One Christmas tradition is kissing under the mistletoe, but do you know how that was started?
Greek and Celtic Mythology had mistletoe as a symbol of health, vitality and fertility and it was considered a sacred herb, thought to be able to cure everything from menstrual cramps to epilepsy. The association continued and by the 18th century it was widely integrated into Christmas celebrations. But, the kissing tradition caught on among servants in England before anywhere else. The custom was, men were allowed to steal a kiss from any woman caught standing under the mistletoe and refusing was viewed as bad luck. Yet, another tradition instructed the merrymakers to pluck a single berry from the mistletoe with each kiss and to stop smooching once they were all gone.
The name “mistletoe” came from two Anglo Saxon words ‘mistle’ which means dung, and ‘tan’ which means stick! So, you have poop on a stick! Something to think about as you snuggle with your special someone under the mistletoe this year.
