We here at the CCIB receive many questions in the email inbox all year round, so we decided to answer some of the most common questions in a FAQ here on the website. Please help keep your eyes out for any mysterious green cactus in your area!
Christmas Cactus Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat is the Legend of the Christmas Cactus?This legend has been passed down from generation to generation. As the legend goes, the Christmas Cactus appears mysteriously around the Christmas holidays, carried no doubt by characters of certain dubious intent who claim to be called "Noel Cacti." (Also known as "Cacti Noel.") The motive is unconfirmed, but records of the legend dating back to medieval times have been discovered, leading us to believe that this "Noel Cacti" is a shady person or group that passes on its secrets to a new generation of sinister ne'er-do-wells.
Today's Christmas Cactus takes the form of a hideous inflatable thing, occasionally seen with a Santa Claus hat and held in place by wires. In decades past the Christmas Cactus has been photographed, showing it to have been a hard plastic monstrosity illuminated with a light bulb. Prior to the advent of photography, the Christmas Cactus was described as a paper mache statue painted green with a large Santa Hat according to period newspaper reports. In the pre-colonial era, Puritan minister Ronald Wilkerdean preached on the evils of the "Cacti Noel", described as a 'wood and clothe contraption' that was 'lyklie from the devil'.
So the legend continues. No one knows who the mysterious and timeless cadre of shady characters who perpetrate this tacky and unwelcomed affliction. Few people since the DeMoines Incident in 1948 has seen a Christmas Cactus planter. No one has apprehended these shady workers of hooliganism. But we are closer than ever.
What is the CCIB?CCIB stands for "Christmas Cactus Investigation Bureau". We here at the CCIB have been on the forefront of the mystery for the past decade. Based here in Daytona Beach, my quest to locate and solve the Christmas Cactus legend began in my childhood when my old Grandpa E told me the story of how he became a victim of the legend. Grandpa E. was so shocked by the sudden appearance of the Christmas Cactus in his front yard that he was struck speechless for three weeks! The following year he launched the Christmas Cactus Investigation Bureau International, and some time later, I took over the company to allow him to retire. Since then, myself, my brother in-law's third cousin, Great Uncle Derick, and my father before me have all been on the trail of the elusive mystery that preys upon unwary people and poses a great threat to Christmas cheer (not to mention health, safety, and property values).
What does the Christmas Cactus look like so I can keep alert?The current form of the Christmas Cactus is an inflatable yard "ornament" of questionable taste. It is large and green and wears a Santa Claus hat. It glows with an eeries green light and if taken unawares, it will frighten people of lesser constitutions and small children. It has been known to change forms from year to year, but always is an ugly thing, of questionable taste. Descriptions from earlier decades confirm the hideous nature of this devious prank, and many have become light-headed, startled, or fainted upon seeing the Cactus appear in their yard.
What do I do if I see or hear of the Christmas Cactus?Whatever you do, if you think you know someone who is the victim of a Christmas Cactus event, do not touch the apparition and contact us! Take many photos and if possible, monitor the thing to take pictures of whoever comes to pick it up. As always, if you have any information leading to the discovery of the Christmas Cactus, or to report a sighting, please email us at
legendofthechristmascactus@gmail.com. If you notice any suspicious characters, do not hesitate to snap a photo, record their appearance, and gather lots of information.
It's in MY yard!!! HELP!The top priority is to contact the CCIB so that we can come and monitor your location and keep a look-out for any suspicious characters that may be the mysterious perpetrator. Make sure to take plenty of pictures, and most importantly:
leave it in your yard! In many past incidents when the cactus was taken down by the victims themselves, Noel Cacti resorted to vandalistic acts including tee-pee, graffiti, and even window-busts! If the cactus appears in your yard, contact the CCIB immediately at legendofthechristmascactus@gmail.com.
