December is finally here, and with it comes cooler weather, holiday cheer and National Poinsettia Day! This national day falls annually on December 12.
Poinsettias are a special part of Christmas. You will often see them displayed as Christmas decorations, because poinsettias symbolize this holiday!
So, grab a cozy blanket, a mug of hot chocolate and keep reading to learn about how poinsettias came to be such a special part of our Christmas season, as well as more information about National Poinsettia Day and ways to celebrate.
What is National Poinsettia Day?
In 2002, Congress created this national day to celebrate this plant which is native to Mexico, and to honor Joel Roberts Poinsett and Paul Ecke Jr.
Joel Roberts Poinsett was the first United Sates Minister of Mexico. In 1828 he saw this beautiful plant growing, and shipped it back to his home in South Carolina. This introduced poinsettias to the United States.
The date of National Poinsettia Day (December 12) was not chosen arbitrarily, it is the anniversary of Joel Roberts Poinsett’s death.
This December national day also celebrates Paul Ecke Jr., and the work that he did developing the poinsettia industry through marketing and grafting techniques. He impacted the poinsettia market not only in the United States, but also throughout the world.
How to celebrate National Poinsettia Day
Would you like to celebrate National Poinsettia Day in a special way? Try one of these ideas.
Some of the links below are affiliate links. I earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you if you purchase through an affiliate link.
- Brush up on your facts about poinsettias, by reading this post detailing the origin, history and meaning of poinsettias.
- Visit your local botanical garden to see a poinsettia plant in person!
- Get this free December word search printable of national days and locate National Poinsettia Day in it.
- Buy a poinsettia ornament to decorate your Christmas tree this year!
- Make this DIY candy cane vase with poinsettia flowers for some poinsettia decor for inside your home.
- Make a poinsettia wreath to display outside. Try making this poinsettia and boxwood Christmas wreath, or this pine and poinsettia Christmas wreath.
- Add some curb appeal by decorating a mailbox for Christmas with poinsettias!
- Buy a poinsettia to have as a houseplant this holiday season. You can get a traditional red poinsettia, or a fun variety like this speckled one.
- Try baking a poinsettia pecan pie! Check out this creative pie crust design and recipe in this list of pie crust baking ideas.
- Make your own homemade Christmas card with a poinsettia design to send out this year.
If you want to learn more about other Christmas plants, make sure to check out our posts on the traditions of Christmas greenery and the history of mistletoe.
Poinsettia colors
When most people think about poinsettias, they think about the beautiful red plants that we see so often during the Christmas season placed on front porches or nestled in next to holiday decor.
However, red is just one of the many poinsettia colors you can find! In fact, there are over 100 different varieties of poinsettias.
Poinsettias can found in red, white, pink, orange, salmon, yellow, and green. You can also find marbled and speckled poinsettias, which combine multiple colors.
Facts about poinsettias
Brush up on your knowledge of poinsettias for National Poinsettia Day with these fun facts. Some may surprise you!
- The beautiful red part of the poinsettia isn’t actually a flower! What appear to be flower petals are actually leaves (called bracts). They form a circle around a cluster of small yellow flowers on the plant.
- 80% of the poinsettias sold in the United States come from Ecke Ranch in Encinitas, California.
- The botanical name for Poinsettias is Euphorbia Pulcherrima, which literally means “the most beautiful Euphorbia”.
- In their native environment of Mexico, poinsettias grow like a shrub and can reach heights of up to 15 feet tall.
- Poinsettias are also called “Flores de la Noche Buena” or “Flowers of the Holy Night”. This comes from the poinsettia story featuring a little girl named Pepita based off a Mexican legend.
Want more plant facts? Check out our post with cranberry facts – this fruit is one of the six main symbols of Thanksgiving and it even has it’s own national day!
Poinsettia symbolism
Christmas and poinsettias are often thought of together, and for good reason. There’s actually a lot of religious symbolism behind the poinsettia.
There is a Mexican legend about a little girl named Pepita who wanted to see the baby Jesus on Christmas eve. She felt embarrassed because she didn’t have a gift to bring for him.
Her cousin told her that any gift she gave with love would be appreciated, and special. As they were walking, she picked some weeds from the side of the road and made them into a bouquet.
When she walked up to see the baby Jesus, she placed the weeds down as an offering and before everyone’s eyes, they bloomed into beautiful poinsettias. Everyone was convinced they had seen a miracle!
From that night forward, poinsettias were called “Flores de la Noche Buena” or “Flowers of the Holy Night”.
Are poinsettias religious?
Many people decorate during Christmas with poinsettias, and don’t associate them with religion. However, if you choose to look for religious symbolism in poinsettias, it can definitely be found!
The Mexican legend of Pepita and the poinsettias shows that throughout history, poinsettias have symbolized generosity, selflessness and faith.
They also have other religious symbolism. In red poinsettias, the red part of the plant is symbolic of the blood of Christ. In white poinsettias, the white part of plant is symbolic of the purity of Christ.
Poinsettias are not the only plants with religious symbolism. There are three flowers mentioned in the bible: lilies, roses and crocus (a member of the iris family).
Easter lilies and dogwood trees are linked to the resurrection of Jesus Christ and because of this, they are two of the symbols of Easter. Palm branches also hold meaning on Easter.
More December 12 national days
Did you enjoy learning about National Poinsettia Day? Well you’re in luck, December 12 is host to more than just one national day!
Here is a complete list of all the December 12 national days:
- National Poinsettia Day
- Gingerbread House Day
- National Ding-a-Ling Day
- National Ambrosia Day
- National 12 Hour Fresh Breath Day
- Festival of Unmentionable Thoughts Day
For more ways to celebrate this month, be sure to check out these lists of December national days and December food holidays!
Share this post on National Poinsettia Day with your friends on X:
Want to tell your friends about National Poinsettia Day? Start by sharing this post:
It's finally December which means it's poinsettia season! Find out more info on this beautiful plant that has it's own national day - National Poinsettia Day! 🌿 ❤️#nationalpoinsettiaday #christmaspoinsettias Share on XPin this post on National Poinsettia Day for later
Would you like a reminder of this post for National Poinsettia Day? Just pin this image to one of your national days boards on Pinterest so that you can easily find it later.
Want some more Christmas inspiration? You can also watch our Christmas quotes video on YouTube.
