Written by I wasn’t looking closely at the various official day celebrations for this month’s set of prompts. As it turns out, tomorrow, December 12th, is National Poinsettia Day, so for anyone wishing to celebrate, you’ve plenty of time to plan a proper party. Or, at the very least, rush out and purchase your own poinsettia plant for the season if you haven’t already. When I was growing up, we would rarely have a real plant, but even though we didn’t, plastic versions were abundant among our holiday decorations. I think that’s why this one looks a bit plastic, as that’s what I remember most. The poinsettia, though, is actually just a plant and there’s no flower at all, just leaves that lacked the chlorophyll to stay green properly. The result is a color combination to give the holly plant a little bit of friendly competition when it comes to seasonal decor.
What’s intriguing about the holly plant, the poinsettia plant, and even mistletoe is that they are all considered poisonous. Luckily, the toxicity of these three holiday icons has been widely exaggerated and new evidence suggests lethal doses are far too high to cause worry, but I still find them odd choices. To be sure, one shouldn’t eat their Christmas decorations so it’s probably not a big deal. But thinking on it further, it’s still a touch disconcerting to know the three key plants of the holiday season could all cause varying degrees of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Much of the fear of these decorations centered around little kids who might try to eat them, but since many kids will turn their nose up at vegetables, I don’t think household plants would hold much greater allure.
Oh dear, I’ve really spun off on a tangent here, what on earth is this post about? Oh yes, the poinsettia. That red and green signal that the holiday is fast approaching! Seeing one appear for the first time each year still thrills me. It’s visual proof that my favorite of all seasons is officially happening again and I really couldn’t be happier. I’m currently sitting in front of our Christmas tree, surrounded by twinkling lights, and understanding why that song tells us it’s the most wonderful time of the year. The rest of the song, of course, is just drivel about the “hap-happiest season” and an odd reference to telling ghost stories, but the overall message is a good one. Wow, I really can’t stay on topic today. I’ll just go back to basking in the season, anticipating presents under the tree, and blame my distracted behavoir on that first sighting of the glorious red icon known as the Christmas flower .
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About the DoodlewashSennelier L’Aquarelle: Sennelier Red, Red Orange, Olive Green, Phthalo. Green Light, Ultramarine Deep, and Payne’s Grey. Lamy Safari Al Star pen with Platinum Carbon with black ink in a little red cloth hardbound l’aquarelle journal I found in a Paris shop. |
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Ha! Just because a kid won’t eat vegetables doesn’t mean one won’t try to eat the decorations! My toddler won’t drink plain water from her cup unless she’s really thirsty but she loves to sip puddle or cat dish water.
Oh my!! Lol… though I can see why she would be curious to see what the cat is getting! Too funny! 😉Hehe
My daily dose of holiday spirit! thanks, Charlie. (K)
Thanks, Kerfe! 😃💕 Glad you liked this!
🎄🎄🎄💕💕💕🌺(sadly there is no poinsettia emoticon!)
Thanks, Marina! 😃💕 You’re right… there should totally be a poinsettia emoticon for this time of year!
Now this eeks Christmas for me, yay 😀😀
Yay! So glad it does, Rebecca!! 😃💕
Charlie, this is a beautifully painted poinsettia, certainly red and green to the hilt. I especially like the one leaf that can’t decide if it’s going to go all red or try to maintain itself green. Kinda like deciding whether to eat all the chocolate Santa Clauses in one day or parcel them out over the week. (One day, of course.)
Christmas in bloom! Beautifully done. Ha, yes, I too recall various plasticky imitations among the decorations – the doodlewash version looks far nicer! And their impact is evident in your writing – it’s propelled you fully into overexcited Christmas mode. Jolly good! 😛