Where has the Christmas Cactus been sighted?The Cactus has been internationally sighted. It is not known if there is just one or many of them. Patterns do emerge in locations from year to year. During the 1930s, it appeared from seven years straight in the same small neighborhood of Mantoshik, MA. Afterward, it appeared in California, then for three years straight in the on the same street in Washington, D.C. In the 1950s, it always appeared in a different state, but in the 1960s, spent nine years in one small village in Oklahoma. In the eighties, it was in Florida, Alabama and North Carolina. Since 1998, the Cactus has appeared mostly in Texas, and since 2002, always in the Houston area. We see patterns arise which lead us to believe that the perpetrator, Noel Cacti, is either an individual who remains close to a home region, or an organization that transfers the cactus to regions, parking the preposterous potted plant on homeowners in one area for multiple consecutive years, ranging even up to a decade. Because of the current trends, we will be focusing our attention mostly on the Houston, TX area until the pattern changes.
What are the historic references you refer to?The Christmas Cactus legend has a long history; sometimes it is hard to uncover. Yet confirmed Cactus events have been discovered all the way back to medieval times. We do not know when it began, but frequent newspaper articles are common beginning in the 1800s. While the earliest true proof of the existence of the Christmas Cactus is dated back to the middle ages, it is still suspected that the sinister scoundrel(s), called "Cacti Noel," began causing calamity to Christmas cheer as early as the third century AD when the Christmas holiday was first introduced to the world. There is no true
proof of this hectic holiday harassment so early in history, but legends have been passed down in a number of families with Germanic roots of a cacti plague around Christmas time dating back to the 200s.
Isn't this just a silly prank?It might appear that way at first. But over the years, a pattern has developed that shows it to be much larger than just a simple prank. The intention of the "Noel Cacti" (whether it is a person or underground network of conspirators, we do not yet know) seems to be to startle, frighten and harm people. The overall effect of this dastardly blight upon society is to lessen the Christmas spirit and to cast derision upon all that is good and festive. Therefore, we here at the CCIB take this seriously. For the sake of all those who have been victimized, traumatized and inconvenienced by the Noel Cacti and their holiday terror, we will continue to investigate.
Why is this important at all?First, victims of the Christmas Cactus are forever changed. They enter into a life of anxiety and fear because the sanctity of their holiday revelry has been violated. Second, the Christmas Cactus is an offense to all who love and value Christmas. Third, the Christmas Cactus is a health hazard to all who have feeble hearts, small children, pets and weak constitutions. Finally, it lowers property values and blights neighborhoods wherever Cacti Noel strikes.
What is the motive of the Cacti Noel?The true motive of Cacti Noel is not fully clear. We know that in the past, it has usually been placed in the yards of those who refuse to decorate for the holiday season. On many occasions, though, it has also appeared in the yards of those who
over-decorate. It is rare, but has happened, that the dark delinquent of dubious decisiveness have planted the cactus in a yard moderately decorated for the holidays. We at the CCIB agree, that his motives seem to be to destroy Christmas cheer for those unfortunate victims of the incident.
Where can I get the book "Legend of the Christmas Cactus: A Detective's Manual"?To buy the Investigator's Handbook, click "Merchandise" at the top of the page. You can purchase the book for a small payment of $29.95 when the manual is released (coming soon!). The funds will go towards supporting the CCIB.
Who currently staffs the CCIB?We are a loose network of family who have been seeking the perpetrators of this heinous crime for decades. I, E., am the chief researcher and investigator. I have enlisted my brother in-law's third cousin, we call him Great Uncle Derick, as a field investigator and mechanic. My faithful assistant is cousin Ernie, who runs field operations and does our high-tech work. We also have occasional volunteer investigators, and have become the chief source of all Christmas Cactus Legend information. We were recently interviewed on KTUI's morning show about the Cactus sightings in Delaware (which turned out to be a dead end), and have an investigation guide coming out soon for all amateur investigators.
And yes, the bad news is that the Christmas Cactus in gone, vanished! It has eluded me once again, and by such a narrow margin! I could almost touch it, and now its gone, like the mysterious thing that it is. All I was able to find is the sign that was placed upon the cactus, a photo is included here. I'm sending it to the lab for analysis, perhaps we can learn the identity of the perpetrators of this ghastly mystery if we can find cactus residue on the sign. It's a last gasp effort, but may yield valuable clues. Never give up hope, I always say.
