December 18, 2006

The Holly and the Ivy

English Holly, unknown photographer

The Holly and the Ivy!

The version of the Holly and the Ivy that we are familiar with today was first published by Cecil Sharp. The Holly and the Ivy is thought to have Pagan origins and could therefore date back over 1000 years. It is most unusual for a carol like the Holly and the Ivy to have survived over the years especially during the stern protestant period of the 17th century. The Holly and the Ivy have always been taken indoors during the winter the hope being that the occupants would survive difficult conditions just like the hardy Holly and the Ivy. The colours of the Holly and Ivy, green and red are traditionally associated with Christmas. The author and composer of the Holly and the Ivy are unknown

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" Tell us about Christmas in Hawaii" asked a number of the guests at the Holiday parties we attended asked us. I know that I have said it before on the blog that for the most part Christianity and the customs surrounding the Faith were well accepted by the Native Hawaiians. From the very beginning, when the Chaplain of the "Resolution" shared the Christmas story, the Hawaiians loved Christmas, and took many of the English customs to heart, from the carols to the hanging of the greens. There were, of course, substitutions. For example, only the rich white people wore shoes that required stockings and had homes with fireplaces. Cooking was done in the cook house away from a dwelling, to prevent fires. So the story of Santa Claus is a modern phenomina, but the giving of gifts, already a part of established Hawaiian culture took on a whole new demention, Feasting and singing, and celebration, all incorporating the Seasonal message florished first in the Victorian Monarchy, then as an American Territory and State.

Climate and culture aside, what I remember was while there were fewer exterior decorations, lights ect. because of the incessant rain, the homes I visited during the holidays were richly decorated inside, with the Christmas tree as the focal point. If you were lucky and had the money you had a live tree, Most of the people we knew did not, but had an artificial tree insted. Ginger would be in bloom and the smell of it and evergreens together in the house was like the smell of heaven. Cooking smells, some familiar like Pumpkin pies, others like the smell of fried noodles, smoked pork and steaming Lau Lau or Tamales in our neighborhood, sold door to door by the wives of local papaya growers filled the air.

And while people did buy presents, as we saw in our store, so many took pride in the homemade gifts lovingly crafted by family members... In the building our first store was housed in, the people lived in 10 by 10 rooms and shared a bathroom. These poorest of the poor of Hilo had less than nothing, but I remember the pride of one mother who along with her husband and three preteen kids were living in one of those rooms because they had lost their rental home (it was sold out from under them, you only have 10 days to vacate under those circumstances) and the husband his job all at once. She had hand sewn Aloha shirts for her husband and son and beautiful Muu Muu's for her two daughters and herself, sewing during the day on the steps near her doorway in the brightest light. She worked at the fabric store cleaning for the cloth and would not take a handout from anyone... By the time we moved to a new location they were back on their feet once more, both parents having found work, and the landlord found a house for them to rent, no small feat in a town with zero vacancy rates for rentals.

But as I was saying the Hanging of the Green was observed in many churches and the English carol "The Holly and the Ivy" sung. The legend of the Holly and the Ivy is well suited to Hawaii for while it seems like paradise and yes in many ways it is, it has never been the easiest place to live. No island is. Most of those people had never seen Holly or English Ivy, except as artificial flowers at the craft store, but we all sang heartily as the church was decorated..


The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown
Of all the trees that are in the wood
The holly bears the crown
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir

The holly bears a blossom
As white as lily flower
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To be our sweet Saviour
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir

The holly bears a berry
As red as any blood
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To do poor sinners good
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir

The holly bears a prickle
As sharp as any thorn;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
On Christmas Day in the morn.
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir

The holly bears a bark
As bitter as any gall;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
For to redeem us all.
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir

The holly and the ivy
Now both are full well grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown.
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir