There is hardly a  holiday that does not have at least one food /plant/herb associated with it. Explore the lore behind holidays and find out what plants play prominent roles in celebrations ~ and WHY!  

     There was very little, in the way of protection, between our ancestors and the forces of nature, and so they looked to nature for indications of how to live and also used various natural things to navigate this world in tandem with the "spirit world"--which for them co-existed, here, on earth. Their intuitions of certain plants, based on what they looked like, where they grew, etc. (later called the Doctrine of Signatures), led them to create rituals/traditions/celebrations for the purposes of giving thanks, keeping pesky beings happy, and insuring a good crop and fortune for the future. This same intuition also enabled them to choose plants that would heal typical illnesses by warding off "evil spirits"-which we today think of as "germs". So, many of our favorite foods/herbs were actually used to promote health and rituals were built up around them to make sure of repeated use. Stories, songs, lore and feasts make it all a joyous occasion, rather than dwelling on the negatives and keeps us coming back for more. In truth, I hope you will see that though their beliefs were different from our current understanding of natural forces, the traditions of our ancestors are as valid in terms of emotional and physical health today, as they were ages ago. May your future celebrations be more meaningful and joyful!