Holiday Greens

One of my favorite holiday traditions is to collect and display greens around the house. Many people cut holiday trees, but there are plenty of other ways to use evergreen boughs for decorations. Not only do they add to the holiday cheer, some produce a beautiful fragrance to lighten the winter mood.
 
The tradition of using holiday greens indoors has ancient roots. The Greeks and Romans were amazed these boughs stayed green year round and concluded they must have magical powers. They believed by bringing them indoors, some of the powers might rub off. Of course, the holiday tree is the tradition we’re most familiar with. Rumor has it Martin Luther started the custom of bringing a fresh cut holiday tree indoors in the 1500s. He noticed how beautiful an evergreen tree looked with the snow and ice on its boughs and wanted to share that with his children. So, he cut a tree, brought it indoors, and decorated it with candles.
 
While the look and feel of a holiday tree is certainly a good reason to cut one, smell is another. My wife, Wendy, loves balsam fir. Just the smell of it brings her back to childhood, waiting expectantly for her holiday gifts. Growing up in my house the choice was either green or white plastic trees. No natural smells there. So, when I became an adult I started some new traditions. I harvest small boughs of cedar and decorate the mantle with them. The smell fills the house and I love the soft texture of the boughs.
 
There are a variety of greens with different looks and feels for making wreaths, swags, ropes, and hanging balls. White pines make a dramatic wreath. The long, thin needles give the impression of swirling motion when tucked together in a circle. They are so smooth you can’t resist a quick caress as you walk by. Balsam and cedar fill the house with holiday fragrance. Blue spruce adds a nice color contrast to other greens. However, it has stiffer, shorter needles and is prickly to the touch.
 
Broad-leafed evergreens, such as holly, can be used as decorations this time of year, but may not be hardy in all parts of Vermont. In warmer areas, with a little protection you can get them to stay evergreen year round. Picking a few sprigs of holly to decorate a wreath, swag, or centerpiece adds a soft, shiny, polished texture to the holiday arrangement. Plus, if you have a male and female holly, you’ll get red berries too! When cutting any these boughs outdoors use a sharp pruner and cut from a variety of places to avoid deforming the tree.
 
So as the dark days of winter descend with the solstice and holidays, brighten up the look and smell of your home with some favorite evergreens. They will last for weeks indoors tiding you over until the flowers of spring come popping up through the cold ground.