Why poinsettias?

Whose idea was it to pick the poinsettia as the official (or maybe semi-official) flower of the Christmas season? It's actually native to much warmer climates than most of the country has. It doesn't do well in the dry, furnace-heated environment of your typical house. And while it can be drop-dead gorgeous when you first bring one home, it drops its leaves if you just look at it funny. So after a week or two, you end up with a plant that looks like a cross between a flower and a lollipop. But still, every year I succumb and get at least one, just because they do look so good.