Although holly is thought to be the Christmas plant, it's roots in household decoration really must be attributed to the Druids. Like so many Christian and Catholic practices, the use for holly at yuletide stems from folklore and traditions of preceding religions.
Holly remains green all winter and its red berries stand out against the snow. For that reason, the Druids associated it with everlasting life and with a fruitful life and fertility. Initially, holly was banned from Christian and Catholic churches. So, the Christians added some additional symbolism, seemingly to "make it work" appropriately for acceptance. The red berries represent the blood that Christ shed, the prickly leaves are reminiscent of the Crown of Thorns. Legend has it that the berries were originally white, until Christ died.
Not only the Druids, but the Celtic clans and the Romans also considered holly to be good luck. Now that the symbolism works for everyone, you'll find people of all beliefs decorating with holly in the winter.
This wonderful scrap sheet features five motifs decked with holly: a lovely wreath with a big red bow, two cherubs with ringing bells, a kitty cat peeking from an envelope that has been loaded with pine and holly branches, another set of bells and a Victorian shoe with a touch of holly.
Each scrap relief sheet is approximately 9 inches by 7 inches. And each sheet is artfully embossed to accent the expert die cutting - so well done, that very little trimming is necessary.
This vintage set of scraps is a reproduction of much older images.
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