Hedera Helix or common ivy grows vigorously round here. It's attractive at this time of year, with the berries just ripening and before they are stripped by birds. On my walk, I can see this berried ivy at different stages of its growth, but the shiny berries really do it for me. These ones are almost purple, but there are navy ones elsewhere in the village. It can be invasive, thriving in sunlight or shade, on trees and walls, or even the ground in the absence of anything else.

The ruined house next to the church, which I assume might have been the manse at one time, has walls covered in this, as well as holly heavy with berries. Both are evergreens with traditional Christmas meanings. The holly can represent the crown of thorns and the red berries the drops of blood on Christ's brow. The clinging ivy symbolises the fidelity of the Christian and the undying attachment to the Saviour.

But long before that, holly and ivy were pagan fertility symbols and sacred to the Druids as the most prominent of winter woodland growth, along with the mistletoe. Like so many other things, they became interwoven with Christian symbols as the Church grew and adapted to include local custom.
Holly represents masculine qualities, while ivy represents female qualities. Rather nice that they exist side by side quite happily in our symbolic use of them today.

In the carol The Holly and the Ivy, holly reigns supreme - "the holly bears the crown" - but in other ancient writings and carols, the ivy is supreme and is most definitely feminine:

Ivy, chief of trees, it is;
Veni coronaberis.

1. The most worthy is she in town;
He who says other, says amiss;
Worthy is she to bear the crown;
Veni coronaberis.

2. Ivy is soft, and meek of speech,
Against all woe she bringeth bliss;
Happy is he that may her reach:
Veni coronaberis.

3. Ivy is green, of colour bright,
Of all trees the chief she is;
And that I prove will now be right;
Veni coronaberis.

4. Ivy, she beareth berries black;
God grant to all of us his bliss!
For then we shall nothing lack;
Veni coronaberis.