The Legend of The Poinsettia (Tomie dePaloa)
In Mexico, the poinsettia is called flor de la Nochebuena- flower of the Holy Night. At Christmastime, the flower blooms and flourishes, the exquisite red stars lighting up the countryside. A Mexican legend tells of the poinsettia came to be, through a little girl's unselfish gift to the Christ child. Tomie dePaloa has embraced the legend using his own special feeling for Christmas. His glorious paintings capture not only the brilliant colors of Mexico and its art, but also the excitement of the children preparing for Christmas and the hope of Lucida, who comes to see what makes a gift truly beautiful.

Author's Note: When I first heard the Mexican legend of the poinsettia, about a little girl who offers weeds to the Christ Child as her gift for Christmas, I was touched by it as only Christmas can touch me. I knew that one day I wanted to create the story in pictures for children. This lovely Mexican wildflower is known by many names in Mexico: flor de fuego (fire flower), flor de Navidad (Christmas flower) and flor de la Nochebuena (flower of the Holy Night), the name I have used in my story. The poinsettia found its way to the United States through Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsett, who served as our nation's minister to Mexico from 1825 to 1830. He was fascinated with its beauty and called the plant "painted leaves" because the part often thought of as the flower actually consists of leaves surrounding a smaller flower portion. He took cuttings home with him to south Carolina when he returned from Mexico in 1830. The Christmas plant, which we call poinsettia after Dr. Poinsett, found its way into our own Christmas traditions, and nothing seems to say "Merry Christmas" better than a beautiful red and green poinsettia.

Lucida lived in a small village high up in the mountains of Mexico with her mama, her papa, and her younger brother and sister, Paco and Lupe. Papa worked in the fields with their burro, Pepito. Every evening Lucida fed Pepito, gave him fresh water, and filled his stall with clean straw.

At home Lucida helped Mama clean their casita - their little house - and pat out the tortillas for their meals. She took care of Paco and Loupe, and each evening they went to the shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe near the front gate to see if fresh candles were needed.
But every day was not work. On Sundays the family sent to San Gabriel in the square where Padre Alvarez said the Mass. And all through the year there were fiestas and holy days, which always began with a procession that wound through the village and ended in San Gabriel.

One day, close to Christmas - la Navidad - Padre Alvarez came to their casita. "Ah, Señor Martinez, bueno días - good day," Padre Alvarez said. "I am here to ask you about the blanket which covers the figure of the Baby Jesus in the Christmas procession. We have used the same one for so many years that is almost worn out. Because your weaving is so fine, I have come to ask if you would make a new one." "Mi padre," Lucida's mother said, "I would be honored. And Lucida will help me."

On Saturday Lucida and Mama went to the market to buy the wool for the blanket. They chose the finest yarn they could find. At home Lucida helped Mama dye the wool the colors of the rainbow. "Those colors will shine throughout the church," Papa said, as he watched Lucida and Mama string the year on the loom.

As Christmas drew closer, everyone in the village was busy. All the mamas were making gifts to place at the manger of the Baby Jesus in the church. The papas worked together putting up the manger scene in San Gabriel. Lucida and the other children went to the church for singing practice for the Christmas Eve procession, when everyone would walk to San Gabriel, signing and carrying candles. Once inside, Padre Alvarez would lay the figure of the Baby Jesus in the manger, and the villagers would go up and place their gifts around it. "Our gift will be the blanket for the Baby Jesus," Lucida told her friends. "I am helping Mama weave it."

One afternoon a few days before Christmas Eve, Lucida and the children were singing in the church when Señora Gomez came hurrying in. "Lucida, you must come home. Your mama is sick and your papa has taken her down to the town to see the doctor. You must take care of your brother and sister until your papa returns tonight." Lucida was frightened. Mama had never been sick before. When she got home, Paco and Lupe were crying. They were frightened, too. Lucida tried to comfort them. She made some food and sat down to wait for Papa. That evening Papa came in looking tired and worried. He drew Lucida close and said, Lucida, mi niña, your mama is ill. Your aunt - Tía Carmen - will take care of Mama until she is well, but I must go back and stay with mama until I can bring her home. But it won't be until after Christmas. Señora Gomez will take care of you and Paco and Lupe while I am gone. She will come for you tomorrow."
The next afternoon Lucida overheard two women talking. "Lucida's mama is ill. She won't be able to finish the blanket for the procession. Isn't it a shame?" "Sí" the other woman said. "We are all so disappointed. Padre Alvarez will have to use the old worn-out one." Then Lucida went home to feed Pepito and get clothes for Paco, Lupe and herself, she looked at the unfinished blanket on the loom. Perhaps I can finish it, she thought. But when she sat down and tried to weave, the yearn got tangled. The more she tried to untangle it, the worse it got. It was no use. She could never finish it by herself.

She took the unfinished blanket to Señora Gomez. "Oh, Lucida, it is so tangled. There isn't time for me to fix it," Señora Gomez told her. "Tomorrow is Christmas Eve." Lucida stated to cry. It was her fault the blanket was ruined. Her family wouldn't have a gift to place at the manger of the Baby Jesus. "Don't worry, Lucida. We all go to the precision together." Lucida didn't say anything, but in her heart she felt that she had ruined Christmas.

"Come, Paco; come, Lupe. It is time to go to the procession," Señora Gomez called on Christmas Eve. "Where is Lucida?" She was nowhere to be found. Lucida was hiding. From the shadow, Lucida watched everyone gather for the procession. The candles were lit, the singing began, and the villagers walked to San Gabriel, carrying gifts to place at the manager. Lucida walked along in the darkness and watched the procession go into the church, followed by Padre Alvarez carrying the Baby Jesus.

"Little girl, are you Lucida?" An old woman stood in the shadows nearby. "Sí," Lucida answered, wondering who she was. "I have a message for you. Your mama is going to be fine, and your papa will bring her home. soon. So you don't have to worry. Go now into the church and celebrate Christmas with the others. Paco and Lupe are waiting for you."

"I can't," Lucida told her. "I don't have a gift for the Babe Jesus. Mama and I were weaving a beautiful blanket, but I couldn't finish it. I tried, but I only tangled it all up." "Ah, Lucida, any gift is beautiful because it is given," the old woman told her. "Whatever you give, the Baby Jesus will love, because it comes from you." "But what can I give now?" Lucida said, looking around.
A patch of tall green weeds grew in a tangle nearby. Lucida rushed over and picked an armful. "Do you think these will be all right?" Lucida turned to ask the old woman, but she was gone. Lucida walked into the church. It was blazing with candlelight, and the children were singing as she walked quietly down the aisle with a bundle of green weeds in her arms. "What is Lucida carrying? a woman whispered. "Why is she brining weeds into the church?" another one murmured. Lucida reached the manager scene. She placed the green weeds around the stable. Then she lowered her head and prayed.

A hush fell over the church. Voices began to whisper. "Look! Look at the weeds!" Lucida opened her eyes and looked up. Each weed was tipped with a flaming red star. The manger glowed and shimmered as if lit by a hundred candles.

When everyone went outside after the Mass, all the clumps of tall green weeds throughout the town were shining with red stars. Lucida's simple gift had indeed become beautiful. And every Christmas to this day, the red stars shine on top of the green branches in Mexico. The people call the plants la Flor de Nochebuena - the Flower of the Holy Night - the poinsettia.