Everywhere we look during this run-up to our various Winter holidays we see flashes of red, beautiful poinsettias. Some 100 MILLION! of the flowers are sold during this six-week period. But we at VB ask the BIG questions... how did the poinsettia become a symbol of Christmas?

It began in 1828 when the US-Mexican ambassador, Joel Robert Poinsett, brought the plant to the US and shared them with friends and neighbors in LA.

In 1900, Paul Ecke, a German immigrant, set up a roadside stand, selling the red flames. His son Paul Jr developed a version of the plant with a single stem that could withstand shipping.

Paul III was a marketing genius and send dozens of the plants to TV stations to help dress their stages and sets for the holidays. When the plants were seen behind Ronald Reagan, Bob Hope and Dinah Shore, suddenly everyone wanted one. Clever marketing made them millions.

And what do we bridge players want? To be able to "market" our hands with brilliant bidding. Let's give it a try.