem of blooms can last a long time, so they truly have 鈥渇lower power鈥�.
Wouldn鈥檛 you know it, the money plant, pachira, brings good luck. If you see them with fancy braided stems, look for odd numbers of stems, these are considered lucky.
And if you bring more than one plant, groups of three plants bring harmony. So that鈥檚 a good guide to plant gift-giving for the New Year!
The Yorkton and District Horticultural Society wish you all a very happy new year!聽 Take time to savor family, enjoy friends, do a small act of kindness each day, and of course, make gardening part of your plan for the New Year! Visit us at www.yorktonhort and have a great week!
