December Birth Flowers: Narcissus and Holly — What They Mean and How to Gift Both in Winter

If you were born in December, your birth flowers are two of the most evocative plants of the winter season: the narcissus (specifically the paperwhite, Narcissus papyraceus) as the primary birth flower, and holly (Ilex aquifolium) as the secondary. Together, they capture December’s spirit perfectly — the narcissus bringing fragrance and light indoors during the darkest days of the year, and the holly offering its ancient promise of protection and evergreen life through the cold.

Whether you’re researching your own birth flower, choosing a gift for a December birthday, or planning your holiday decor with meaning in mind, this guide covers the full symbolism, mythology, cultural history, growing tips, and gifting ideas for both December birth flowers.

What Is the December Birth Flower?

December has two birth flowers: the narcissus — most commonly represented by the paperwhite variety (Narcissus papyraceus) — as the primary bloom, and holly (Ilex aquifolium and related species) as the secondary. Both plants have been woven into winter traditions for centuries, and both carry symbolic weight that extends far beyond their obvious association with Christmas.

The narcissus genus is a large one — it includes daffodils, jonquils, and dozens of species and thousands of cultivars. The December connection belongs specifically to the paperwhite, a Mediterranean species that blooms naturally in late autumn and winter and requires no cold period to flower, making it uniquely suited to indoor forcing during December. For the full story of narcissus symbolism across all seasons, see our in-depth narcissus meaning guide and our dedicated daffodil meaning article.

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This article is part of our complete flower meaning guide. For the full birth flower calendar, see our birth flowers by month overview.

Narcissus (Paperwhite) Meaning and Symbolism

The narcissus carries a symbolic vocabulary that is unusually rich for a single genus — shaped by one of the most famous myths in classical antiquity, centuries of use in winter celebrations across cultures, and the inherent poetry of a flower that blooms in the darkest season.

Core meanings associated with the narcissus include:

• Self-regard and vanity — Rooted directly in the Narcissus myth (see below), this is the flower’s most enduring classical meaning. But the connotation is not entirely negative: self-knowledge and honest self-reflection are the corrective lesson the myth teaches.
• Respect and good wishes — In the Victorian language of flowers (floriography), narcissus signified deep respect and admiration, making it appropriate for formal occasions and tributes.
• New beginnings at year’s end — The paperwhite’s habit of blooming in winter — when almost nothing else flowers — made it a powerful symbol of hope and renewal. A narcissus blooming on the windowsill in December carries the message: light persists, spring will return. Explore the broader theme in our guide to flowers that mean hope.
• Prosperity and good fortune — In Chinese tradition, the narcissus is one of the most auspicious New Year flowers (see Cultural Significance below).
• Unrequited love — A single narcissus bloom, in strict Victorian usage, expressed a form of love that could not be reciprocated — beautifully poignant, but delicate to send.

Colour Meanings at a Glance

The Narcissus Myth: Beauty, Obsession, and the Pool

The flower’s genus name is inseparable from one of classical mythology’s most resonant stories. In Ovid’s Metamorphoses (8 AD), Narcissus was a youth of extraordinary beauty who rejected all who loved him — including the nymph Echo, cursed to repeat only others’ words. Eventually, the goddess Nemesis led Narcissus to a still pool where he glimpsed his own reflection and fell hopelessly in love with the face staring back at him. Unable to leave or possess the image, he pined away at the water’s edge — and in his place grew the flower that nods its head over water as if still captivated by its own reflection.

The myth encodes two simultaneous warnings: one against vanity and self-absorption, and one against the cruelty of rejecting others’ genuine love. For a full exploration of the myth and its interpretations, see our complete narcissus meaning guide.

Paperwhite: December’s Specific Narcissus

Narcissus papyraceus — the paperwhite — earns its place as December’s birth flower through a combination of biology and cultural tradition. Native to the western Mediterranean (Spain, Portugal, southern France, northwest Africa), it flowers naturally in late autumn and winter, with clusters of 5–20 small, pure-white blooms on each stem and a scent that is intensely sweet, complex, and divisive: gardeners tend either to love it or to find it overwhelming.

The key characteristic that made paperwhites the definitive December bulb is that they require no cold period (vernalisation) to bloom. While tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths all need weeks of chilling to break dormancy, paperwhite bulbs can be planted directly into pebbles and water and will flower in 4–6 weeks at room temperature. This makes them uniquely suited to indoor holiday forcing — a tradition that was firmly established in Victorian households by the 1880s, when paperwhites on the mantelpiece became as much a part of a Christmas interior as holly and ivy.

