Why the poinsettia at Christmas?

Quote from Woodrow Wilson: IF YOU WANT TO MAKE ENEMIES, TRY TO CHANGE SOMETHING.

LEARNING for today is a history lesson on why the poinsettia plant is a Christmas flower. I'm going to copy what I wrote one year ago today in my gratitude journal.

The poinsettia plant is native to Mexico and Central America. The "poinsettia" was named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, who introduced the plant to the U.S. in 1828. According to Wikipedia the plants association with Christmas began in 16th century Mexico, where legend tells of a young girl too poor to provide a gift for the celebration of Jesus' birthday. The tale goes that the child was inspired by an angel to gather weeds from the roadside and place them in front of the church altar. Crimson "blossoms" sprouted from the weeds and became beautiful poinsettias. From the 17th century Franciscan friars in Mexico included the plants in their Christmas celebration. The plants shape has been suggested to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem, with red leaves symbolizing the blood of Christ, and white leaves, his purity.

So when you see all the poinsettias on display this Christmas season you'll now know WHY?

A GOOD MEMORY: Dozens of schools were closed on Monday due to the snow storm. When watching the closings scroll across the bottom of the TV I thought back to my school days in Mantorville, Dodge Center and Chatfield, Minnesota. It was pure joy when I heard our school was closed on KROC radio and after eighth grade on KROC television. What a great memory to have of chidhood.

HUMOR: Natalie Wood (the actress) said that the only time a woman really succeeds in changing a man is when he's a baby.