While traveling around our area this time of year, it is enjoyable to so how many homeowners have decorated their houses and yards for the holidays.

Along with the icicles, bells, stars and snowmen, it is a pleasant addition to include some natural accessories to holiday decorating. Spruce boughs, pinecones, berries, and evergreen plant materials make beautiful and fragrant decorations. One especially interesting and attractive plant with a fascinating history of holiday use through the centuries is holly (ilex).

The ancient Greeks and Romans decorated their homes with bright, fresh holly. The Greeks considered holly a symbol of foresight and the Romans sent wreaths of holly to friends as tokens of goodwill and good wishes. The Chinese festooned their temples and royal courts with boughs of holly to celebrate the Chinese New Year season.

Early English tradition in Great Britain considered holly a very important part of preparing for the yuletide season. Branches, clusters, and sprigs of the plant were hung everywhere.

Country folk were not left out in this tradition as their farmyards, barns, gardens, and even the beehives were also hung with holly sprigs. Because the holly was evergreen, holding its shiny green leaves and bright berries through the dark winter months, it was considered a symbol of eternal life and good fortune. It was also said to keep evil and misfortune away from anywhere that it was displayed.

American Indians in early America decorated their homes with holly and would dry the holly berries to use as beads of color to sew on their clothing. They also brewed a tea from holly leaves that was drunk before men would undertake dangerous missions. Holly has continued to be used in America in holiday decorating where its waxy, green leaves and colorful berries give a fresh touch to natural arrangements.

Holly grows as an ornamental shrub or tree which can reach 60 feet in height. Many types of holly are evergreen but among the 150-plus varieties there are deciduous types as well. Holly has a waxy covering on its smooth or spiny leaves that helps them to resist withering.

Many people may not know that holly plants can be male or female. Only the female plants produce berries, which may be red, yellow, white or black depending on the particular variety of the plant.

Holly berries are a tasty and an important food source for birds in the winter but in the fall, before the heavy frosts, the berries are hard and unpalatable. The berries are toxic to humans.

Holly lends itself readily to decorating indoors and out. To use holly inside the following tips will be helpful:

1. Cut fresh holly from shrubs or trees or it can be purchased from garden centers or nurseries. Soak the fresh branches overnight in a container of fresh water.

2. Though the holly leaves have a natural wax coating, for indoor use it is a good idea to spray the holly with a fire resistant spray to increase their moisture retention.

3. Place the holly arrangement out of direct sunlight and away from any direct heat source.

4. Holly mixes well with other evergreen material and care of both is the same.

5. Keep any holly arrangement out of reach of any children or animals as the berries are toxic.

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