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A colorful explanation of the season's favorite hues

Ever wonder why red and green are so popular during the Christmas season? The first reason might be found in nature.

Red and green are prominent December colors that can be seen in places such as the red poinsettias which bloom during this month. Evergreen trees are the only color visible in colder states. And in warmer climates, the Christmas palm blooms with red berries this time of year.

Red and green are also complementary colors, meaning that each color brings out the best in the other. Red will look redder next to green than next to any other color. Try starring at a red dot for about 60 seconds. Look away and you'll see a green dot. All complementary colors do that. Try the same experiment with a black dot -- the illusion after the initial long gaze will be white. Since they are opposites, complementary colors supply what is lacking in each other.

When something complements something else, a positive response is achieved creating good humor, hence the festive mood of Christmas is enhanced by the good humor colors of red and green.

Then there's the slight rise in blood pressure created when people are surrounded by the color red. The rise in the blood pressure creates heat in the body, which can be a welcome feeling in colder weather. Of course, a day shopping at the mall this time of year will no doubt achieve that same increase in blood pressure.

There is one other reason to use red and green to ring in the holidays: tradition. And since tradition seems to take precedence over all else, these colors fit in perfectly with any other color schemes in the home. Green is welcome as a tree or plant all year, while red livens up the visual atmosphere. Put them together and they become a welcome temporary color alternative for the home.