Why are the colors of Christmas red and green?

Category: Society and Livelihood

Ans:

The Red and Green of Christmas

The main colors of Christmas are red and green. This reflects the ancient love of holly (holly). This plant has dark green pointed leaves and bears blood-red berries in winter. In ancient times, people would decorate their houses and churches with holly and other evergreen plants in winter. They believed that evil spirits would kill the plants in winter, causing the leaves and flowers to wither. Holly had the extraordinary ability to survive the winter of death, so they believed it would have the same power to save them from the gods of death. In addition, the spikes and blood-red berries on holly were perfect for use as a symbol of a crown. (In the Bible, Jesus was dressed as the King of the Jews before his crucifixion by wearing a crown made of thorns.)

Since the nineteenth century, orangutan wood has become another familiar Christmas decoration. Also known as Christmas red, orangutan wood grows large bright red leaves with small yellow-green flowers, and its star-shaped leaves are often compared to the mystical Star of Bethlehem, the star of the Divine.

Four, mistletoe wreath

Mistletoe is a parasitic evergreen plant on fruit trees, its branches are often used as Christmas decorations. People usually hang it on their doors. A man can kiss any girl standing under the mistletoe.

In ancient times, mistletoe was considered a magical herb and was known as a cure-all herb. It was held in such high esteem that a golden sickle had to be used when removing it from the parasitic plant. As it was believed to have magical powers, mistletoe was often hung over doors for good luck.

The modern custom of kissing can be traced back to the Scandinavian practice of truce. Scandinavians were not allowed to fight near the mistletoe. Branches of mistletoe hung over doors then became a vow of peace and friendship, which was confirmed by such friendly gestures as kissing. In this way we can rationalize the Christmas kiss under the mistletoe, as Christmas is a time of peace and harmony.

With the development of the times and changes in living environment, especially the pursuit of fashion by young people, many traditional customs are no longer popular. However, the historical inheritance of customs and traditions can reflect the cultural roots of a nation to a certain extent. Knowing some background knowledge of customs and traditions will not only increase our interest in learning English, but also help us to overcome the cultural barriers in language communication, help us to know and understand Westerners, and enable us to communicate better.