Christmas Plants

Most of the residents have begun their pre Christmas celebration by hanging pretty wreaths of flowers on the entrances of houses, hotels, shops and villas. We have begun our celebrations by hanging huge wreaths on the green doorways of the historic Villa Pandolfini. Our villa is resounding with Christmas cheer and we wish you could share the season’s bonhomie with us. The X Mas Wreath is made up of striking red flowers called the Stella di Natale which is also known as the Christmas Star. These beautiful flowers contrast with the green boughs of holly framing the wreaths and the whole wreath is completed with a huge golden bow complementing the bright red and dark greens. Let us read more about the various plants used which beautify our houses and bring in nature to our homes. Although winter is not the season for flowers the Poinsettia or Stella di Natale or Christmas Star is the main flower used to decorate homes. Mistletoe, Holly and Butcher’s Broom are also other important plants used to decorate homes, hotels and squares in the festive season.

Poinsettia or the Christmas Star

Actually the Christmas Star is not a red flower as is commonly thought but is a yellow flower surrounded by large red bracts giving it a predominant red look. It was first isolated in the wild from Mexico. It now grows in many parts of the world and is one of the flowers in full bloom just before the frost.  It is a ubiquitous part of many Christmas wreaths. Some Florentines even gift these wreaths or flowers in bouquets or pots to their friends as Christmas presents.

Although these beautiful flowers are commonly referred to Poinsettias (after Joel Robert Poinset who introduced these flowers in the United States) they have the botanical name Euphorbia Pullcherima. It is interesting to note that when you translate its botanical name it means “very beautiful”. Poinsettias are also called “the crown of the Andes “by the residents of Peru and Chile. They are also called Lobster Flower. Due to their bright red colour they are also referred to as flame leaf flowers.

There are over hundred varieties of Poinsettias or Christmas Stars available. Although they are available in three colours-red, white and pink, it is the red plant which is preferred. These flowers are used as a cut flower in wreaths, bouquets or as pots to adorn the house. These perennial shrubs can grow up to a height of ten metres. Sold mainly in the six weeks preceding Christmas, pots of these plants are gifted to friends as their bright appearance adds colour and cheer to the indoors. They are the main Christmas plant seen in most houses all over the world.

Mistletoe

Although for many of us the a branch of mistletoe is the place where you are obliged to or happy to kiss the person you meet under it, mistletoe has a hoary past and a prominent place ancient cultures and customs including those of Christmas. The Vikings considered it as a symbol of love and fertility and this may be the origin of this popular custom.

There are many legends and myths surrounding this plant. Mistletoe has been associated with the ancients including Druids, Celts and the Romans. Another pleasant custom associated with the mistletoe is its association with peace. When enemies face encounters under trees having mistletoe growing in them they temporarily lay down arms and embrace each other and call for a temporary truce extending up to the next day. Ancient Romans believed that mistletoe symbolizes luck. Thus it formed a major part of Christmas decorations in most of Europe. There is a French tradition which associates the mistletoe as a parasite which grew on the wood used to make the cross used to crucify Christ. This may have led it to be considered as poisonous right from ancient times.

Mistletoe has green and pointed leaves which have a leathery feel. The fruits or berries can be white or red. One of the few evergreen plants which do not shed its leaves in winter, mistletoe has been associated with festivals surrounding the winter solstice.

lthough this plant has been considered poisonous right from the ages has recently been considered to have a positive ecological impact on diversity. As a Christmas decoration it is very popular in many homes. It is used so commonly and extensively that it soon will become a protected species.

Holly

Many of us are familiar with the Christmas Carol which goes

Deck the halls with boughs of holly

Fa la la la la la la la la
“Tis the season to be jolly
Fa la la la la la la la la

But did you know that holly can be both a shrub and a tree and grow up to heights ranging from two to twenty five metres. Over six hundred species are found in many parts of the world including Asia, Africa, Europe, North and South America.

