Winter Blessings and Beauties, Day 34: St Barbara's Twigs

Today, 4th December, is St Barbara's Day. It's uncertain whether she ever existed as a real person, but legend tells us that she was sentenced to death for refusing to renounce her Christian faith. While she was in prison awaiting her execution, she found a dried up cherry twig. She sprinkled it with a little water each day, and miraculously it blossomed, comforting her with its pretty flowers (some versions of the story say it blossomed on the day of her death). 

The story has led to a charming German and Austrian custom where people cut cherry twigs on St Barbara's Day and bring them into their homes - and the warmth causes the tight winter buds to gradually unfold and flower. They are called 'Barbarazweig', which means (St) Barbara's twig(s). If all goes well they are supposed to flower at Christmas - some sources say at Yule. I think this is a lovely idea, and I intend to try it this year.

Winter Blessings and Beauties: Day 34

St Barbara's Twigs

Usually cherry twigs are used for St Barbara's Twigs, but other flowering tree and shrub twigs are suitable, including apples, pears, plums, Japanese quince (chaenomeles), forsythia, witch hazel or lilac.

They should be cut on 4th December (if you want them to flower in time for Christmas) and they need to have been exposed to frost in order for the flowering mechanism to be triggered, so if it's still mild in your area apparently you can put them in the freezer for a couple of days. It sounds drastic, but I suppose they'd have to put up with such cold for longer than a couple of days if they were left out on the tree!

When you bring them in, keep them in a cool room overnight. The next day, soak them in tepid water for an hour or two. Then cut a couple of centimetres off the bottom of the stems, slanting the cut edge and arrange them in a vase. Place the vase in a warm, bright spot and wait... hopefully you will be rewarded with flowers. It is considered especially lucky if they bloom on Christmas Day as it means you have a good year ahead of you..