December Birth Flower: Narcissus (Paperwhite) and Holly

December has two birth flowers. The main December birth flower is the narcissus, most often the white paperwhite that can bloom indoors in winter, and the second is holly. Victorian flower dictionaries gave holly the meaning "foresight" and narcissus "self-love". The ASPCA lists both as toxic to cats and dogs.

Why does December have two birth flowers?

Because there is no single official list. The Old Farmer's Almanac says birth flowers "aren't universally standardized," and "Not all cultures agree on which flowers correspond to which months." In a reply to a reader, its editors add that the list is "based on folklore likely developed in the Northern Hemisphere."

For the birth flower for the month of December, the Almanac names the narcissus as the primary flower and holly as the secondary one. That is the order this page follows.

A few florists add a third. Floraly, for example, lists the poinsettia as a December birth flower. The Almanac does not, and there's more on that in the poinsettia and amaryllis section below.

Born a month earlier or later? See the November birth flower and the January birth flower.

Narcissus (paperwhite): the main December birth flower

The birth flower of December is the narcissus, and when people say narcissus for December, they usually mean the paperwhite, Narcissus papyraceus. The RHS also gives it the name N. tazetta subsp. papyraceus, and Clemson Extension lists it as N. tazetta. The ASPCA's narcissus page groups daffodil, jonquil and paper white together under Narcissus.

What paperwhites look like

The RHS describes "clusters of up to 10 strongly-scented, pure white flowers in late winter and early spring." The plants grow up to 35 cm, or about 14 inches, tall. The paperwhite is native to the Mediterranean and southwest Europe.

The myth behind the name

Henrietta Dumont's 1851 Language of Flowers, published in Philadelphia, tells the old story right next to the flower's meaning. Narcissus was the youth who slighted Echo and "became enamoured of his own image." Dumont gives the flower the meaning self-love.

Narcissus meanings by type

The two Victorian flower dictionaries on Project Gutenberg don't fully agree on the narcissus family. Here is what each one says:

Flower	Greenaway (1884)	Dumont (1851)
Narcissus	Egotism	Self-love
Daffodil	Regard	Self-love
Jonquil	I desire a return of affection	Desire

Neither meaning for the narcissus is very flattering. For a birthday, the modern reading is kinder (see what the December birth flower means below).

Growing paperwhites at home for a December birthday

Paperwhites are one of the easiest bulbs to bring into bloom indoors. Clemson Extension says they need no cold treatment first. Plant the bulbs in a bowl of gravel with the water just below the surface. Too much water rots the bulb.

Clemson also says that new plantings about two weeks apart, starting in mid-October, give you flowers "from Thanksgiving through late March." So for a December birthday, plant a bowl in late October or early November, and a second one two weeks later in case the first is early.

Tall stems can flop over. A Cornell study, "Pickling Your Paperwhites", found a fix: once roots have formed and the shoot is 1 to 2 inches tall, swap the water for a 4–6% alcohol solution. The stems grow "1/3 to 1/2 shorter."

I grow paperwhites at home the same way, in a bowl of pebbles and water. One tip from the RHS: it lists the paperwhite as a "skin irritant," so wear gloves when you handle the bulbs.

Holly: December's second birth flower

The holly birth flower is better known for its leaves and berries than for its flowers. Two hollies matter here: English holly, Ilex aquifolium, and American holly, Ilex opaca (NC State Extension).

What holly looks like

According to NC State Extension, holly is dioecious, which means each plant is either male or female. Only female plants bear berries, and they need a male plant nearby to do it.

Holly's small white flowers open in May and June. The berries ripen from August to October. Most are red, but some hollies have yellow or orange berries.

Holly meaning and history

Both Victorian dictionaries agree on this one: holly means foresight (Greenaway, Dumont).

Dumont also writes about holly adorning "the churches of old England, during the Christmas season." Her book includes a floral calendar with a flower for each day of the year. For December 25 it gives: "Holly, Ilex aculeata baccifera. Nativity of our Saviour."

American holly: native to the US, and Delaware's state tree

American holly is native to the central and eastern United States, says NC State Extension. Delaware made it official in 1939. Chapter 86 of its session laws reads: "The American holly (Ilex opaca, Alton) is hereby adopted as the State Tree." (The law misspells the botanist Aiton, who named the species, as "Alton".) It was approved on May 1, 1939.

The holly trade was big business there. The Delaware Public Archives notes that "By 1930, Delaware had become the leading producer of holly wreaths," marketed as coming "From the Land of Holly."

What does the December birth flower mean?

It depends on which century you ask. The Victorian dictionaries gave each flower its own meaning. Modern guides give December's flowers one shared meaning.

