Happy National Poinsettia Day ! ! !

A Brief History:
Origination: In 16^th-century Mexico, the association of the poinsettia plant with the Christmas season originated. As the story goes, a young girl yearned to honor the birth of Jesus. Concerned about her lack of resources, she felt she had no suitable gift to present due to her poverty. An angel advised her to offer any gift infused with love. Collecting weeds from the roadside, the girl placed them in the manger, and, to her amazement, the weeds transformed into stunning red stars.

POINSIETTAS courtesy of Openverse

United States Evolution: The poinsettia was first introduced to the United States by Joel Roberts Poinsett, an American botanist and the inaugural U.S. Minister to Mexico. In 1825, he sent cuttings back to Charleston, South Carolina. Nevertheless, it was not until the early 1920s that the poinsettia began to establish itself within American culture. Paul Ecke, a second-generation farmer in California, developed a grafting technique that encouraged the seedlings to branch out. His son, Paul Ecke Jr., further promoted the sale of the poinsettia by marketing and shipping the Christmas flower from roadside stands.

Photo by Jeffrey Hamilton on Unsplash

An Icon to Manna: The poinsettia is a widely recognized Christmas plant that represents the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, whereas manna was a sustenance discovered by the Israelites during their time in the wilderness.

More Celebration on a Governmental Level: In 2002, the House of Representatives established Poinsettia Day to pay tribute to Paul Ecke, recognized as the pioneer of the poinsettia industry. The observance takes place on December 12^th, commemorating the passing of Joel Roberts Poinsett, who is credited with introducing the plant to the United States.

Poinsettia Tree and Catedral de Oaxaca courtesy of Openverse

Celebrated: The date of December 12^th is recognized National Poinsettia Day every year, in order to honor Paul Ecke, being the pioneer of the poinsettia industry.

A Few Facts:
I am sharing a few facts, and more, some trivia, some not trivial. . .

Is it Possible to Keep My Poinsettia Growing Beyond the Holidays? It is indeed feasible to maintain a poinsettia beyond the holiday season; however, this is not a common practice among most individuals. The plant tends to be somewhat finicky and requires more care than many are willing to invest in its upkeep.

Poinsetta. Euphorbia pulcherrima [as Poinsettia pulcherrima var. plenissima] The garden, vol. 9 (1876) [H.N. Humphreys] courtesy of Openverse

• Orange
• Pink
• Purple
• White
• Salmon
  
• Yellow
• More. . .

Photo by BilliTheCat courtesy of Pixabay

The Present:
We are set on getting ready for our holidays that are upcoming, holiday shopping, and remembering to make sure that the house has its poinsettias!

The Future:
Poinsettia will always be a great symbol of the upcoming holidays! Let’s give and receive thanks with the holiday this great year and in the years to come. . .

FREEBIES & DEALS For National Poinsettia Day:
FREE Poinsettia Day: Fonts
FREE Poinsettia Day: Crafts + Printable
FREE Poinsettia Day: Sheet music
CHEAP Poinsettia Day: Ideas, Crafts & Worksheets
FREE Poinsettia Day: AT “Hey It’s Free”

#Poinsettia #Poinsettias #ChristmasFlower #Christmas #ChristmasTime #ChristmasTimeIsHere #ChristmasDecor #ChristmasDecor #Xmas #Noel #Church #December

Photo by Nika Benedictova

National Poinsettia Day