According to legend, a little girl named Pepita saw her humble nativity offering of roadside weeds miraculously transform into bright red flowers on Christmas eve. For generations, the legend was part of the Christmas celebration for many communities in Mexico. And that's where it could have stayed, if it weren't for a man named Poinset. The story of how the poinsettia came to America and how they came to be so ubiquitous at Christmas, has some strange twists and turns in it. Ones that involve a kidnapping, possibly a murder, international diplomacy, and a good old fashioned American success story.

Thanks to Mark Schmeller for appearing in this episode.

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Music in this episode

• Wish Background  — Kevin MacLeod via Incompetech
• Drops of Earth — Aakash Gandhi via YouTube Audio Library
• Surface Tension 1 — Podington Bear via Free Music Archive
• Ranch Hand — Blue Dot Sessions via Free Music Archive
• Greensleves — Don Maue, shared directly by the artist
• Dimlight — Podington Bear via Free Music Archive

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Books

Of Christmases Long, Long Ago: Surprising Traditions from Christmas Past (2025, Lyons Press and Recorded Books) It's Christmas as you've never seen it before, and it makes a great gift for all the Christmas lovers in your life.

Christmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions (2022, Lyons Press and Recorded Books)