Poinsettia
Not long ago, I received this plant (Poinsettia/the Christmas star plant) as a gift. I don't have any seasonal decorations, so it's wonderful to have her around.
It is incredibly sad that very often, fellow beings (like Christmas trees and Poinsettias) are seen as temporary decorations, something that can or even should be thrown away right after the holidays. They are living beings.
Whenever I receive a plant as a gift, I try to find out as much as possible about it. Where does it come from? What conditions [soil, water, light, etc.] does it prefer? It's interesting to read about plants. When I was young, I used to live with many house plants and even had books about them. Going to stores that sold plants, receiving a plant or a cutting as a gift were magical experiences. Some of those plants I lived with are still present in my brother's and stepfather's lives. Only later in my life I came to appreciate the beautiful fact that I knew more about plants than children's cartoon characters.
At times, I realise that I cannot take good care of my plants. When I was moving from northern Sweden to southern Finland, I could not take any of the plants with me. I was travelling with everything I owned, by trains and ferries, in winter when it was -20 or so in northern Sweden. Before I left, I asked my colleagues to look after the plants. My previous studio apartment's window faced the North, meaning there was never any direct sunlight. For some plants, this was unsuitable. When I got the Poinsettia in the picture above, I planted her in some fresh soil in a clay pot and found a light spot for her but without direct sunlight at this time of the year. Most likely, I will rehome this beautiful plant before I go to England, as I cannot take her with me. When I lived in England, I grew some peppers and other plants from seeds. They became so big, but I didn't have a garden. I gave them away to a person who did and who could give them a good life.
In Copenhagen, many swap shops (byttestationer) encourage people to swap plants. If you do this, make sure the plant is healthy!