Believe it or not, in time's past there were things more valuable than gold, silver, and even diamonds. They were the items people coveted, and those who could afford them really wanted -- they were spices and herbs. In the days before refrigeration and modern cookery, food was pretty bland without spices and herbs.

Additionally, cooks were on a quest to find ways to not only make food taste better, but to also preserve the food.

These herbs and spices also held great opportunities to experiment with some real success, in folk medicine or natural cures.

There are many spices and herbs that are generally associated with the Christmas holiday that we've all heard of, but that many may not know much about. So, let's explore some of the more popular Christmas Time herbs.

In traditional Christmas stories and songs, especially those revolving around the birth of Christ, you hear a lot about frankincense and myrrh. How many of us can raise their hand and actually say what they were? Even better, how many of us can say where they came from?

Well, frankincense and myrrh are both dried tree sap resins, meaning that they come from trees whose common names are frankincense and myrrh. Frankincense is genus Boswelliaand myrhh is Commiphora.

Both are native to Yemen, Somalia and eastern Ethiopia. It's believed that an ancient city in Southern Oman, is where they were first traded. Back then, camel caravans traveled from Oman carrying these exceptionally rare resins to places throughout the Arabian Peninsula (all the way to Jerusalem).

They were considered so valuable that they were taxed at each place they passed through. The clearer and darker the resins, the higher the quality and price they fetched. By the time they reached Jerusalem, only the kings could afford them. So for all time, the story of Jesus' birth, has wise men bringing frankincense and myrrh, along with gold as gifts for the infant.

The sweet smell of myrrh is so overpowering that it has been used to mask the smell of death in rotting corpses

• Used both in the past and today as aromatherapy oils, valued for deeply meditative qualities
• In Oman today, it is chewed to relieve indigestion.
• In Oman today, people still make the resin into a paste to soothe dry skin
• In Egypt, charred frankincense was made into "kohl" (black powder), which Egyptian women used traditionally as eye shadow
• Myrrh resins and tinctures are still used as mouthwash gargles
• Myrrh resins and tinctures are used to treat gum infections, coughs and other respiratory problems
• Myrrh is also an embalming ointment
• Myrrh has been used as a toothache medicine
• Myrrh is a common Chinese medicine for a variety of illnesses, including arthritis
• Frankincense is edible and is used as a Chinese digestive aid
• The smoke of frankincense is thought to relieve depression

The spice, cinnamon comes for the bark of a tree and it is probably one of the oldest known spices used by man, since it is known to date back to 4000 B.C.

As a medical herb, it is used with digestion and the spice is antiseptic. It is now thought to lower blood pressure.

Growing up with cinnamon as a common kitchen spice, the first time I saw the small evergreen tree it comes from, I was shocked and fascinated. It was a treasured spice in Biblical times, and even way before that. While native to Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon), it has been imported from China since before 2000 B.C.

In Africa, there once was a cinnamon route that went from Moluccas to East Africa, and from there on to ancient Rome. Then, Arabs started importing it to Egypt, who sold it to the Venetian traders for them to sell to all of Europe.

Think of cinnamon this way, drinks made from it were popular long before coffee and tea.

Look at the head of a nail, and you'll see the reason why the name of this herb evolved. The word clove comes from the Latin word clavus, meaning nail. the shaft and head of the clove bud looks like a nail.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, cloves were one of the most precious spices of Europe and they were worth more than gold.

The primary uses of cloves in herbal medicine is to relieve nausea and vomiting. It is also used to treat flatulence. Before the invention of Novocain in dentistry, cloves were given for tooth aches.

Fennel, the perennial variety with the yellow flowers, has majestic feathery leaves. It originates from the Mediterranean, but can be found growing throughout much of the world. It is very pungent, fragrant, and has a wide variety of uses. It is an invasive species in both the U.S. and Australia.

Fennel seeds are ancient medicinal remedies, when it comes to digestion and hunger. Starving Puritans would chew on them during religious fasting to keep from growing hungry.

Some cultures chew on them to relieve the feeling of being over-fed.

Ancient Romans chewed on the stalks because they believed it would keep them from becoming fat.

Ginger is a favorite medicinal herb and spice used not only for cooking -- but to aid digestion and treat stomach upsets, diarrhea, and nausea for thousands of years.

Thanks to popular children's literature, Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without ginger, gingerbread cookies, and gingerbread houses.

The uses of ginger root in folk medicine are many. It’s been used for everything from colic, blood thinning, diarrhea, nausea, colds, digestive problems, arthritis, and lowering cholesterol . People should be aware that it can cause problems with the gall bladder.

