Evergreens as Christmas Symbols

By Joanne K., Pitt County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer

With the holiday season upon us, evergreens are decorating everything from churches and front doors to streetlights and car bumpers! These greens appear in many forms, including trees, wreaths, and garlands.

Evergreens as Christmas symbols were derived from pagan-inspired traditions begun thousands of years ago when greens were used as decorations for pagan winter festivals.

During the winter solstice, Egyptians celebrated Ra, the Sun God, by making wreaths and garlands and decorating conifers. Druids decorated evergreens to ensure a fruitful year.

Christmas Wreath (Pinaceae family)

Vikings used evergreen decorations to ward off evil spirits associated with the winter solstice. Fir trees served as New Year's decorations for the Romans.

Christmas Tree (Pinaceae family)

As the pagans were evangelized over time, their symbols were adapted by Christians for their own rituals and given religious meaning.

For example, it's believed that Christmas trees (Pinaceae family) originated in sixteenth-century Germany, where some Northern European cultures held that the evergreen fir tree had godlike powers. Evergreen boughs decorated homes to protect them during winter, ensuring the return of spring.
As Christianity spread, Christians saw evergreens as representing everlasting life with God, and incorporated them into their celebrations.

Holly (Ilex) was considered a sacred plant by Druids, for whom it symbolized fertility, and eternal life. Romans used it to decorate during Saturnalia, the feast of Saturn, the god of agriculture and harvest. For Christians, holly came to symbolize Jesus Christ, with the berries representing his blood, and the thorns the crown that was placed on his head before he died.

Holly (Ilax)

Ivy (Hedera helix)

Ivy (Hedera helix) is another green used by the ancients to represent eternal life and the return of spring. Romans associated it with Bacchus, the good of wine and intoxication. In some cultures, it symbolized marriage. For some it represented prosperity and fortune, which early Christians saw as a sign to help those less fortunate.
Ivy and holly are frequently used together to make wreaths and other Christmas decorations.

Laurel (Taurus nobilis) represents triumph over suffering and persecution. It's one of the greens used to create Advent wreaths, whose circular shape represents the continuity of life and God eternal.

Mistletoe (Phoradendron serotinum) has a long history in folklore. Ancient Greeks, thinking it had healing properties, used it as a remedy for various disorders, as well as using it as an aphrodisiac.
The Druids thought that mistletoe was a sacred plant because it didn't grow from roots in the ground. They wore it for good luck and protection from evil spirits. Mistletoe over a doorway allowed only happiness to enter the house.

Hanging mistletoe as decorations started with Saturnalia, the Roman winter holiday. Its association with Christmas isn't clear, but by the 18th century, it was widely used in winter holiday celebrations.

In the 1700s in northern Europe, kissing balls with mistletoe hung in doorways. A single lady giving a kiss under the mistletoe increased her chances of marriage.

Laurel (Taurus nobilis)

Mistletoe (Phoradendron serotinum)

Although the history of how Christmas and evergreens came together may be open to different interpretations, it's a beautiful tradition celebrating the spirit of the season.

Photo Credits
Christmas Tree (Pinaceae family)—Joanne K.
Christmas Wreath (Pinaceae family)—Joanne K.
Holly (Ilex)—Joanne K.
Ivy (Hedera helix)—Joanne K.
Bay Laurel (Taurus nobilis)—Leaves, Twinning Valley Nurseries CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Mistletoe (Phoradendron serotinum)—Joanne K.