1. The custom of decorating a "Christmas" tree was introduced to England by:
In 1840 the German Prince Albert cut a small fir tree on the Windsor Castle estate and brought it inside to amuse his young wife, Queen Victoria. This was decorated with candles, sweets, small presents and paper chains. An angel stood on the uppermost branch — the Christmas tree had arrived.
2. It is a basic feature of our Christmas decoration, but you court disaster if you bring holly into the house before:
It is unlucky to bring holly indoors before Christmas Eve and it must be put out on Twelfth Night — to break this rule is to court disaster.
3. Furthermore, it is said you must bring holly into the house for Christmas before the ivy or you will risk:
You also have to be careful to bring in the holly before the ivy on Christmas Eve if you are a male chauvinist — in that way you can ensure that the man will rule the household. To bring in ivy first would result in a woman-dominated house.
4. A kiss under the mistletoe once held special significance. Did it signify:
The origin of the kissing custom is unknown, but we do know that it was once a much more serious affair — to kiss a girl under the mistletoe in public meant a proposal of marriage.
5. Mistletoe has been used in herbal medicine since the Dark Ages. Which ailment is it not used to treat?
Mistletoe has been used in herbal medicines since the Dark Ages. It was popular with the early herbalists — "Good for the grief of sinew, itch, sores, toothache and the biting of mad dogs or venomous snakes," says Culpeper.
6. Today we only think of sage as a herb for mixing with onions to stuff the turkey, but once it was a valued medicinal herb taken in the form of:
Sage tea has long been regarded as an excellent stimulant, with digestive properties — but in some countries of the world it was regarded as a brain stimulant, hence the common name.
7. Which famous "Holy Thorn" sometimes blooms on the old Christmas Day (January 5th) prompting the vicar to send a flowering branch to the Queen?
There is a hawthorn in Somerset which is world famous — it is the Holy Thorn of Glastonbury. It occasionally blooms on old Christmas Day (5th January) and in earlier times this was regarded as a miracle by simple people who were used to seeing hawthorn trees burst into season in May.
8. Which common garden herb was popular for decorating churches at Christmas before holly became a universal favourite?
Rosemary was popular for decorating churches at Christmas before holly became such a universal favourite, and it has long been associated with remembrance.
9. Our most famous Christmas tree is erected each year in Trafalgar Square, a gift from which capital city in gratitude for Britain's help during World War Two?
Our most famous Christmas tree is erected each year in Trafalgar Square — a gift from Oslo in gratitude for Britain's help in World War II.
10. Which flower, brought by monks to England so that it naturalised near monasteries, became a church flower replacing the image of the Virgin Mary at Candlemas?
Early monks travelling back and forth to Rome brought the flower to England and it has become naturalised in the vicinity of old monasteries. It became a church flower and on Candelmas (2nd February) the image of the Virgin Mary was taken down and snowdrops spread in its place.
11. The poinsettia, that favourite Christmas plant is a native of:
The symbol of Christmas indoors now is the Poinsettia with its large scarlet flower-heads. All Poinsettias are varieties of Euphorbia pulcherrima. Red is the favourite colour — types include "Barbara Ecke Supreme", "Mrs Paul Ecke" and "Angelica". Pinks such as "Dortthe" are not very poular but the whites and pale creams ("Regina, "Ecke's White") are widely available. The most unusual Ponsettia is "Marble" — the bracts are deep cream with a rosy-red heart.
12. The "Christmas" Rose flowers from:
The blooms of the Helleborus are a welcome sight in winter or early spring. The Christmas Rose (Helleborus niger) is the early one – the Lenten Rose (Helleborus orientalis) blooms later.
