why is a poinsettia associated with christmas

The poinsettia is a plant associated with Christmas because it is native to Mexico and is associated with the Christmas holiday through a legend about a young boy who was too poor to afford a gift for the celebration of Jesus' birth. As he prayed, the boy's tears fell on a plant and it bloomed with bright red flowers, which he offered to the baby Jesus as a gift. The poinsettia has since been a symbol of the season and is often used as a Christmas decoration.