December 12 is National Poinsettia Day in the United States.
Running with a few ideas for the remaining weeks of term 4, I settled on one which contributed to our encounters with cultures different to our own.
Combining craft, theology and horticulture, we looked at, painted, cut and pasted together the Poinsettia; otherwise known as the ‘Mexican Fire plant’ or the ‘Flower of the Holy Night’.
The resources included ‘Christmas around the World Scrapbook {Supplement}’ from Sarah Cooley, a TpT contributor, and a video presentation of Tomie dePaola’s book, ‘The Legend of the Poinsettia’. (Both worth checking out).
I didn’t have the room to advance beyond this activity supplement and launch into the scrapbook. I was, however, able to merge the activity into a hands-on discussion surrounding the history, theology and tradition.
According to the official website for Poinsettia Day[i], the plant was renamed after American Statesman and botanist, Joel Roberts Poinsett (1779-1851), who brought the ‘red-leafed plant into the United States’[ii] from Mexico.
‘Mexico’s relationship to the plant begins with The Aztecs, who called the plant “Cuitlaxochitl” meaning “star flower” and used it to produce a red dye. The sap was also used to control fevers. Mexico’s use of the plant to celebrate Christmas dates back to the 17th century.’ (Source)
Mexican tradition speaks about how the Poinsettia came to be an important part of Christmas celebrations there.
‘The flower connects to the legend of a young girl, distraught about not having anything with which to honour the Baby Jesus in a Christmas procession. An angel tells her that any gift given with love is a wonderful gift. Later the weeds she gathers by the roadside to place around the manger miraculously transform into the beautiful red star flower we think of as Poinsettia.’ (Source)
The Smithsonian Institute is also loosely connected to the Poinsettia with Joel Poinsett being a founding member of its progenitor, ‘The National Institute for the Promotion of Science’. An organisation later renamed the Smithsonian after James Smithson, its primary benefactor. ’[iii]
Should you receive or see a Poinsettia this Christmas, its history and tradition are good conversation starters.
As far as facilitating a homeschool lesson that includes horticulture, history, tradition and theology. It doesn’t get much better than this.
Related reading:
References (not otherwise linked)
[i] http://www.poinsettiaday.com/
[ii] Smithsonian Institute, A Smithsonian Holiday Story: Joel Poinsett and the Poinsettia sourced 13th December 2014
[iii] Ibid.
This post was originally posted on the 13th December 2014.
Rod Lampard 
Well, I learned something new today. I would never have guessed that the word “poinsettia” was derived from a guy’s last name.
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Same. (I made a point of triple checking the facts on that one).
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