Lift up Your Hearts

We went scrumping in Goldings Wood today (with permission - is that possible?) today for holly to decorate the church. We have a Victorian Carol service tomorrow. (I know, I know, it is still only Advent 3…) We have masses of ivy in the garden here, but very little holly.

Holly in Goldings - taken a bit earlier in the Autumn when things were warmer!

The linkage of Holly with the passion of Christ is found in a number of ancient carols. It is thought that evergreen decorations were used in pre-christian times for midwinter festivals. The church has always been very good at appropriating symbolism. Placing Christian festivals on the same days as pagan ones forced people to choose: you could not celebrate both things.

This is called the Sans Day Carol. The Music is here.

Now the holly bears a berry as white as the milk,
and Mary bore Jesus, all wrapped up in silk:

And Mary bore Jesus our Saviour for to be,
and the first tree in the greenwood, it was the holly
Holly! Holly!

Now the holly bears a berry as green as the grass,
And mary bore Jesus who died on the cross:

Now the holly bears a berry as black as the coal,
and Mary bore Jesus who died for us all:

Now the holly bears a berry, as blood is it red
Then trust we our Saviour who rose from the dead.