The news of Christ's birth soon spread throughout the land.  King Herod had heard of the glorious event and, feeling threatened by this new King of Kings, had sent his soldiers in pursuit of Him.  Joseph gathered together his little family and fled from Bethlehem.

As they were traveling down an old dirt road, Mary heard the sound of the soldiers behind them.  Knowing that they would be searching for a man and woman with a baby, she decided to hide her child until the soldiers had passed.

Looking quickly around, Mary felt her heart sink within her.  There was nothing nearby but a bare little holly bush.  Every second, the hooves of the soldier's horses thundered nearer and nearer.  In desperation, she placed her precious child beneath the bush and prayed.

But then, a wondrous thing happened.  The scraggly little plant burst forth with a crown of glistening, thorny leaves.  The spikey leaved bush formed a roof over the baby, hiding him completely.  When the soldiers rode by, they saw only the couple who appeared to be childless and continued on their way, leaving the Christ Child in safety and peace.

It was then that the Babe blessed the holly so that it would always remain green ... a symbol of hope and immortality to all.  And the berries the holly bore would always be blood red.  For of all the plants that grow, the holly alone, for one brief moment, had held the Christ Child in its heart.