Why do we buy poinsettia plants for Christmas?

Question

It may be tradition, but why and where did it start please?

Answer 1

"Poinsettias
Poinsettias are native to Mexico. They were named after America's first ambassador to Mexico, Joel Poinsett. He brought the plants to America in 1828. The Mexicans in the eighteenth century thought the plants were symbolic of the Star of Bethlehem. Thus the Poinsettia became associated with the Christmas season. The actual flower of the poinsettia is small and yellow. But surrounding the flower are large, bright red leaves, often mistaken for petals."

Answer 2

Sorry for some reason I have never liked that plant. I have never seen the fasination with them, they don't smell, And who is it that decided that these should become the official Christmas time plant. Just another gimmick to get people to buy. I pass. I watched Hule Howser's California Gold the other day, and they were showing a very large Poinsettia Growing green house. First they showed the plants all green, then they came back after a couple of weeks and they had all matured in to the different colors. It was acres and acres of different color plants.

Answer 3

The above answers are correct but it is a tradition I would like to see go by the by. I can't stand poinsettias. They look like phony, plastic flowers even when they are real and alive. They lose their blooms and are ugly, sticky barren plants that everybody agonizes about throwing away because some dear beloved person gave them the ugly thing. I see nothing Christmasy about a poinsettia. It clearly looks like a plant that suffers for being cultivated. And I love just about every flower that blooms except poinsettias and calla lilies. Calla lilies just remind me of funerals. No onegives me poinsettias for Christmas.

Answer 4

The poinsettia is associated with Christmas because of a 16th century tale of a child who was too poor to bring a gift to baby Jesus on the celebration of his birth. Some say it was an angel that assured the child that it was OK to bring a bouquet of weeds found by the roadside to the altar as a gift because it really is the thought that counts. A miracle gave the child the present that could be bought by no one; the weeds blossom into a vivid, beautiful poinsetta. This flower reminds us that: "Even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable in His eyes." From that day on, the beautiful bright flowers were known as the Flores de Noche Buena, or Flowers of the Holy Night, for they bloomed each year during the Christmas season.
http://www.clickoncuernavaca.com/more%20pages/Poinsetta.htm
http://www.just4kidsmagazine.com/poinsettia.html
http://www.ipass.net/linspace/santa/christmas%20symbols.htm#Poinsettia

The poinsettia was first used in connection with Christmas in the 17th century when Franciscans priests in Mexico included the flowers in their Christmas celebration.
http://www.ipass.net/linspace/santa/christmas%20symbols.htm#Poinsettia
http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/1995/12-8-1995/trad.html

By the eighteenth century, people had come to consider the plant as a symbol of the star of Bethlehem—and often called it that. It was also called flor de Noche Buena (flower of Christmas Eve), flower of the Holy Night, and flame flower.
http://www.peterli.com/archive/cat/1645.shtm

The Poinsettia helps us celebrate the gift of Christmas & reminds us that miracles are possible.
This "Christmas flower" ... white, pink, orange and red poinsettias... bring wishes of mirth and celebration.
http://www.sandisflowershop.com/flowers.html
Good Luck! Merry Christmas :)

Answer 5

I prefer the 'christmas cactus' myself

Some plants though are called Christmas plants because that is when they bloom. eg in South Africa we used to call hydraneas Christmas Flowers

Answer 6

They don't offer them for sale at Easter, only Christmas.

Answer 7

because people like eating them.
so do i.
when they start dieing.
=]
yum
im eating one right now