Mistletoe, a kissing tradition

Mistletoe bears fruit at the time of the Winter Solstice, the birth of the new year, and may have been used in solstitial rites in Druidic Britain as a symbol of immortality. In Celtic mythology and in druid rituals, it was considered a remedy for barrenness in animals and an antidote to poison. In some places one sprig of mistletoe would be put away to be kept all year to bring luck to the household. If a baby was born, a piece of the mistletoe would be placed in the cradle to keep the child from harm. Sometimes a sprig of mistletoe would be given to a cow that had calved to bring good luck to the herd. Although the fruits of many types of mistletoe are actually poisonous if ingested because they contain viscotoxins.

An ancient name for mistletoe is ‘the wood of the holy cross.’ Mistletoe was never taken into a church at any time. The tradition says that mistletoe was once a tree which furnished the cross on which Christ died. Afterwards, all mistletoe shriveled to its present size, dwarfed to a parasitic vine in shame and anguish.

A popular myth says that mistletoe was cut with a gold sickle and it lost its power if it fell and touched the ground. This is a confusion with the Holly 'holy' Tree, the most sacred tree of the druids (after the Oak) due to both plants being green all year, having colorful fruits and sharing similar history of winter months. Mistletoe was very important to the Druids. The Arch Druid was said to cut the mistletoe with his golden sickle every November. It was caught in a white cloth by four virgins and utilized in the ritual sacrifice of white oxen, thought to be an alternative to human sacrifice.

In ancient times, the mistletoe was thought of as the plant of peace and friendship. If enemies met under a tree on which mistletoe grew, they would lay down their arms and call a truce for the rest of the day. If friends met beneath a tree bearing mistletoe, they would consider their friendship to be blessed with good luck.

According to a custom of Christmas cheer, any two people who meet under a hanging of mistletoe are obliged to kiss. The custom is of Scandinavian origin.
A large bough of mistletoe would be picked to form the centre of a huge garland to be hung in a room or hall. Any young woman who stood beneath the garland (or kissing bough) would expect to receive a kiss. It would bring her luck and ensure her of marriage. She also had the right to pluck a berry from the mistletoe for every kiss she received. Once the sprig had no more berries, it was no longer lucky to kiss under it. After Twelfth Night the mistletoe would be burned, otherwise the young men and women who kissed under it might never marry.

In Norse mythology, Baldr was a god of vegetation. His mother Frigga, prompted by a prophetic dream, made every plant, animal and inanimate object promise not to harm him. But Frigga overlooked the mistletoe plant — and the mischievous god Loki took advantage of this oversight, tricking the blind god Höðr into killing Baldr with a spear fashioned from mistletoe. Baldr's death brought winter into the world, until the gods restored him to life. Frigga declared the mistletoe sacred, ordering that from now on it should bring love rather than death into the world. Happily complying with Frigga's wishes, any two people passing under the plant from now on would celebrate Baldr's resurrection by kissing under the mistletoe


I need to hang more Mistletoe. Thank heavens for Christmas traditions, especially for the ones that provide an excuse to kiss.