There are a lot of symbols at the Christmas season. All represent something. Santa Claus, mistletoe, wreaths, candles, etc. I’ve always admired the beauty of poinsettias, and decided to do a little research on them. You may know that they were named after Joel Poinsett, who happened to be the minister to Mexico, and a native of South Carolina. He introduced them to America in 1825. In Mexico the poinsettia is called "Flor de Noche Buena" (Christmas Eve flower).
It is truly the quintissential Christmas plant. When you see them appear in the stores, you know that Christmas is not far away. Traditionally, the star-shaped leaf pattern is said to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem, and the red color represents the blood sacrifice of Jesus for our sins.
Just as this beautiful plant draws our attention to Christmas, the star over Bethlehem drew the attention of learned Magi (wise men).