About a week ago it finally happened.  People in my office began to celebrate the holidays.  First it was the fake, pre-lit tree they couldn’t assemble, and the one person in the office that knew I used to be an electrician ran me down as I walked in.  So I assembled it.  More irritating was they decorated my cube with a poinsettia.

 

This is my review of Ridgeway Brewing Bad Elf Winter Ale

But first!  I thought I called last call for BIF.  Apparently, that is meaningless like most of the rules here.  The problem is, this last one is something I should probably put on it own, so I’ll put it on its own later, because it’s a good story.  Thats right, f*** it.  We’ll do it live.

The plant in question hasn’t always been a staple around the holidays. It smells pretty neutral, doesn’t really need a lot of watering.  Its just got red and green leaves, but there’s more to the Poinsettia.  Much, much more.

The plant itself is indigenous to Southern Mexico and was originally cultivated by the Aztecs to make a dyes.  Later the plant’s sap was discovered to make latex.  That’s right—Mexicans gave you the material to make condoms, rubber bands, and a slew of other stretchy things.  Let thet soak in for a second.

If not for the efforts of Joel Poinsett, Americans may not know or care for the plant at all.  Poinsett was the first Ambassador to Mexico and appointed by James Madison.  He had a thing for botany, which given the absurd number of people that grow vegetables to decompress from the modern world, doesn’t sound all that unusual.  He happened to like the plant and sent several back to his home in South Carolina.

Why is it associated with Christmas?  Here’s why:

Pepita, a poor Mexican girl who had no gift to present the Christ Child at Christmas Eve Services. As Pepita walked slowly to the chapel with her cousin Pedro, her heart was filled with sadness rather than joy. I am sure, Pepita, that even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable in His eyes,” said Pedro consolingly.

Not knowing what else to do, Pepita knelt by the roadside and gathered a handful of common weeds, fashioning them into a small bouquet. Looking at the scraggly bunch of weeds, she felt more saddened and embarrassed than ever by the humbleness of her offering. She fought back a tear as she entered the small village chapel.

As she approached the altar, she remembered Pedro’s kind words: “Even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable in His eyes.” She felt her spirit lift as she knelt to lay the bouquet at the foot of the nativity scene. Suddenly, the bouquet of weeds burst into blooms of brilliant red, and all who saw them were certain that they had witnessed a Christmas miracle right before their eyes.

From that day on, the bright red flowers were known as the Flores de Noche Buena, or Flowers of the Holy Night, for they bloomed each year during the Christmas season and thus, the legend of the poinsettia was born.

Its a miracle!  In 1851, Congress would later declare December 12 to be National Poinsettia Day.  Why do that?  Turns out Poinsett was a pretty big deal.  He only helped found the Smithsonian.

This beer isn’t too bad.  Its a traditional English ale, with a bit of spiciness as a twist.  Not a bad combo but ultimately left me searching for that hated bananna flavored residue from the yeast they use over there.  Eventually I found it.  Ridgeway Brewing Bad Elf Winter Ale 3.0/5