12 December 25

Today's tie helps celebrate National Poinsettia Day! It was created by Congress in 2002. The flower was introduced from Mexico into the United States around 1828 by diplomat Robert Poinsett (1779-1851). It soon became a popular decoration and was named in Poinsett's honor. I chose my shirt with an embroidered laptop because we are Zooming for our standard Friday morning doughnuts meeting.

26 November 23

Today combines Thanksgiving Sunday, Christ the King Sunday and "Almost-Advent" Sunday. Beth is playing organ for the service at Richmond First United Methodist Church, celebrating the Hanging of the Green (to prepare for the Season of Preparation). So I'm hanging some greens on me, with holly and poinsettias, and I'm wearing my crown tie bar for Christ the King.

28 November 21

 I'm wearing poinsettias and blue and purple for the first Sunday in Advent. In many churches today the theme is "Hope" as we prepare for the celebration of Jesus' birth. One legend that connects poinsettias to the Christmas season tells of a Mexican girl named Pepita who gathered some flowers to present to the nativity scene in her church. Poinsettias, the "Christmas flower," are named for Joel Roberts Poinsett, U. S. ambassador to Mexico in the early 1800s, who brought the flowers "north." He died on 12 December 1851, and Congress has declared 12 December as National Poinsettia Day.

1 December 19

For the first Sunday in Advent 2019 I'm wearing my poinsettias tie. My shirt is blue, which is the approved alternate color for Advent (traditionally purple). Poinsettias are closely associated with decorations for Advent/Christmas, with no authoritative source except a Mexican folk tale and some arbitrary symbolism. And today my grandson Joel is wearing a koala bear tie (and pocket square)!

3 December 17

First Sunday in Advent 17 -- this is the opening of Liturgical Year B (in the standard Western lectionary). My tie features poinsettias, a common seasonal decoration in many churches.

13 December 15

For the third Sunday in Advent, I'm wearing my tie featuring poinsettias. The poinsettia is perhaps the favorite flower for the Advent/Christmas season. Joel Roberts Poinsett (1779-1851) was an American physician, diplomat, Congressman and Secretary of War. In the 1820s, while serving diplomatic roles in Mexico, he found the bright red flowers that now bear his name and sent samples back home to the U. S. By 1836 the plants were very popular and became widely known as "poinsettias." He died on 12 December 1851, so this is an appropriate day to honor his memory!

3 March 15

Yesterday I celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday, which postponed recognition of Joel Roberts Poinsett until today. Poinsett, who was born on 2 March 1779, was the first U. S. official minister to Mexico (under President James Madison). In 1828 he found some beautiful flowers in the Taxco region, and sent some plants back to his botanical greenhouses in Greenville, SC. By 1836 these flowers had gained the popular name "Poinsettia."

21 December 14

Poinsettias on my tie match the decor at church on the fourth Sunday in Advent!

8 December 13

Second Sunday in Advent 2013 -- and we get to have lunch with Mallie again! (She will be 5 months old tomorrow.) Blue is the alternate color for Advent, and poinsettias have long been the flower for Advent/Christmas decorating.

12 December 12

Happy Poinsettia Day! Honoring Joel Roberts Poinsett, who died on this date in 1851. He was the first U. S. diplomatic minister to Mexico. In 1825 he sent home samples of some beautiful Mexican-native winter blooming plants that became popularly known as poinsettias.

26 December 10

This is most likely my final post for 2010. On this First Day of Christmas--which is counted by some as the Second Day of Christmas--I am wearing my tie featuring poinsettias.

29 November 09

This is the first Sunday in Advent, and we are "hanging the greens" during this morning's worship service at Nicholasville Presbyterian Church. I apologize for the rather stupid grin.

02 March 09

I wish I had a tie appropriate to honor the birthday of Theodore Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss, in 1904. Instead I must draw attention to the 1779 birthday of Joel Roberts Poinsett, who became the first U. S. ambassador to Mexico (under President James Madison). In 1828 he found some beautiful flowers in the Taxco region, and sent some plants back to his botanical greenhouses in Greenville, South Carolina. By 1836 these flowers had gained the popular name "Poinsettia."

30 November 08

Today is the first Sunday in Advent 2008. At Nicholasville Presbyterian Church the morning service featured the "hanging of the greens" as the sanctuary got its full decorations for the Advent/Christmas season. The traditional church liturgical color for Advent is purple, for preparation and royalty, and the more modern alternative color is blue. So my pointsettias-and-holly-on-blue tie with my pastel purple shirt is thoroughly appropriate!