Holly

As a witch, I love the symbolic and healing aspects of plants and flowers. Plants that grow through the winter  are some hardiest out there, and three of these plants hold much traditional symbolism within the Yule season: holly, ivy, and the most famous of all, mistletoe. These three plants are some of the most prevalent in British and European countrysides, from which most Yule-time traditions that we currently use in our holiday celebrations hail. As many of us know already, the Christian high and holy days are derived in part from their Pagan ancestral origins, and many of the popular Christmas imagery that is known and loved so well can be traced to the early folk traditions of the British Isles that have held up so well over the centuries. In fact, we can thank the Victorians for reviving many of the beloved Christmas foods, decorations, and activities that make up what we now know as Christmas. Today we will be focusing on the holly.

Holly, the most popular of the Yuletide plants, is an evergreen shrub or tree with leaves that stay shiny and green all year long, and bears red berries as fruit. Of the over 400-600 varieties of holly, the one we know for its use at Yule/Christmas is Ilex aquifolium, also known as common holly, English holly, or European holly. A sacred plant to the druids, holly is associated with the winter solstice and the planet Saturn, and masculine aspects. Romans sent boughs of holly and gifts to their friends during Saturnalia (hence the Saturn association), and the druids decorated their homes with holly in the winter to invite nature spirits to shelter there- perhaps this is why the use of holly around the home and in Yule items makes for a festive and inviting atmosphere.
Another popular story of the origins of the holly that makes it so compatible with Christmas (or vice versa) is  that it is said that holly first sprang from the footsteps of Jesus Christ; the thorns and red berries of the holly bush represent the suffering of Jesus.

Holy planted near a home is said to repel poison and protect from witchcraft and lightening. The wood has the power to tame animals and the flowers to freeze water.The beauty of the holly is that it's shiny, green leaves and bright red berries are a gorgeous sight in the stark whiteness and monochromatic hues of snow during the winter season. The red berry- bearing holly represents the sun (masculine) returning to earth at the winter solstice. It is a reminder that the God has been reborn to the earth, and the wheel of the year has begun to turn again, with the days growing longer, and longer until the opposite point of the year has been reached, the summer solstice. This is where the annual battles between the Holly King and Oak King take place.
The Holly King can also be seen as an Pagan embodiment and counterpart to that of Saint Nicholas, also known more commonly in North America as Santa Claus.

Uses for holly are mainly for festive holiday decorations and ornamental gardens due to the toxicity of the berries. Some species of holly, however, are used for herbal preparations in different parts of the world, including China (kuding cha) and South America (yerba mate).

During the Middle Ages, the holly was used in heraldry as a symbol of truth.

As for the use of holly in witchcraft, as I mentioned before, holly is masculine in nature and is associated with Mars, or Saturn and the element of fire; it can be used for consecration purposes, and in spells for material gain, physical revenge, beauty, protection, luck and dream magic. It is especially protective against lightening, and it is said that planting holly around the home or using holly boughs within home decorations will protect the household from unfriendly (!) witches. Friendly witches need not worry.
Further more, holly can also be utilized in any ritual relating to death and rebirth, and seasonal mysteries, certainly those linked with Yule are also suited to any sympathetic magick using holly. Finally the wood of the the holly can be used as a very good wand to banish unwanted entities and command evoked spirits within ritual. Lastly, a herbal water preparation made with holly has protective properties (just don't drink it).

There you have it, a very long post about holly, one of our favourite Yuletide plants.

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