Step into the apothecary with me, friend. The lantern is lit, the air smells faintly of resin and winter spice, and tonight we’re wandering through the herbs that shimmer quietly through the Christmas story.
These aren’t just plants. They’re the herbs of prophecy… of pilgrimage… of birth and rebirth. Plants that show up at doorways, in manger scenes, in sacred offerings, and in the quiet, holy moments woven into Scripture.
At Christmastime, when everything feels wrapped in both memory and mystery, these herbs take on a certain glow — a reminder that creation has always been part of the conversation between heaven and earth.
Let’s begin.
✨ Frankincense — the Rising Prayer
Mentioned in Scripture as one of the Magi’s gifts (Matthew 2:11), frankincense has always carried the symbolism of divinity, offering, and sacred presence. In the Old Testament, it was used in incense offerings (Exodus 30:34) — smoke rising like whispered prayers into winter air.
✨ Myrrh — the Holy Bitter-Sweet
Myrrh, another gift carried to the Christ child (Matthew 2:11), holds both sweetness and sorrow in its aroma. It appears throughout Scripture as an anointing and embalming resin (Song of Solomon 3:6, John 19:39), symbolizing devotion, healing, and sacrificial love.
✨ Hyssop — Cleansing & New Beginnings
Hyssop is the herb of thresholds. Of fresh starts.
King David cried, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean” (Psalm 51:7), and hyssop was used symbolically at Passover (Exodus 12:22) and again at the crucifixion (John 19:29).
What better herb to honor the arrival of the Light of the world?
✨ Mint, Dill, & Cumin — The Humble Hearth Trio
Jesus mentions mint, dill, and cumin when speaking about the Pharisees (Matthew 23:23), pointing to these humble kitchen herbs growing in everyday gardens. They were common, simple, familiar — the exact kind of plants that would have lived near any first-century hearth.
Perfect for Christmas teas, simmer pots, and roasted feasts.
✨ Mustard Seed — The Small Starting Place
Jesus speaks of mustard seed faith — tiny, powerful, world-shaking (Matthew 13:31–32; 17:20).
Christmas itself is a mustard seed moment: a world reborn through something impossibly small.
✨ Fig & Balm of Gilead — Healing for the Season
Figs appear often in Scripture: Adam and Eve’s covering (Genesis 3:7), a poultice of healing (Isaiah 38:21), and a symbol of restoration and peace (1 Kings 4:25).
The Balm of Gilead is the prophet Jeremiah’s cry for healing (Jeremiah 8:22). A longing for restoration. A reminder that God touches even the tender, wounded places of our hearts.
✨ A Closing Blessing
These herbs aren’t relics of the past. They’re reminders.
Fragments of Eden still growing in our hands.
Threads that tie our winter nights to that ancient Holy Night.
These herbs are old friends and faithful witnesses to birth and burial, prayer and healing, grief and joy. They’ve walked beside humanity through every threshold, reminding us that the sacred has always chosen to meet us in the material world.
May your December be fragrant with meaning, warmed by herbs, and filled with wonder.
Merry Christmas, beloved friend.