Holly is a traditional Christmas decoration in most western countries. Dance halls are decorated with evergreen branches of holly with their shining and attractive berries. Christmas wreaths have bits of holly branches with their attractive red berries. Holly is another evergreen plant associated with ancient cultures of the Celts, the Druids and the Romans. Christians associate holly with the symbolism of Christmas - the red berries symbolizing the blood that Jesus shed on the cross and the pointed green leaves symbolize the thorns used to crown him.

Holly is also considered as a symbol of purity. Ancient Romans used to give gift friends of holly as charms to ward off evil and bring good luck during the feast of Saturnalia a Neo Pagan Winter Solstice Ritual. Saturnalia is celebrated to honour Saturn beginning from December and celebrated for a period of seven days.

lthough the berries are poisonous the leaves of holly have been used in herbal concoctions to treat a few medical conditions. There is also an interesting gender association with holly which will please either man or woman depending on whom finds favour with the type of holly used. A myth says that if the holly is smooth the woman rules the house the following year and if it is prickly it is the man who is in charge. Another myth says the person who brings in the first sprig of holly will be in charge of the house. So go ahead and chose your holly accordingly and bring it in to the home first, who knows the myth might come true.

Butcher’s Broom

Butcher’s Broom is another plant which is used in traditional Christmas decorations. You might wonder how this plant got such an unusual name. Branches of the plant used to be cut and tied into bundles. These bundles were used as brooms a long time ago especially to sweep the wooden blocks Butchers’ used. Hence we get the name Butcher’s Broom. Another quaint and versatile use of Butcher’s broom is bundles of the plant were used to protect hung meat from rodents especially mice.

Butcher’s broom is unusual for another reason as well. It is not the leaves of this plant which are evergreen. What looks like dark ever green leaves are in fact imitation leaves and are actually flattened stems called cladodes. The stems do not fall off like other leaves during Autumn and hence remain evergreen. The plant also produces large red berries contrasting against the deep green of the flattened stems giving it an attractive appearance. These are used as Christmas decorations.
Related to the lily family you can find these plants growing at the base of older trees.
his pretty Christmas plant is also a plant which has high medicinal value. Its tender buds are sometimes eaten as a vegetable like asparagus.

Visiting a market by steam engine from Florence to Marradi

Christmas is not only the time for special and traditional foods and drinks but also a time for people to come together and celebrate.  Market places come alive and let me take you on an exhilarating journey by a steam driven locomotive from Florence to Marradi, a quaint little town in Tuscany.

Between 1907 and 1911 the Italian State Railways (FS) fabricated elegant locomotives which were run using super heated steam. These steam engines could run with fairly high speeds and were attached to trains running major Italian cities including Rome, Naples, Turin and Florence. With the advent of time and technology, trains run on steam engines became more of ‘heritage value” rather than practical use.

However we can be lucky enough to travel in these heritage trains when we undertake the journey from Florence to Marradi on Sunday December 21. 2008. The tickets are priced at € 19 for children and € 32 for an adult. The train will leave Florence and traverse through the picturesque and green Tuscan landscape and forests and reach Marradi, a clean and green village surrounded by clear streams and wooded forests filled with Chestnut trees. Florence is only sixty five kilometres away and you can enjoy visiting Marradi as a day trip.

The old centre of the town is transformed into a festive area as many locals, tourists and children come to the market to buy gifts, Christmas decorations and toys. The Christmas Market has many stalls where you can pick up your Christmas needs. There are various food stalls and the whole market has a festive air. It is a taste of countryside Tuscany filled with the warmth and simplicity of its people as you try the traditional dishes available in the market. The fresh air, the holiday cheer and the friendliness all add to the charms of the market. Being the town of Marron Buono (the Chestnut) it is vital that you enjoy the ‘Torta di Marroni di Marradi” or the Chestnut Cake of Marradi.

Major events in Florence in December

After all those cultural events it is definitely time for food and what better way to end this newsletter than a recipe. As winter approaches, it is time for dishes made with foods especially suited to the season. Tuscany is a region very renowned for its simple yet traditional food. Freshness of ingredients and seasonal nature of the foods are an essential part of the cuisine. Before I sign off we hope you enjoy this simple recipe made with a winter vegetable= the artichoke.