'Tis the Season

"Deck the halls with boughs of holly,

Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la.

'Tis the season to be jolly,

Fa-la-la-la, la-la-la-la!"

"The holly and the ivy, when they are both fully grown

Of all the trees that are in the wood, the holly bears the crown.

The holly bears a blossom as white as lily flower,

And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ to be our Savior.

The holly bears a berry as red as any blood,

And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ to do poor sinners good.

The holly bears a prickly as sharp as any thorn,

And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ on Christmas Day in the morn.

The holly bears a bark as bitter as any gall,

And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ for to redeem us all.

For all these reasons we decked not halls, but a tiny casket this Christmastime.  Holly is the male representation of triumph, and ivy the female representation.  The holly berries stand for the blood of Christ.  We used these visible symbols to remind us that in Christ Jesus, by His blood that redeems us, our little Beau - and we - stand triumphant over death.  It has no power over us, but has simply become the servant who bears us to the Father.  It's spectral presence has been defeated.The lovely little mistletoe was mixed in with holly and ivy, too.  It's small white berry pictures purity for us, and, of course, it brings to mind its tradition of kissing.  For these reasons we used the mistletoe, because in life we covered Beau with constant kisses, and in death we covered his grave with kisses as well.
"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 in the choir."