13. The List: Memories from my Childhood Christmas

My mother had Poinsettias all over our house at Christmas. She was raised and cultivated as a bonafide fake plant person from an early age, so we had fake and real poinsettias all over our house during the holidays. A quick Google search tells me their associated with the Star of Bethlehem and the crucifixion, which is probably why they are so abundant in her world. It occurs to me now that I used to buy a real poinsettia in my early years living on my own as Christmas decor and that she brought me a live one or two when I moved into this "new" house. I preferred the live plants and associated these with a connection to my mom's underdeveloped indoor houseplant thumb. Now I'm intrigued by Aztecs cultivating them to use for dyes and anti-inflammatory medication.

Over the years my mother has collected numerous plants and even kept them in her decor throughout the whole year. I think it's because she puts them here and there while she's decorating for the holidays. Then she forgets all the ones she has placed in every room and along her way to moving them, finds more to use in decorating. It's not uncommon to find one sticking out from a fake plant of other sorts or alone in a vase in a bathroom. 

This morning I found a box full of fully bloomed poinsettias in her Christmas storage closet and picked one out to send over to her. Maddie was going to place a few outside but I got worried they would weather in the snow and be ruined (though they are fake and some show years of sun damage). 

I think it's the familiarity, the vibrant color that is so alluring. I only wish I had chosen a white one, which is supposed to symbolize the star of Bethlehem rather than the red one, which is the crucifixion.