You are invited to continue the tradition of bringing beauty and cheer to our sanctuary and to our homebound members and friends by purchasing a Cuetlaxochitl (poinsettia). Members of the congregation and the Caring Crew have teamed up again this year to spread Christmas cheer in worship and in the community. Proceeds from the sales will offset the cost of the poinsettias for our sanctuary and will be delivered with a Christmas greeting for our members, served by the Caring Crew.
The cost this year is $15. To purchase a plant in honor or memory of a loved one, complete the online form or pick up a paper form at the welcome desk on December 4 and 11. Orders will be accepted through Sunday, December 11. Payments can be made in one of two ways: by cash or by check at the welcome desk or by online payment through the website.
Cuetlaxochitl: Restoring the Indigenous Name to this Beloved Symbol of Christmas
The original Nahuatl name for the plant we call “poinsettia” is cuetlaxochitl (kwet-la-sho-she), cultivated by the Aztecs long before the European colonization of the Americas. The Aztecs used cuetlaxochitl for a variety of purposes, including decoration and the production of red and purple dyes, as well as for medicines derived from the plant’s milky white sap.
Cuetlaxochitl was given the name “poinsettia” after the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Joel Poinsett, brought it here in 1828. Poinsett is celebrated for introducing the poinsettia to the United States and for co-founding the Smithsonian. However, his legacy as a slave owner and his role in the displacement of countless Native Americans has led some people today to reject the name “poinsettia” in favor of the plant’s Indigenous name.
Source: https://www.swansonsnursery.com/blog/history-of-poinsettias