The Legend of the Poinsettia
Cette coutume d’offrir un Poinsettia à Christmas nous viendrait du Mexique. La légende que voici est liée à cette plante magnifique.
Il était une fois…une jeune fille très pauvre du nom de Pepita. Elle était bien triste en se dirigeant vers l’église, en ce 24 décembre au soir, car elle n’avait aucun gift à offrir à l’Enfant-Jésus, comme le faisaient plusieurs jeunes de son village.
She sat on the steps of the church, too upset to enter, when an old man approached her and tried to console her. He explained that Jesus appreciated all gifts, even the humblest, if they came from a sincere heart. The young girl got up and walked to find what she could give for Christmas. On the side of the road, she noticed a dark green plant, which seemed rather ordinary to her, but it was all she had been able to find in this environment of somewhat dry earth.
Like the others, she entered the church and placed her plant near the pile of gifts placed around the crib of the Child Jesus. The next day, people cried a miracle when they noticed that the plant now had magnificent red bracts that had appeared during the night. Since this event, wild poinsettias have continued the tradition at Christmas time... provided they are left in the dark for a few nights beforehand.
Since this legend, Mexicans have decorated the church and their homes with these marvelous flowers of the Good Night, during Christmas time. Over time, the tradition spread to other countries and even other continents.
What's surprising is that this plant and its bracts have long been known in Mexico, where they were used to make an ointment to treat skin diseases. It was also used to make a crimson dye that was ideal for coloring fabrics. It's just that people had simply forgotten how beautiful the Poinsettia was.