The Easter Lily

The Lilium Longiflorum, Bermuda Lily, or as you probably know it, the Easter Lily is the purest symbol of Easter that you can find. When spring rolls around we are bombarded with the symbolism of Easter. The bunnies, colored eggs, baskets and candy are everywhere for a couple of weeks but the Easter Lily, which ironically gets the least amount of promotion, best represents the spirit of Easter.
The bunny gets the most face time these days but few people could tell you why. The goddess Eostre, who represented fertility, new beginnings and springtime was said to have a pet rabbit that laid colored eggs. In the 1700’s the Germans brought their tradition of Oschter Hawes to America. Kids would make homemade nests to put in the house. If they were good, a hare would leave them colored eggs in their nests. These symbols have taken root in Easter, a springtime holiday that stands for resurrection because they have that common link of spring and rebirth. Over the years candy companies have gotten into the mix by taking these symbols of bunnies and eggs and making chocolate rabbits, and sugar eggs. Today we are left with baskets nested with candy and the center piece of the bunny. After we are finished taking out all the candy we go on the highlight of the day, the Easter egg hunt. I love all of these things about Easter but the real meaning is distorted along the way.
The one symbol that is deeply rooted in the true spirit of this holy day is the Easter Lily. This lily is originaly from Ryukyu Island in Japan. It was brought to us in the U.S. by WWI soldier Louis Houghton in 1919. He brought a suitcase of them home and just gave them away. Thankfully for us today he gave them out on the Oregon coast, a great place to grow them. When WWII dragged the U.S. into the fight we stopped buying Easter Lilies from Japan. So almost overnight, the Easter Lily industry in America was born as the result of two wars.
The Easter Lily starts out as a hard bulb that gets buried in the ground to remain dormant until the season is right for it to sprout. It grows strait up towards heaven and finally blooms into a pure white trumpet. The Easter Lily stands for purity, hope, life, and virtue. What could be a better symbol for Easter? So make sure this spring you give some Easter Lilies to go with all the baskets, candy and eggs. Remember there is only about a two week period to buy this precious symbol of purity, life and hope.
Please visit us online at www.payneandmorrison.com .