St Peters RC Church Hamilton

Christmas should not be

Without the iconic holly tree.

Clustered preferably with a sealing waxed berry,

Very merry and bright, a most glorious sight.

Dark green sheen of welcome evergreen

Alongside the variety of variegated holly,

Holly like mistletoe puts on a show.

A tolerant, accommodating tree of versatility,

The holly is easy to rear, amenable,

And surely must appear decoratively

When we deck the halls, adding that festive touch.

Lustrous in leaf with handsome gloss

Christmas décor is lost without holly,

A-glow, on show beneath fairy lights.

Holly, a tree, a bush, a shrub, a hedge

Growing anywhere really except perhaps a tub.

Some boast yellow berries, really a treasure,

For whenever the weather gets seasonably colder,

The hungry birds forage for food, feasting on the juicy reds.

The golden yellow however get overlooked,

Are rarely taken, forsaken, fortunately.

Red berries are a pantry packed with proteins and sugars.

Devoured by blackbirds, thrushes, pigeons,

As well as satisfying visiting redwings and marauding fieldfares.

And did you know that years ago,

The holly was revered in a particular way?

Thought of as a protector, the holly was a hope bringer.

In the depths of dreary, black, shivery weather

The holly seemed to say in all its cheer,

‘Take heart. Relief is near. Keep hoping.

This dismal spell will not last forever.’

Beautiful holly, a must in this season, like frost.

And the reason? Perhaps it is association.

Think back to fond memories of Christmas past,

Then realise our Creator has designed much in nature

To outclass anything mankind can devise.

The beauty of holly is richly decorative indeed.

Look, the wonders of the natural world are truly stunning, being so colourful, so beautiful. Thank You for providing a natural decoration for Christmas which is so appropriate. May our homes look truly welcoming to greet Your Son’s arrival, a most wondrous time for mankind. Thank You for all the richly colourful blessings of Christmas, the mounting excitement, the joy of anticipation and the pleasure of decoration. Amen.

CHRISTMAS

NATURE