Tree of Sacrifice ~ July 18th – August 4th. The holly is a compact, evergreen tree know for its spiky dark green leaves and beautiful red berries loved by birds.

Price: £24.75

Shipping: £7.50

Product Code: 00000021

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Tree of Sacrifice ~ July 18th – August 4th

The holly is a compact, evergreen tree know for its spiky dark green leaves and beautiful red berries loved by birds.
It usually flowers between May and August. In autumn the female tree is normally covered in scarlet berries, loved by  birds.  It has beautiful smooth pale grey-brown bark wrinkling round the areas where the branches grow. If regularly trimmed, hollies quickly form dense stock-proof barriers. They are ideal for hedgerows, good for wildlife and can be used in topiary.

The holly has long been used as a symbol of the potent life force of nature. It is connected with ancient rites of birth and reincarnation. It is linked with the notion of unconditional love and is a protective tree with close associations with the faerie realm, and it is believed to ward off evil influences. As with all faerie trees it is unlucky to chop one down. It is especially lucky for men, who are said to be irresistible to women if they carry a holly leaf or berry about with them.
In ancient times, Britain was said to be guarded by a giant called Gogmagog. A wild, untameable character, clad in leaves and branches, he strode the earth. He was the spiritual representative of the procreative forces. Over time he evolved to become the Holly King and is twinned with the Oak King. He can still be seen carved on the chalk hills of Cerne Abbas in Dorset.
The holly is a tree of good omen with its glossy green leaves representing immortality through the ages. It has been used in both summer and mid winter religious observances from the earliest times. The druids advised people to bring it home in the winter as it lifted the spirits with its bright red berries and shiny leaves. Elves and faeries could spend winter in its shelter, a time of year when they did not cause mischief to mortals.
The carol,’The Holly & the Ivy’ has its roots in paganism, representing the male and female principles of life and in early Christian times became synonymous with Christmas, long before our American inspired Christmas tree! At Yuletide it was customary for a boy dressed in holly and a girl dressed in Ivy to walk hand-in-hand through the streets. They symbolized the god and goddess taking the evergreen quality of nature through the dark times and encouraging the return of the sun. 

Colour Red,  Planets Mars, Saturn,  Stone Ruby, Bloodstone,  Polarity Masculine,

Deities Tannus, Taranis, Thor, Jesus Christ, Lugh

Strife + Humanity,  Blood + Compassion,  Unconditional Love

Approx height when sent 75cm