| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Month | December |
| Birth flower | Narcissus |
| Secondary flower | Holly |
| Core meaning | Good wishes, respect, and steadfastness |
The December birth flower is the narcissus, with the holly as the common secondary flower. In the documented flower-meaning tradition it stands for good wishes, respect, and steadfastness. The associations below follow the standard English-language birth-flower list and the Victorian language of flowers, not personal or spiritual interpretation.
What is the December birth flower?
The December birth flower is the narcissus, and the holly is the commonly listed secondary flower for the month. This follows the widely used English-language birth-flower list maintained by florist associations and almanac references.
Symbolism and history
The narcissus, in the paperwhite form, is the standard birth flower for December, with holly as the common secondary flower. Some lists name the poinsettia as a further December flower.
The December narcissus is usually the paperwhite, a winter-flowering member of the Narcissus genus that is grown indoors to bloom around midwinter. In flower-language tradition it carried good wishes, respect, and the idea of wanting the addressed person to stay as they are. It shares the genus with the March daffodil, so the same Narcissus myth of self-regard sits in the background here as well.
Holly, with its evergreen leaves and red winter berries, carried associations of foresight and protection in older European custom and became fixed to midwinter through its use in Christmas decoration. Its evergreen nature gave it a steady meaning across the cold months, which is why it sits in December.
As a tattoo
As a tattoo, the paperwhite narcissus suits soft, clustered fine-line work, while holly gives a strong graphic shape in green and red that fits bold traditional pieces. Either makes a clear December birthday motif.
Sources
- Society of American Florists: birth flower by month reference list.
- Greenaway, Kate. Language of Flowers. George Routledge and Sons, 1884. Source for the Victorian flower-meaning assignments cited here.
- Old Farmer’s Almanac: birth flowers of the months reference.
- Royal Horticultural Society plant profiles: botanical names, flowering seasons, and toxicity notes for the species named here.