Holly And The Ivy ~

A charming little Victorian

 girl holding a holly-and-ivy wreath.

In merry old England, holly and ivy were 
Christastime favourites. 
The English believed that whosoever
 brings holly into the house first,
 either husband or wife, 
shall rule the home during the coming year.

I took the text and pattern from

Better Homes and Gardens magazine,1993.

Putz German Sheep circa 1940

Holly and Ivy.
A traditional Christmas plant.
Christians believe the 
green leaves represent 
the crown of thorns Jesus wore
 when he was crucified
and the red berries represent 
the blood he shed.

English holly grows along the West coast
 of North America's temperate zone 
and also in the tropics.
A favourite for
Christmas decorations. 

My little Holly
I painted many years ago.

Thanks for your visit.
Have a Merry Christmas.xo