A Strange Tradition

Living the first 43 years of my life in Illinois, I didn't think much about mistletoe. But after coming to Georgia and seeing it growing high up in the tree tops in the winter time, I've wondered many times about the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe at Christmas time. So I did some research. Here's what I found out:

The word mistletoe is derived from the Old English words "mistle" (dung) and "tan" (twig). The plant is thought to be named after bird droppings on a branch. Mistletoe is a parasite that grows attached to a tree or shrub. It is poisonous and causes acute gastrointestinal problems including stomach pains, diarrhea and low pulse. In culture and mythology, the Norse god Boldr was killed with mistletoe. An old Christian tradition said that mistletoe was once a tree and furnished the wood of the cross and that after Crucifixion, the plant shriveled and became dwarfed to a parasitic vine. The sticky juice of mistletoe berries was used as an adhesive to trap small animals and birds.

Then suddenly I read that according to a Scandinavian custom of Christmas cheer, any two people who meet under a hanging of mistletoe are obliged to kiss. (!) The origin of the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe is vague. However, the tradition may have stemmed from either the Viking association of the plant with Frigga (the goddess of love) or from the ancient belief that mistletoe was related to fertility. The correct mistletoe etiquette is for the man to remove one berry when he kisses a woman. When all the berries are gone, there's no more kissing permitted underneath that plant.

A confusing tradition to say the least. I further read that the ancient Druids were in awe of this plant and would catch the cuttings in white cloths as it was never to be allowed to touch the ground (thus the hanging of it in homes). But leave it to the rednecks to put their own spin on this rite. Mistletoe shooting has a long tradition in the southeastern United States. A headline in Nation Geographic states, "Harvesting Mistletoe: Gunfire Gets the Job Done." The article goes on to say, "Those cute little wonders of nature, those totems of romanticism that turn Scrooges into smoochers during the holiday season, often find their way to doorways by first getting themselves blasted out of treetops."

So there you have it. Everything you ever needed to know about mistletoe...and then some. So as you go about decking your halls this year, don't forget the lowly, poisonous, cursed "dung twig" and it's proper place in you home. Remember the etiquette of removing a berry for each kiss...but be careful not to ingest it. Don't let it touch the ground...unless you see signs of gunshot residue -- then it probably doesn't matter. And be sure to avoid getting birds or small pets stuck in it's juices.

And have a Merry Christmas.