2025 Poinsettia Memorial Tree

Each year, we hold a Comfort and Hope service, similar in spirit to a Blue Christmas or Longest Night service. This year’s service took place on Sunday evening, December 7.

One of the cherished traditions of this service is the building of a poinsettia tree. We begin with a stark, empty metal frame and lovingly add poinsettias, each one honouring and remembering beloved family members and friends who are no longer with us. As their names and flowers join together, the tree becomes a symbol of beauty, legacy, and transformation.

The tradition of the poinsettia—the “Flower of the Holy Night”—also speaks of transformation as we draw near to the Christ child. According to legend, a young girl wished to bring a gift to the manger but felt she had nothing worthy to offer. She gathered simple weeds into a small bouquet, and as she approached the Christ child, the weeds were transformed into vibrant red blooms. Her heart, too, was transformed—filled with hope, love, and welcome.

May the God of comfort and hope fill us with such transforming gifts as we offer God our whole selves, including the grief, stress, and heaviness we may carry in this season. And may the Light of the World shine gently on our darkness.

This year’s Poinsettia Memorial