Oze Hellebore (2024)
Hellebores are known by several nicknames, one of which is the “Christmas Rose.” This name, however, is somewhat misleading, as hellebores are not related to roses at all. The “Christmas” part, on the other hand, has a kernel of truth.
These resilient flowers bloom during some of the harshest weather—sometimes even pushing through snow!—and are a common sight in many households during the Christmas season, particularly in parts of Central Europe.
To add a touch of lore (brace yourself for some cheesiness), Christian tradition has it that the Christmas Rose sprouted from snow, born of the tears of a young girl who had no gift to offer baby Jesus. (Thankfully, this didn’t happen during the Victorian era, when gifting hellebores, owing to the flower’s poisonous nature, carried rather ominous implications.)
In 2024, Swiss indie duo Oze paid tribute to this storied flower on their album Herbarium. “Each song is named after a plant, and each plant was chosen for its spiritual significance or medicinal use,” the duo explained. Naturally, hellebores made the cut. “Hellebore”, which is today’s song, is a wonderfully urgent piece of music, which, given the flower’s background, feels entirely fitting.
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