The fragrance of paperwhites contains indole and methyl anthranilate alongside sweet floral compounds — it is complex rather than simply sweet, and can fill a room within a day or two of the flowers opening. Varieties worth noting include ‘Ziva’ (the standard commercial variety, very reliable, very fragrant), ‘Inbal’ (shorter stems, more compact habit), and ‘Ice Follies’ (slightly later-flowering, milder scent).

Chinese New Year Narcissus

In Chinese culture, the narcissus — specifically Narcissus tazetta var. orientalis, known as the “Chinese Sacred Lily” or shuixian ("water immortal") — is one of the most important New Year flowers. Cultivated in China for over a thousand years, it is forced in shallow dishes of water and pebbles (a method almost identical to the Western paperwhite technique) to bloom precisely at Lunar New Year, symbolising good luck, prosperity, and a fresh start.

The timing of Lunar New Year — falling in late January or February — means that Chinese households begin forcing narcissus bulbs in December or early January, so the December birth flower and the Lunar New Year flower share both their blooming season and their cultural message: hope and abundance arriving in the darkest months.

Holly Meaning and Symbolism

Holly is December’s secondary birth flower, and its symbolic richness rivals its botanical hardiness. An evergreen shrub or small tree (Ilex aquifolium and related species) native to Europe, western Asia, and North Africa, holly has been woven into human winter traditions for at least two thousand years — long before Christmas existed.

The core symbolic meanings of holly are:

• Protection — The prickly leaves were believed to ward off evil spirits, lightning, and witchcraft. This is holly’s oldest and most universal meaning.
• Eternal life — The fact that holly stays green and bears fruit through winter, when deciduous trees stand bare, made it a natural symbol of life’s continuity beyond death or dormancy.
• Domestic happiness — In Victorian floriography, a sprig of holly sent to a home meant “may your home be filled with joy and peace.”
• Goodwill and foresight — Exchanging holly at the winter solstice was a pre-Christian gesture of good intentions toward neighbours and friends.

Pre-Christian Holly: Druids and Saturnalia

Holly’s winter associations pre-date Christianity by centuries. The Druids — Celtic priests of Britain and Gaul — regarded holly as one of the most sacred evergreen plants, believing that it retained the power of the sun through the darkest part of the year and offered shelter to woodland spirits during winter. Holly branches were brought indoors during the winter solstice to give forest spirits a place to dwell, and a sprig above the door was considered powerful protection against lightning strikes and evil.

Simultaneously, in ancient Rome, holly was associated with the god Saturn — god of agriculture, harvests, and the cyclical nature of time. During Saturnalia (December 17–23), Romans exchanged holly garlands as gifts of goodwill and decorated their homes with holly boughs. The timing of Saturnalia directly overlaps with the Christmas season, and many holly traditions passed almost seamlessly from Roman custom into early Christian celebration.

Christian Symbolism of Holly

When Christianity adopted winter celebrations, it found in holly a plant already loaded with seasonal significance — and reinterpreted its features through a biblical lens:

• Red berries — reinterpreted as symbols of Christ’s blood
• Thorny leaves — echoing the crown of thorns
• White flowers (which appear in spring) — associated with purity
• Bitter bark — linked to the gall offered to Christ at the Crucifixion
• Evergreen leaves — representing eternal life and the promise of resurrection

The medieval carol “The Holly and the Ivy” encodes much of this Christianised symbolism, using the holly plant as an extended metaphor for the Passion narrative. The tradition of Christmas holly decorations thus carries an extraordinary depth of meaning that most people decorating their homes today are entirely unaware of.

The Holly King: Solstice Mythology

One of the most compelling pieces of holly folklore involves the Holly King and Oak King cycle — a mythological framework associated with neopagan and Wiccan traditions, though drawing on older folkloric roots. In this framework, the year is governed by two competing kings:

• The Holly King rules from midsummer to the winter solstice — his reign is the period of darkening and dormancy
• The Oak King rules from the winter solstice to midsummer — his reign is the period of growth and light

At the winter solstice (December 21–22), the Oak King defeats the Holly King and begins his reign — the days start lengthening from this point forward. Holly thus sits at the hinge of the year’s turn: it is the plant of the darkest time, but its defeat marks the return of light. The paperwhite narcissus blooming on the windowsill at exactly this moment becomes, in this symbolic framework, the Oak King’s first messenger.

