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| photo from besthomedecorators.com |
A Poinsettia Tree! No need for trimmings. The plants' leaves (yes, the colored parts are leaves while the flowers in the center of the leaf bunch can hardly be seen) can stand alone, excuse me. :) Here's a no frills, no nonsense tree that says Christmas. Red, flaming red. Bold yet simple. Just like Christ whose great love for humanity, for his Father, enabled him to come to us taking the human form with all the pain it entails. The essence of it all.
Check this link to see how a mall put it together: Setting up a giant Poinsettia Tree
Legend has it (via Wikipedia):
The plant's association with Christmas began in 16th century Mexico, where legend tells of a young girl who was too poor to provide a gift for the celebration of Jesus' birthday. The tale goes that the child was inspired by an angel to gather weeds from the roadside and place them in front of the church altar. Crimson "blossoms" sprouted from the weeds and became beautiful poinsettias. From the 17th century, Franciscan friars in Mexico included the plants in their Christmas celebrations. The star-shaped leaf pattern is said to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem, and the red color represents the blood sacrifice through the crucifixion of Jesus. In Spain it is known as "Flor de Pascua", meaning "Easter flower". In both Chile and Peru, the plant became known as "Crown of the Andes."It's the thought. It IS the heart.
