|
|
ヤドリギMistletoe
キリストの生まれる200年前、ドルイド教（キリスト伝来以前に今のフランスベルギーあたりのローマ帝国の一部で信じられていた宗教）ガリアの人たちたちは冬が来るのを祝うのにこのヤドリギを使いました。
彼らはこの、他のの木に宿って育つ常緑樹を、家を飾るのに使いました。彼らは、この木は特別な治癒力があり、不妊を治すと信じていたのです。
また、スカンジナビアの人たちは、ヤドリギを平和と調和の木と考えていました。そして、彼らの愛の女神であるFriggaとヤドリギを結びつけて考えたのです。そんなところから、ヤドリギの下でのキスに関する習慣がきたのでしょう。
キリスト教の初期には、クリスマスのお祝いにヤドリギを使うのを禁じました。なぜなら、この習慣が、もともとは異教徒のものだったからです。そこで、その代わりに、牧師さんたちはクリスマスグリーンをヒイラギで代用するように勧めたのでした。
イギリス特有の「ヤドリギの下のキス」
（“ｔｈｅ ｋｉｓｓｉｎｇ ｕｎｄｅｒ ｔｈｅ ｍｉｓｔｌｅｔｏｅ”、
クリスマス飾りのヤドリギの下にいる女性にキスをしてもよいという習慣）
I saw Mommy kissing Santa
Claus,
Underneath the mistletoe last night.
She didn't see me
creep,
Down the stairs to have a peep.
She thought that I was tucked
up
In my bedroom fast asleep!
Then, I saw Mommy tickle Santa
Claus,
Underneath his beard so snowy white.
Oh, what a laugh it would have
been,
If Daddy had only seen,
Mommy kissing Santa Claus last night!
▲Topへ
ポインセチア
ポインセチアはメキシコ原産の植物です。名前の由来は初代のメキシコ中米大使です。大使は1828年にアメリカに持ち帰りました。18世紀のメキシコ人はポインセチアをベツレヘムの星のシンボルとしました。形が似ていますものね。赤い部分は花でなく、よく間違えられるようにガクでもありません。実際の華は小さくて小さい黄色い部分です。
Ivy
Ivy has been a symbol of
eternal life in the pagan world and then came to represent new promise and
eternal life in the Christian world. Ivy is more of an English Christmas green
than an American one. It is considered a feeble clinging plant, rather feminine
in nature, not at all like the masculine sturdy holly leaf. It was the ancient
symbol of Bacchus, the god of wine and revelry.
Laurel
Among the Romans who
remained pagan, the laurel leaf was sacred to the sun god Apollo. In the
Christian sect it came to symbolize the triumph of Humanity as represented by
the Son Man. Bay is also a name used for laurel. As the bay tree, the true
laurel of the Ancients, is scarce in England. Substitutions such the common
cherry laurel, the Portugal laurel, the Aucuba and others are often used. A
British Christmas carol about the three kings leans heavily on the word
"laurel".
"We come walking with
our staves, wreathed with laurel:
We seek the King Jesus, Him
that saves, To Bring Him laurel..."
Rosemary
Rosemary is yet
another Christmas green. Though now it is used to mainly season foods, during
the Middle Ages it was spread on the floor at Christmas. As people walked on
it, the fragrant smell arose filling the house. The story associated with the
shrub is that Mary laid the garments of the Christ Child on its branches and
caused it to have such a wonderful aroma. It is also said that rosemary is
extremely offensive to evil spirits, thus, being well suited to the advent of
their Conqueror. The name rosemary is given, too, an association to the Virgin
Mary's name, making it all the more fitting for the Christmas
season.
The Christmas Rose
A well known English plant, the Christmas rose, is a true Christmas flower. It is sometimes called the Snow or Winter Rose. It blooms in the depths of winter in the mountains of Central Europe. Legend links it with the birth of Christ and a little shepherdess named Madelon.
As Madelon tented her sheep one cold and wintry night, wise men and other shepherds passed by the snow covered field where she was with their gifts for the Christ Child. The wise men carried the rich gifts of gold, myrrh and frankincense and the shepherds, fruits, honey and doves. Poor Madelon began to weep at the thought of having nothing, not even a simple flower for the Newborn King. An angel, seeing her tears, brushed away the snow revealing a most beautiful white flower tipped with pink - the Christmas rose.
Also in central and northern Europe it is the custom to break off a branch of a cherry tree at the beginning of the Advent and keep it in water in a warm room; the flowers should burst into bloom at Christmas time
▲Topへ
|
