Do we all know the Mistletoe tradition for Christmas? So what has mistletoe got to do with Christmas traditions anyway? There is more to it than just kissing under the mistletoe with your loved one. Mistletoe is a plant that grows on willow and apple trees. It is supposed to possess mystical powers which bring good luck to the household and wards off evil spirits. It is also used as a sign of love and friendship in Norse mythology and that’s where the custom of kissing under Mistletoe comes from.
The custom of kissing under Mistletoe comes from England. The original custom was that a berry was picked from the sprig of Mistletoe before the person could be kissed and when all the berries had gone, there could be no more kissing! In England they believed that at Christmas time a young lady standing under a ball of mistletoe, brightly trimmed with evergreens, ribbons, and ornaments, cannot refuse to be kissed. That kiss could mean deep romance or lasting friendship and goodwill. It is basically a sign of good luck. If the girl remained unkissed, she cannot expect not to marry the following year. In some parts of England the Christmas mistletoe is burned on the twelfth night lest all the boys and girls who have kissed under it never marry.
Whether we believe it or not or whether we even follow it, it always is fun to believe and makes Christmas a time to remember!
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