Stella Wenstob | Fjord Contributor
With the falling leaves, shortening days and the chilly winds it is comforting to be in the Pacific Northwest surrounded by fragrant evergreens giving us hope for life in the dead of winter. Whether you buy local greens or gather your own it is easy to “bring home Christmas” Wreath & swag workshop at 2019 Christmastown
as the medieval English phrase used to say. Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata), Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menzi), Noble Fir (Abies procera) and Salal (Gaultheria shallon) lend a cozy texture, while the jewel toned berries of Holly (Ilex aquifolium), Crab Apple (Malus sylvestris), Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), Cascara (Rhamnus purshiana), Wild Rose (Rosa acicularis) hips and Mountain Ash (Sorbus sitchensis) add a colorful contrast. Seasonal colors abound and evoke a Christmas-y feel to the world. Bringing in green for the midwinter is an ancient practice with pre-Christian roots amongst many cultures, including the
Greeks, Egyptians, Celts as well as the early inhabitants of the Pacific Northwest. The Greeks awarded wreaths made of laurels to the victors of the Olympic games and even today the laurel is engraved on the modern-day Olympic medals. Although the fragrant bay laurel has fallen out of favor as a seasonal decoration, the wreath is still a popular way to festoon winter festivals. Taken from the Old English word ‘writhen’ which means ‘to writhe’ or ‘to twist,’ the wreath is an elegant way to decorate your home for the holidays.
19
Although prickly and tricky to work with, holly is a traditional green for wreaths and swags. Holly has a history of superstitions and reinterpretations. Since ancient Celtic times, a sprig of holly has been a useful protective plant that kept away witches and evil spirits, as well as protecting the house from lightning. Contrastingly, a wreath hung at the door would welcome the Christmas Spirit into the house. The Christian faith graphically reinterprets the symbolism in the song the Holly & the Ivy, depicting holly as the thorny crown that Jesus wore and the berries as red as the blood of Christ.
FJORD