Flower	Victorian meaning	Meaning today
Narcissus (paperwhite)	Egotism (Greenaway, 1884); self-love (Dumont, 1851)	"Rebirth, hope, protection" (The Old Farmer's Almanac)
Holly	Foresight (Greenaway; Dumont)	"Rebirth, hope, protection" (The Old Farmer's Almanac)

So the December birth flower meaning you choose depends on the card. Foresight is the easiest Victorian meaning to borrow: it suits someone who always plans ahead. Hope and rebirth suit almost anyone.

Are December birth flowers safe for cats and dogs?

No. The ASPCA lists both December birth flowers as "Toxic to Dogs, Toxic to Cats, Toxic to Horses." It says the same of the two other winter plants people often confuse with them. Here is what each ASPCA page says:

Plant	Toxic part or principle	Signs (ASPCA wording)
Holly (Ilex opaca)	Saponins	"Vomiting, diarrhea and depression. Leaves and berries are low toxicity."
Narcissus / paper white	Lycorine and other alkaloids	Vomiting, salivation, diarrhea; "large ingestions cause convulsions, low blood pressure, tremors and cardiac arrhythmias."
Poinsettia	Irritant sap	"Irritating to the mouth and stomach, sometimes causing vomiting, but generally over-rated in toxicity."
Amaryllis	Lycorine and others	"Vomiting (not horses), depression, diarrhea, abdominal pain, hypersalivation, anorexia, tremors."

For paperwhites, the ASPCA adds one more line: "Bulbs are the most poisonous part." Keep that in mind with a bowl of bulbs on a low table, or a bulb kit as a gift.

If you think your pet has eaten any of these, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

We have a cat at home, so I keep my paperwhites and any other toxic flowers on the balcony or up high, out of our cat's reach.

Poinsettia and amaryllis: December flowers people mix up

Neither of these is on the Almanac's December list. Some florists, like Floraly, still list the poinsettia as a December birth flower.

On pets, the ASPCA lists poinsettia as toxic, but calls it "generally over-rated in toxicity." Amaryllis is also toxic to dogs, cats and horses.

The amaryllis has its own Victorian meaning: "Pride. Timidity. Splendid beauty," in Greenaway's 1884 dictionary. Read more in our guide to amaryllis flower meaning.

December birth flower and birthstone

December has three birthstones: turquoise, tanzanite and zircon. GIA describes turquoise as blue to green, tanzanite as blue to violet, and zircon as coming in many colors. That makes pairing easy:

• Turquoise or tanzanite with white paperwhites. The cool blues look crisp next to pure white.
• Zircon with holly. Pick a stone in a color that echoes the red berries or green leaves.

For every month's flower and stone together, see our guide to birth flowers and birthstones.

December birthday flower gift ideas

A few December birthday gift ideas, from living to lasting:

• A bowl of paperwhite bulbs. A gift that keeps blooming after the party. Add a note that the bulbs are toxic to pets, since "Bulbs are the most poisonous part".
• A white winter bouquet with holly. White flowers with a few holly sprigs say "December" at a glance.
• A birth-flower print or necklace. A narcissus or holly design lasts for years, and it's the safe choice for homes with cats or dogs.

Thinking of something permanent? See our birth flower tattoo ideas. More ideas for every month are in our birth flower gifts guide.

Keeping a December arrangement fresh

I have bought holly from a florist and used it in my arrangements at home. Whatever the flowers, I follow the same routine. I strip off any leaves that would sit under the water, trim the stems, and change the water every day or two. I also tuck in some greenery to make a small bunch look fuller.

What to write in a December birthday card

A December birthday can get lost in the holiday rush. These lines keep the focus on the birthday person. The holly line borrows "foresight" from Greenaway's 1884 dictionary. Copy any line as it is, or change a word to make it yours.

One check before you send: if you quote a Victorian meaning, stick with holly's "foresight." The old narcissus meanings, egotism and self-love, don't belong in a birthday card.

December birth flower FAQ

Sources

• The Old Farmer's Almanac, Birth Month Flowers and Their Meanings
• Kate Greenaway, Language of Flowers (1884): Project Gutenberg
• Henrietta Dumont, The Language of Flowers: The Floral Offering (Philadelphia, 1851): Project Gutenberg
• Royal Horticultural Society, Narcissus papyraceus
• Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC 1556, Forcing Bulbs Indoors
• UW Elisabeth C. Miller Library, on Cornell's "Pickling Your Paperwhites"
• NC State Extension Plant Toolbox, Ilex aquifolium and Ilex opaca
• Delaware General Assembly, Chapter 86, Designating State Tree (1939)
• Delaware Public Archives, Holly Jolly Christmas
• GIA, December Birthstones
• ASPCA, Holly, Narcissus, Paper White, Poinsettia and Amaryllis
• Floraly, December Birth Flowers and Meanings