Holly Ilex aquifolium is the quintessential herb of Christmas. Its herbal uses were restricted to medicinal purposes, and the leaves are laxative, diuretic, and have been used to lower fevers. There are better, and safer, herbs for these purposes and it is little used by heralists today. The brilliant red berries are toxic, particularly for children, and should be kept out of reach of small fingers. Fake red berries can easily be obtained and wired into holly arrangements. There are more than 300 species of holly, and even more cultivars. The handsome Chinese species I. cornuta which thrives in warmer areas than are suitable for I.aquifolium looks equally right when used in Christmas wreaths, and in swags for the chimney mantlepiece.

Mistletoe was one of the most magical of the ancient Druidic herbs, and when it grew upon the most sacred of the Druidic trees, the oak, it was said to be the soul of the oak and was doubly treasured. Its power was believed to be nullified if it touched the earth or base metal and it was never casually cut down with a saw or knife as we would today. Instead, a clean, white cloth was held beneath the mistletoe, and a golden sickle wielded by a priest was used to cut the mistltoe from the tree. Sometimes the life blood of a white bullock was spilled on the ground to feed the oak, on other occasions a white bullock was used to carry the mistletoe away to the temple.

Our custom of hanging up a bunch of mistletoe under which kisses are exchanged at Christmas dates back to an old Norse legend. Balder was the handsome son of Frigga, the goddess of love, of marriage, and of time, spinner of sunshine and weaver of clouds. Balder was protected against all the injuries that the four elements, fire, water, air, and earth could inflict and was invulnerable to everything except the magic of mistletoe. But in time he made a powerful enemy of an evil deity Loki who plotted to kill him. Loki made an arrow of the wood of mistletoe which he gave to the blind god Helder. Not knowing that Balder was in front of him, Helder playfully unleashed the arrow from his bow and dealt the handsome young god a mortal wound. Frigga was beyond reach in her grief at the death of her son. She wept endlessly over the mistletoe and in time its berries turned to pearls. Still she wept, and unable to bear the absence of the grieving goddess of love any longer, a council of the great gods was held and the decision taken to return Balder to life. So great was Frigga’s joy that she blessed the mistletoe as an eternal symbol of peace and love, to be hung high so that lovers and friends might receive her blessing as they kissed below the mistletoe.

The Christmas kissing ball, now so popular in North America, is derived from this custom. An Oasis ball is used as a foundation. Sprigs of fragrant evergreen herbs such as rosemary, thyme, cedar, sweet myrtle, and bay are pushed into the upper two thirds of the ball, completely and evenly covering it. Mistletoe sprigs are then pushed into the lower third. Attach a large red or silver bow with wire to the ball and suspend it in a doorway. The foliage will dry out quite quickly unless the ball is topped up with water each day. Alternatively, fragrant dried twigs of herbs and dried mistletoe can also be used, and gold or silver florist’s spray paint used to make the ball glitter as it swings gently in the light.

Ivy was believed by the Greeks, somewhat unreliably as it turned out, to prevent intoxication. Its herbal uses these days are confined to treating the dreaded cellulite, and cases of mild sunburn. It is slow to wilt and ideal for use as a trailer to decorate the Christmas table, or for use in swags, wreaths, and to wind around columns and poles. The leaves look beautiful when sprayed with silver or gold florist’s paint, and there are so many delightful ivy cultivars to choose from. Sweet myrtle Myrtus communis is closely associated with the goddess Venus, and today is used in cooking, for its fragrance in pot pourri and sweet washing waters, and as a leaf infusion used to make cold compresses for bruises , and as an antiseptic wash. Use it in little posies tied with silver and gold baubles and ribbons for fragrant place markers on the Christmas table. The beloved evergreen conifers of the winter solstice ceremonies are still the centrepiece of our modern Christmas, but today they are our Christmas tree. Prolong the life of keep your tree alive as long as possible by placing it away from heat sources such as sunny windows, fireplaces, and kitchens, and place the cut tree trunk in a bucket of water with bricks to help hold it in place.

The gifts that the three Magi brought to the baby Jesus were gold, and the resins of two herbal shrubs, myrrh and frankincense. Myrrh was used by the ancient Egyptians and Hebrews for embalming, and in cosmetics , incense, perfumes, and in medic ine. It was once considered to be of the greatest rarity and is obtained from a shrub Commiphora. Frankincense, sometimes called olibanum,was used in sacred ceremonies for millenia. It comes from a thorny small tree Boswellia thurifera found in North Africa, around the Red Sea, and in the Yemen.

Today we are much more likely to scent our house for Christmas with bowls of spicy fragranced pot pourri and wonderful simmering pot pourris that fill the house with the mouthwatering scents of the season. Bayberry, and pine scented candles are perfect for the Christmas table, placed in containers of sand and wreathed with holly or resinous rosemary. Citrus and spices like cinnamon sticks, nutmegs, and cloves are classic fragrances for Christmas. Orange pomanders are easy to make and are wonderul additions to Christmas wreaths, hung by ribbons from the Christmas tree, and piled up in bowls to fill rooms with fragrance. Small whole oranges are studded all over with whole cloves, then placed in individual brown paper bags with generous amounts of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and orris root as well if available. Place them in a dry place, twisting each bag closed. The pomanders will dry out and then keep indefinitely. Limes and lemons can also be used.

Simmering pot pourris are a mixture of water and aromatic botanicals that are very gently simmered to release their fragrant essential oils and scent the air for several hours. In winter they give the extra benefit of humidifying the dry air in closed houses and apartments, particularly those with central heating. There is no need to dry the ingredients first. They can be gathered fresh from the garden with the exception of some spices. However, drying materials as they become available in the garden does ensure a good supply of fragrant materials during the party season, and also when the garden is dormant during ‘Christmas in July’ celebrations. Some simple combinations perfect for a summery Australian Christmas include:

• ‘Orange’ mint with rosemary

• Pine or spruce foliage with rosemary, sliced green ginger and fresh orange peels

• Grapefruit peel with cardomom pods

• Vanilla beans with allspice berries and cinnamon sticks

• A refreshing mixture of spearmint with sweet lavender flowers and leaves.

To give a Christmas red to the colour of a simmering pot pourri, add to the mixture some dried Rosella buds (Hibiscus), available from health food stores, or fresh from your garden in summer. The sodden remnants of the pot pourri are thrown on the compost heap before the water has totally evaporated.

Israeli Professor Yosef Mizrahi, told me of some of the old Jewish traditions associated with herbs and observed by his family. The traditional foods eaten to celebrate Hannukkah (Chanukah), the joyous Festival of Lights as it has become known, include potato latkes and donuts. Hannukkah Gelt (Hannukkah money) and gifts are given to children, and games such as Dreidel are played. The festival which commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over the Syrians in 165 B.C.E. and the rebuilding and re-dedication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, falls every year on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev. This year the first candle will be lit on November 30th and the last candle on December 7th. The festival begins with the lighting of a single candle on the first night, and one extra candle is added each night for eight nights. While there are no particular herbs dedicated to Hannukah, a lovely ceremony celebrated in Yosef’s family is worth not only mentioning but perhaps incorporating into the lives of those of who love herbs. Each Saturday evening, as the Sabbath ends, candles are lit, glasses of wine are poured, and with the appearance of the third star in the heavens a blessing and thanks are given for the herbs of the earth.