Male vs Female Holly: Why Your Holly Doesn’t Have Berries

Holly is dioecious — individual plants are either male or female, and only female plants produce berries. However, female plants need a male plant nearby to pollinate their flowers. This is a practical detail that catches many gardeners out: a holly planted in isolation, or surrounded only by plants of the same sex, will never produce the vivid red berries that give December holly its iconic appearance.

For reliable berry production, plant at least one male holly within 50 feet of your female plants. Named male pollinators include ‘Blue Prince’ (for blue-berried female hollies) and ‘Blue Stallion’. Female berry-producing varieties include ‘Blue Princess’, ‘Nellie R. Stevens’ (self-fertile in some conditions), ‘Burford’, and the classic English holly Ilex aquifolium ‘J.C. van Tol’ (partially self-fertile). According to the Royal Horticultural Society’s holly growing guide, most Ilex species require cross-pollination for consistent fruit set.

Sagittarius and Capricorn: December’s Zodiac Connections

December spans two zodiac signs, each with a distinct association to the month’s birth flowers:

December Birth Flowers and Christmas

It is no accident that December’s birth flowers are also two of the most iconic Christmas plants. Both holly and narcissus became embedded in Christmas tradition through centuries of cultural layering — from pagan solstice celebrations, through Roman Saturnalia, into Christian observance — and today they function simultaneously as birth flowers, holiday symbols, and winter garden plants.

A paperwhite narcissus in a forcing vase beside a holly wreath on the door is not just good seasonal decor — it is one of the oldest combinations of winter symbolism in the Western tradition, connecting living rooms in 2025 to Roman atria adorned for Saturnalia two thousand years ago.

For the December gardener, both plants are also surprisingly practical:

• Paperwhite bulbs are available at garden centers from October and force reliably indoors with zero specialist equipment
• Holly branches cut from the garden provide weeks of fresh decoration at no cost, and the plant requires almost no maintenance to provide a reliable annual harvest of berried stems

How to Force Paperwhite Narcissus for Christmas

Forcing paperwhites is one of the most satisfying and foolproof indoor gardening projects. Unlike other bulbs, paperwhites need no chilling period, no soil, and almost no skill — just a container, some pebbles, and water.

1. Choose your container. A glass forcing vase, a wide bowl, or any container at least 4 inches deep works well. Glass vessels allow you to watch the roots develop, which adds to the display.
2. Add pebbles or gravel. Fill the container 2–3 inches deep with pebbles, gravel, glass beads, or coarse sand. This anchors the bulbs and prevents them toppling as they grow.
3. Place the bulbs. Set bulbs pointed-end up, close together (almost touching — crowding is fine and makes for a fuller display). Nest them firmly into the pebbles so they don’t fall over.
4. Add water. Fill with water until it just reaches the base of the bulbs — not touching the base, but within a few millimetres of it. The roots will reach down into the water; the bulb base itself should not sit in water or it will rot.
5. Place in a cool, bright spot. Keep in a cool room (55–60&#8F) for the first week to encourage root development before shoot growth. Then move to a warmer, bright position to accelerate blooming.
6. Maintain the water level. Check every 2–3 days and top up as needed. Roots should be visible through the glass within 7–10 days.
7. Expect flowers in 4–6 weeks. Succession-plant batches every 2 weeks from late October through December to ensure blooms right through the holiday season.
8. The vodka trick for shorter stems. If paperwhites in a warm house tend to grow tall and floppy, replace the plain water with a solution of 5% alcohol (approximately 1 part 80-proof vodka to 7 parts water) once shoots are 1–2 inches tall. Research from Cornell University’s School of Integrative Plant Science showed this reduces stem length by 30–50% without affecting flower size, colour, or fragrance. (Missouri Botanical Garden on forcing bulbs)

December Birth Flower Gifting Guide

Gifting caution: all parts of narcissus and paperwhite bulbs are toxic if ingested, containing lycorine and other alkaloids. Keep them away from children and pets, and note that handling cut narcissus stems can cause “daffodil itch” (skin irritation) in sensitive individuals. Always condition narcissus in a separate bucket before mixing with other cut flowers — the sap from cut stems inhibits water uptake in roses and other flowers placed in the same vase.

Growing Tips: Narcissus and Holly in the Garden

Paperwhite Narcissus Outdoors

In warmer climates, paperwhites can be grown outdoors as perennial bulbs. According to the University of Minnesota Extension, paperwhite narcissus is reliably perennial in USDA Zones 8–11, where winters are mild enough to allow the bulbs to remain in the ground year-round. In Zones 6–7, paperwhites may survive outdoors in a sheltered spot with heavy mulching, but are not reliably hardy. In Zones 3–5, treat them as annual indoor bulbs only.