Just about everybody loves the scent of lavender. It's said that it must have been present with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. There is also a legend from biblical times, that Mary dried her son's clothing on a lavender bush, to capture it's scent.

In medieval times, lavender was considered a holy safeguard against evil. The myth was in many Christian homes, that a cross of lavender hung over any door, what protection from evil.

Later, particularly in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, lavender was a powerful perfume. Today, lavender is used in recipes, crafts, beauty supplies, and bath products. Additionally, it is an absolute fact that this handy herb helps with insomnia. It's also thought by some of the scientific community that lavender prevents hair loss.

Mint, which is actually Minthe -- is a sweet scented herb that contains menthol, which is what gives it the unique quality of being a known aid to digestion. Crushed mint leaves are one of life's treasures to smell. 

Mint’s true name is Mentha. This hearty aromatic perennial is probably one of the most easily recognized herbs, just for it’s aroma. It grows best in wet area and can be considered to be invasive, but I doubt that anyone cares, as it’s just fun to have around.

Mention mistletoe and it brings smiles and warm memories of being caught under the mistletoe for a stolen kiss. The tradition of hanging sprigs of this herb as an emblem of love and good fortune, goes way back before 200 B.C.

It's not known exactly why or when the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe started, but it is generally accepted that it was in the 16th century, possibly in England. Turns out that is not exactly so, because in Scandinavia the kissing phenomenon was already happening.

Of course back then, there is the Norse myth that mistletoe was used to kill the god Baldur. Nobody could apparently get rid of this God, who was under the protection of his mother. She had gotten the promises of all of mother nature to not harm her son. Unfortunately, she forgot to ask the lowly mistletoe, who temporarily did him in.

Once he was revived, his mother made the mistletoe promise it would never harm another living creature. In exchange, any time anyone walked beneath the mistletoe they would kiss. Well, the problem with this myth, is that mistletoe, at least the American variety is highly poisonous.

Plus, American mistletoe will kill the host tree that it chooses to make it's home in. It is kind of like, the kiss of death, either way.

Some might not know, that there is proper way to kiss under the mistletoe -- and that is to take one berry off for every kiss received. When all of the berries are gone, so are the kisses. And, if you are in America, then wash your hands and make sure the berries aren't left around for the children or your pets to eat. Nothing like a trip to the emergency room to spoil a romantic moment.

In terms of Christmas legends, rosemary has a special place. The flowers of rosemary were supposed to white, but it's said that after Mary laid her blue cloak upon the branches of a rosemary bush, the flowers took on the blue color of her garment.

Therefore,according to folklore, rosemary was said to bring happiness for anyone who smelled it on Christmas eve.

Today, most of us know rosemary simply as a kitchen herb. However, in the past it was a treasured gift that represented remembrance, friendship and good luck.

Sage is a common meat rub herb that started it's herbal career, as a healing herb that was thought to have cured everything form snake bits, eye problems, infections, epilepsy, intoxication, sexual dysfunction, memory loss, worms, and intestinal problems.

The truth is that it is a good food preservative. It works because it contains powerful antioxidants, that slow the spoling of meat, especially poultry.

Medically, this perennial small evergreen perennial, literally in Latin means “to heal”. It’s been used in traditional healings for:

• Antibiotics
• Anti-fungal ointments
• Astringents
• Blood thinning
• Tonics
• Female problems

Today, it shows promise in studies with early Alzheimer’s patients, as delaying the more severe symptoms.

It is also used in aroma therapy and in making soaps and perfumes.

A popular culinary herb, this pungent member of the mint family was said to have been picked to make a soft bed for Mary during the birth of her child.

Today, aside from being a common herb for roasting meat, it is also used in dried flower arrangements, bouquets, and potpourri. 

While many Americans would identify thyme as a kitchen herb used in roasting, especially with holiday meals, it would surprise them to know that it may be sitting on their bathroom sink, as it is the main ingredient of Listerine mouthwash.

Medically, it been used for:

• Embalming
• Medicating bandages
• Stop fungal infections
• As an antiseptic
• Sore throat remedy
• Respiratory infections
• After birth remedy

Carpenter's weed, also better known as yarrow, is an old time folk remedy for primarily healing cuts. However, Like most herbs, the common yarrow is a perennial plant that has many uses outside for the kitchen. In the seventeenth century it found it’s way into spinach dishes and soup.

Some of these many uses are:

• Soil conservation
• Healing wounds
• As an astringent
• Treating the flu
• Digestive disorders
• Urinary track infections
• Hay fever
• Eczema
• Asthma
• Colds
• Blood clotting disorders
• Nosebleeds

Additionally, different cultures have used it for such a wide variety of disorders that they would too numerous to list.