This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
Growing Things Have a Big Part in the Christmas Story
Elizabeth Bassett surveys how evergreens holly and mistletoe fueled Christmas rituals from ancient Druids to medieval Christians. The piece traces legends linking mistletoe to Balder and to peace and fertility, noting church reactions to greenery, holly at bees’ hives, and the lore of Christmas wreaths and berry color transformation.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Balder
Christ
England
Jesus
Garden of Eden
Europe