For outdoor planting in suitable zones:

• Plant in autumn (October–November) in well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade
• Plant bulbs 4–6 inches deep and 6 inches apart
• Do not water in excessively — paperwhites are drought-tolerant and prone to rot in waterlogged soil
• Allow foliage to die back naturally after flowering to restore bulb energy
• Bulbs multiply freely and can form large naturalised clumps over several years

Holly in the Garden

Holly is one of the most versatile and low-maintenance evergreen shrubs for the American garden. Ilex aquifolium (English holly) and its American relative Ilex opaca (American holly) are both excellent landscape choices. According to the Missouri Botanical Garden, Ilex aquifolium grows in USDA Zones 6–9, while Ilex opaca is hardier, thriving in Zones 5–9.

• Size: English holly can reach 15–50 feet in ideal conditions, but is slow-growing and easily kept at hedge height with annual pruning. Most garden specimens are 8–15 feet over 20 years.
• Light: Full sun to partial shade. Berry production is best in full sun.
• Soil: Well-drained, slightly acidic soil (pH 5.0–6.5). Tolerates clay but not waterlogging.
• Pruning: Prune in late winter or early spring before new growth begins. Holly is extremely resilient and can be cut back hard if needed. Never prune in autumn if you want berries for Christmas — you will remove the fruiting wood.
• Uses: Formal hedging, specimen tree, wildlife garden (berries are a vital winter food source for thrushes, robins, and other birds), windbreak, security hedge (the prickly leaves are an effective deterrent).

The 12-Month Birth Flower Calendar

Each month has its own birth flower with unique symbolism. Explore them all:

• January — Snowdrop and Carnation
• February — Violet and Iris
• March — Daffodil and Jonquil
• April — Sweet Pea and Daisy
• May — Lily of the Valley and Hawthorn
• June — Rose and Honeysuckle
• July — Larkspur and Water Lily
• August — Gladiolus and Poppy
• September — Aster and Morning Glory
• October — Marigold and Cosmos
• November — Chrysanthemum and Peony
• December — Narcissus and Holly (this article)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the December birth flower?

December has two birth flowers: the narcissus (primarily the paperwhite, Narcissus papyraceus) and holly (Ilex aquifolium and related species). The narcissus represents self-regard, respect, new beginnings, and hope; holly symbolises protection, eternal life, domestic happiness, and goodwill.

What does holly symbolise?

Holly’s primary symbolic meanings are protection (from evil spirits and misfortune), eternal life (from its evergreen nature), domestic happiness, and goodwill toward others. In Christian tradition it also symbolises the Passion of Christ through its red berries, thorny leaves, and white flowers. Pre-Christian Druid and Roman traditions used it as a winter talisman and a gift of friendship during Saturnalia celebrations.

How do I force paperwhite narcissus for Christmas?

Fill a container 2–3 inches deep with pebbles, set paperwhite bulbs pointed-end up (close together), and add water until it just touches the base of the bulbs. Keep in a cool spot for the first week to develop roots, then move to a warm, bright window. Flowers appear in 4–6 weeks. For shorter, sturdier stems, replace the water with a 5% alcohol solution (1 part vodka to 7 parts water) once shoots are 1–2 inches tall. Plant new batches every two weeks from October onwards for continuous blooms through the holidays.

Is narcissus the same as daffodil?

Yes and no. “Narcissus” is the botanical genus name that contains all daffodils, jonquils, and paperwhites. “Daffodil” is the common name most often applied to the large-cupped, single-flowered garden varieties (Narcissus pseudonarcissus and its hybrids). The December birth flower, the paperwhite (Narcissus papyraceus), is technically a narcissus but is not commonly called a daffodil. See our full daffodil meaning guide for the complete taxonomy breakdown.

Why doesn’t my holly have berries?

Holly is dioecious — plants are either male or female, and only females produce berries. Female holly plants need a male plant within pollination range (generally within 50 feet) to set fruit. If your holly has no berries, either it is a male plant, or there is no male pollinator nearby. Plant a named male cultivar (such as ‘Blue Stallion’ or ‘Blue Prince’) close to your female plants to solve the problem. Also note that pruning in autumn removes the flower buds that would have produced next winter’s berries — prune in late winter or early spring instead.

For a complete step-by-step walkthrough, see the full birth flowers by month guide.

Sources

• Royal Horticultural Society — Ilex (Holly) Growing Guide
• Missouri Botanical Garden — Forcing Bulbs Indoors
• Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew — Narcissus
• University of Minnesota Extension — Forcing Bulbs for Spectacular Blooms