Sho-Chiku-Bai 松竹梅

Sho-Chiku-Bai (Pine-Bamboo-Plum)
This word consists of three Chinese characters which mean “pine, bamboo, and plum”, respectively. Since these three plants are all very hardy against the cold, they were appreciated during winter and came to be used for a symbolic decoration on happy occasions such as New Years, weddings, commencements, etc.
They are always used together as a set. Real trees, branches, leaves, or blossoms of Sho-Chiku-Bai are often used as a ceremonial decoration, but a picture or a figure of these three may also serve the same purpose.