Today Is December 12

The poinsettia, traditionally an American Christmas flower, was originally grown in Mexico. Poinsettia Day was officially declared by an Act of Congress on December 12.

A red Poinsettia. By André Karwath Wikipedia Commons

The plant's association with Christmas began in 16th-century Mexico, where a peasant girl, commonly called Pepita or Maria, was anxious to bring a gift in celebration of Jesus' birthday to the Christmas Eve service. She had nothing of value, though, so she went empty-handed. On her way to the church she met an angel, who told her to gather weeds from the roadside and place them in front of the church altar. Miraculously, crimson blossoms sprouted from the weeds and became poinsettias.

Franciscan friars in Mexico started to include the plants in their Christmas celebrations from the 17th century and the Poinsettias became popular decorations for Mexican churches and homes during the Christmas festival.

The poinsettia is named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, who served as the USA's first ambassador to Mexico, from 1825 to 1829. During that time he came to admire a shrub with brightly-colored red leaves encircling small, greenish-yellow blossoms, which the Mexicans had adopted as their Christmas flower. He liked it so much that he sent specimens back to the USA, where they soon flourished.

Poinsett grew the beautiful plants in his Greenville, South Carolina plantation and gave them out as gifts to friends. Poinsettia Day was officially declared by an Act of Congress in honor of Joel Roberts Poinsett, who died on December 12, 1851.