Another traditional decoration at Christmas time, thanks to its being an evergreen plant. Alongside holly, mistletoe, bay, yew and rosemary, Ivy is used in wreaths or boughs for festive household adornment.
In the time of the ancient Egyptians, ivy was considered sacred to the god Osiris, who was associated with the winter solstice through the birth of his son Horus.
The ancient Greek name for ivy was κισσος (kissos) and was sacred to Dionysos -- also connected with the winter solstice. Not only was he often depicted wearing ivy vines, his followers would also wear garlands made of ivy. One myth concerning his birth recounts that baby Dionysos was hidden from the jealous Hera by his nurses, the Nymphai Nysiades, by covering his cradle with ivy. One of the nymphs was called Kisseis "(lady) of the ivy" while Kissios "of the ivy" and Kittophoros "ivy-bearer" were epithets attributed to Dionysos himself. Furthermore, one of the companions of Dionysos was Korumbos, the god of the ivy berries.
The ancient Celts revered evergreen plans. Holly was considered to be the King of Winter and some traditions held Ivy as his Queen.
O the Ivy O, she’s the Queen of old
And the Holly he is red.
("Green Ivy O")
The idea of Holly and Ivy representing a contest between men and women goes back to the Middle Ages when several carols were composed wherein a debate ensued between the two.
Then spake Holly, "I am fierce and jolly,
I will have the mastery
In lands where we go."
Then spake Ivy, "I am loud and proud,
And I will have the mastery
In lands where we go."
Then spake Holly, and set him down on his knee,
"I pray thee, gentle Ivy,
Say me no villany
In lands where we go."
("Holly and Ivy")
In 18th century Kent there is a story of a ritual, echoing this old debate, where girls had to steal a "holly boy" from the boys, and boys had to steal an "ivy girl" from the girls.
The Latin genus name for ivy is Hedera, with species names Helix and Cypria. Lierre is the French name for Ivy, hiedra is Spanish, hera Portuguese and edera is Italian. In the Celtic languages eiddew is the Welsh word, iliav is the Breton and eidheann is Gaelic.
