THE PEASANT GIRL AND THE POINSETTIA ANGEL

A Mexican legend tells of the reason for the Poinsettia becoming the Christmas flower.
There was a poor peasant girl who really wanted to take a gift to honor the Virgin Mary at the Christmas Eve service but she had nothing to give.
Although she was very upset and disappointed she knew she still had to go to the service and she decided that she would have to go with nothing.
On the way to the church she was met by an angel, who asked her why she was sad.
The peasant girl told the angel it was because she had no gift for the virgin.
The angel told the girl to pick some weeds.
The girl was a little unconvinced that weeds would be suitable but she did it anyway.
She turned back towards the angel to show her the bunch of weeds she had picked as saw that they had been transformed into the bright scarlet 'flowers'.
Ever since that miracle poinsettias have graced churches and homes during the Christmas festival.