The last Thursday of every November is when we celebrate Thanksgiving Day. Of the many symbols associated with this important holiday in our nation’s history, one has its roots in ancient history dating back to the 5th century B.C. That is the cornucopia — or “horn of plenty” basket. We know that our loyal Fort Worth customers love to share traditions like Thanksgiving with their families, neighbors, friends and other significant people in their lives. You can count on Bice’s Florist to help you add a touch of nature in the form of beautiful flowers, to your Texas-size Thanksgiving dinner table.
History Behind the Harvest Cornucopia Basket
The cornucopia basket as we know it today dates back to the 5th century B.C. It’s origins are widely believed to come from Greek mythology. As with many Greek myths, there is more than one version of the original story. Such is the case with the cornucopia.
The word “cornucopia” comes from two Latin words: “cornu,” meaning horn, and “copiae,” meaning plenty.
The Greek myth suggests that the cornucopia sprang from a story about Zeus, the king of the Gods, and the son of Cronus and Rhea. Cronus was convinced that when his son grew up, Zeus would overthrow him. Determined to prevent that from happening, Cronus hatched a plan to get rid of his son.
When Rhea learned of her husband’s fear and what he intended to do, she arranged to protect Zeus. She sent him away to live in a cave on Mount Ida, where he’d be cared for by Almathea, a goat who became Zeus’ surrogate mother. Almathea nurtured and protected Zeus as if he was her own child. They played together, and during one of their playful episodes, Zeus accidentally knocked Almathea’s horn off of her head, transforming her into a unicorn.
As Zeus grew up, he was consumed with remorse. Ultimately, he returned the horn to Almathea, its rightful owner. The horn had acquired supernatural powers. In early Greek art depictions of the horn, it overflowed with fresh fruit and flowers.
In the context of Thanksgiving history, the “horn of plenty,” as it is often called, was either a horn-shaped gourd or basket that was filled with freshly harvested produce, nuts, grains, and often flowers. We captured the essence of this historic Thanksgiving symbol by filling our “Rustic Autumn Cornucopia” with ginormous yellow sunflowers, bi-colored roses, and other fall-colored flowers. We add eucalyptus leaves, preserved fall leaves, sprigs of wheat, all of which make this arrangement, a must-have centerpiece for your Thanksgiving dinner table.
Don’t miss out on your chance to have a beautiful cornucopia centerpiece on your Thanksgiving holiday table. Order it today from Bice’s Florist.