Christmas Kisses

Mistletoe

 Hanging mistletoe under doorways has become a holiday tradition throughout the world. The origin of the mistletoe tradition is vague, though some suspect it first came from the Vikings or from European folklore. The Vikings associated mistletoe with Frigga, the goddess of love, and European folklore suggests that mistletoe is a symbol of love and fertility.

In history, the proper “mistletoe etiquette” was for a man to remove a berry from the plant each time he kissed a woman beneath it. When the berries were gone, the mistletoe could no longer be kissed under. Today the tradition is similar, in that kisses are frequently shared beneath the small green plant. However, most mistletoe today is found without berries and therefore the tradition of removing berries has been disregarded—kisses are given to friends and family all season long!

Did you know that mistletoe is poisonous for humans, but its berries and leaves serve as a high-protein food to many animals?