Not to want holly from the disused graveyard because...

[HughRinal]

It was a Victoria Lunatic asylum and the holly will contain tiny particles of tortured souls who might get me?
Even though it is a fantastc non-prickly tree full of berries that you can't get anywhere else?
It is actually really bothering me because I really want some but am seriously quite scared...

You can't be too careful.

Those lunatic souls are mighty sneaky afterall.

Imagine how awful Christmas day would be if you started channeling a Victorian loon.

YABVU and totally bonkers too boot!

Do the soul particles get into the soil then? I thought they went to heaven or kind of congealed in the air to haunt the living?

Please tell me you're joking!

Bless! most of the 'lunatics' placed in victorian asylums were either unmarried mothers or depressed people.

Most of them would have been wrongly incarcerated. In their memory, set them free, they are no more harmful than anyone you'd be likely to encounter on most streets today.

It's not like you are talking about Broadmoor...

Don't be daft! Go for it! The berries will look lovely.

go get the holly woman

actually, it sounds lovely, can you get me some too? [hopeful emoticon]

I thought you were going to say you didn't want it because it must have grown from the nutrients of rotting bodies.

Have it. You sound as bonkers as the Victorian inmates probably weren't.

Honestly I was being serious...

So are we!

By the time the poor unfortunate "lunatics" have decomposed down to their molecules and been "re-used" by the holly tree, I'm sure there is nothing left of the soul, whatever you consider that to be. All your own atoms used to be parts of other people, plants, animals, etc - they don't hold any "memory" of what they used to be.

If their souls are in any way still around the graveyard, or looking down from above, I'm sure they'd be happy that a nice holly bush was growing and making people happy there now.

Well put AMumInScotland.

Anyway, I thought the whole point about souls is that they are not part of the physical body and that they leave the body upon death? So the souls aren't a fixed part of the graveyard's make up.

maybe the poor tortured souls would like to have a nice family christmas

I feel bad now.
Too the graveyard!
Actually it's getting dark.
Might wait until tomorrow....

Well OBVIOUSLY the fact there are no prickles and plenty of berries not to be found for miles around, means it is a magic tree and thus a trap...take some home and you will regret it!

Seriously - I think you should risk the holly, but don't take too much.

I meant To the Graveyard!
Can't be too careful of the grammar police, they are worse than the tortured souls you know..

Why not make an offering of roast turkey, bread sauce and Christmas pudding to the souls of the departed loons before picking the holly, in order to ensure that they don't come and hide out in your Christmas tree?

We had to add glass ones.

You're allowed to leave it till daylight

Grendel, actually that is a brilliant idea. Do you think a tangerine would be ok?

What is the etiquette with nicking holly? I don't have any but if I were to be wandering down the road and spy some...

(I haven't btw but just in case )

HughRinal: even if there were remnants of Victorian spirits in the holly; Victorians really loved christmas and maybe the souls had a really shit life and being allowed into your house to share your christmas might be just the thing to send them off to heaven.

Mumin - even when I have had a small sherry I won't go there in the dark!

Oh yanbu at all.

If you so much as let one cursed sprig into your humble abode then the eternally damned and much tortured zombie lunatics will get you for sure.

I would not even contemplate proceeding. Just not worth the risk.