Christmas time is full of traditions in our family. TRADITIONS! thanks Tevye. In 2000 my mom while living in Sweden picked up a new one that we have incorporated into our traditions. One of the kitchen works taught my mom about Caribou moss that they use in their Advent candle wreaths. My mom loved the way it looked. Summer 2001 driving around Eagle River, my mom spotted it - Caribou Moss. She declared she was going to have Caribou Moss in her Advent candle wreath at Christmas. That Thanksgiving weekend in the stealth of night, coming home from seeing a movie in Eagle River, we stopped at the corner of two highways, slipped out of the car, and loaded our plastics bags with the moss. My mom loved it. Not only has the tradition of having it on my parent's Advent wreath, my mom and I have the tradition of finding it every year. After a couple years of digging it out of the snow and frost at Thanksgiving, we discovered it's around all summer long. Now we gather it around labor day and let it dry until Thanksgiving before we bring it back to Chicago. This year we did pick a little bit extra at Thanksgiving. So here's me all bundled up gathering moss for my mom. I also included a close up shot of the moss. After the weekend, I'll have the Advent set-up.
Caribou Moss -
Cladonia rangifernia
Lichens are unusual plants in that they are composed of both algae and fungi cells.
Caribou moss is a light-colored, fruticose lichen that grows in well-drained, open environments. AS the common names suggest, caribou moss and reindeer lichen are important food of that species.
