Christmas in Idaho - Holly Motif
The Holly that Brings the Book Together
Christmas in Idaho is a book that borrows heavily from Victorian sensibilities: the beautiful naturalistic motifs, the decorative frames on every page, the colorful illustrations.
One of the motifs the Victorians favored for the Christmas season was holly. They featured it everywhere. In their homes in fresh form, and as an illustration in their cards and books.
But many centuries before the Victorians, the ancient Romans were already heavy users of holly. Their god Saturn considered it sacred, and so during the mid-December celebration of Saturnalia they decorated their homes with holly and other evergreens. They believed that these plants would help carry the sun during the dark winter period.
Other civilizations like the Celts, the Druids and the Norse also considered holly sacred. It was thought to have many powers, from keeping witches away to preventing lightning strikes.
It was also believed that the wood of the holly plant had magical properties that affected animals. For centuries coach whips were made from holly wood because it was supposed to make horses tamer and gentler.
Early Christians incorporated some of these beliefs into their new customs, like hanging them in animal pens for good health, or handing out holly sprigs to parishioners in churches to ensure good luck.
And so we are happy to continue the tradition in our own way.
Ray Downing, the author and illustrator, has made beautiful use of the holly leaf, for its unusual shape and its bright green color.
💠 Christmas in Idaho is filled with holly branches !
Blog Archive
