The pagan roots of Christmas trees

VARIOUS plants and flowers are associated with the Christmas season, with evergreens having particular significance. Even today, with the sea of Christmas lights that descend on every European city, the use of natural materials has never entirely waned in individual homes. Many cultures over the centuries have used cut branches of evergreen to decorate the house during the winter period. Almost without exception, the traditions pre-date Christianity and originate from the pagan midwinter festivals.

As Christianity spread, new religious significance was overlaid onto the old religion's symbols, often resulting in a curious mix of beliefs and superstitions. Whatever the spiritual reason, greenery brought into homes at this time no doubt proved a practical asset as an air freshener when much of the family would have been confined to barracks.

Many European and West Asian cultures regarded evergreens as potent symbols of growth and rebirth. As the shortest day approached, and with it darkness and cold, evergreens - flourishing when all other plant life seemed dead or dormant - were regarded as symbols of everlasting life, especially in the days before light at the flick of a switch. In the warmer Mediterranean, where many plants actually come to life during the relatively mild and damp winter, it is clear why the evergreen tradition didn't catch on in the same way.

The spirit of trees

Some ancient cultures believed that decorating the shrubs themselves during the winter made them attractive to wood spirits looking for shelter from the harsh weather. It was believed that bringing evergreens inside the house demonstrated special hospitality to the spirits. Traditionally, the evergreen decorations would be kept up until Candlemas (commemorating the purification of the Virgin Mary and the presentation of Christ in the Temple) on February 2.

As the decorations were discarded, the spirits would be released at a time when the weather was improving and buds were beginning to appear on the trees. In the middle ages, people believed the tree spirits would cause havoc in the home if they were restrained at this time, and strict (often regional) rules remain to this day about when the midwinter greenery should be put up (some believe it shouldn't be until Christmas Eve), taken down and disposed of. The watershed has long shifted from Candlemas to Twelfth Night (January 6). In some areas of Britain, the greenery was ceremonially burned, while others refused to burn it instead feeding it as a 'charm' to cattle. Most of these customs have faded and have been absorbed into a national pattern with the significance long forgotten.

One St Gregory was largely responsible for incorporating the ancient customs into the Christian faith. Sending out missionaries from Rome in the 6th century, he knew it was not realistic to expect people to convert overnight so he advised his missionaries to make concessions. He suggested letting people decorate but instead of decorating the temples to the Roman god of agriculture, Saturn, during the midwinter festival of Saturnalia, he encouraged decoration in honour of Christ's birth. St Gregory didn't mind if the people held on to some of the superstitions from earlier beliefs as long as they understood the teachings of Christ.

In Ancient Rome garlands were made from bay, box, rosemary, pine and evergreen oak.

The magic of holly

I also love Lentisc/Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus) for its fragrant foliage, though the berries have probably long gone as they appear in the summer and provide food for the birds in the drought period

In Britain the native holly, ivy, and mistletoe were (and still are) the favoured plants. Holly was popular because it is laden with red berries at this time and was thought to have magical powers since it remained