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Are your decorative holiday plants toxic?

Hanging a holly wreath on the front door to welcome guests… Smelling the fresh evergreen scent as you walk by the tree… Stealing a kiss underneath the mistletoe… What do all these holiday images have in common? Poison. Yes, poison. Some or all parts of these plants are toxic to people, pets, or both. Many are also choking hazards. Holly Who doesn’t love the festive look of holly with its distinctively shaped glossy, dark green leaves and bright red berries? Me, actually – those leaves are sharp! Far more importantly, the berries of the holly (ilex spp.) bush are genuinely … Continue reading →

The Roots of Christmas Traditions

As I warned in my introductory blog to this series, I likely won’t take prize for popularity. So, here I am being a scrooge. So where is it our Christmas traditions come from? Christmas Tree I touched on the festival of lights a bit in my last blog. Now I would like to address the beloved and adorned Christmas tree. In Egypt it was a palm tree that was used to represent the bringing forth of the pagan messiah Baal-Tamar. In Rome a fir tree was used to bring forth Baal-Berith or “lord of the covenant”. The mother, who was … Continue reading →