Legend has it that Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy merchant and uncle of Jesus Christ, was a tin trader. After the crucifixion of Jesus, he came to Britain, visited the area of Glastonbury in Somerset, and was the first to introduce Christianity to the land. The story tells of Joseph, weary and travel-worn, climbing up Wearyall Hill, where he thrust his staff — supposedly made from the wood of the holy thorn tree, also known as hawthorn — into the earth and rested. By morning, the staff had taken root and burst into bloom, even though it was winter — something deemed as a miracle. The hawthorn native to the Middle East blooms twice a year, once in spring and once in winter. Now christened as the Glastonbury Thorn or the Holy Thorn, the tree became a shrine and place of pilgrimage due to its miraculous nature. The original tree had been cut down during the English Civil War but not before locals took cuttings, enabling it to continue. The thorn tree still stands today and is intrinsic to local culture and Christmas festivities where a bud is sent to the British Monarch every Christmas. Although many believe in its historical origins, others happily revel in the mystery and tradition it encompasses. Regardless of its origin, the Glastonbury Thorn remains a universally respected and celebrated wonder, a living testament to the power of faith, perseverance, and a little bit of folklore magic.