In my living room I have a wall I call my portrait wall. Here I display my old framed photographs and some paintings of people. I have so many I rotate them every few months so we have a change. I can't stop buying these as they are usually so cheap and I feel so sorry for these forgotten people. I always wish I could reunite these photos with family members but it has never happened yet. I decorate them at Christmas and for years used sprigs of holly but for the last few years haven't brought any in. I love reading about folklore and am always quoting the reasons for different old traditions. I was looking up the reasons for bringing sprigs of holly into the house at Christmas and it said it will bring you good luck for the next year. This is what has been wrong I thought I must bring some holly in. I'm really not that superstitious but no harm in trying.
I hung over next doors fence and chose some nice sprigs from their holly bush. I hope for nothing but good luck now. It also said in the item I read there are two types of holly male, the prickly type and female. the smooth type and which you bring in determines who will rule the house in the next year the man or the women. I had brought in the male type and when I told Tom this snippet of information he replied "Fat chance of that!"
