Although for today’s eyes and understanding, the idea of having to accept that a random dude has to kiss us if you’re under the mistletoe is totally creepy, back in the day it was a symbol of good luck, peace, and fertility.
Mistletoes have become one of Christmas’ most iconic staples, and the kissing has definitely evolved for good in recent times; but what’s interesting, is that there’s really no Christmas symbolism behind the plant.
Mistletoes have always amazed humanity for their natural beauty and an incredible way to survive. They’re parasitic plants that attach to other trees feeding on their branches. For many ancient cultures, the resilience of mistletoes during the cold winters, and the fact that they never seemed to touch the ground made them sacred.
Norse mythology
We can find a very emotional story in Norse mythology. According to the myth, Baldur, grandson of Thor, was sure that every plant and animal wanted to kill him. To ease his mind, his mother, Frigg, begged each creature to leave Baldur safe, but they missed one being: the mistletoe. Seeing this, Loki, who held a grudge against Baldur, teamed with Hoder, Baldur’s brother, to kill him. He made an arrow with a branch of mistletoe and guided Hoder’s arm. The arrow pierced Baldur’s chest killing him.
Legend has it, Frigg’s tears became the mistletoe’s white berries, and Norse people would then hang a branch on their doors to honor the plant and remember Baldur. Also, mistletoe became a symbol of peace among Norsemen to the point that if two enemies were standing under the plant, they had to stop the fight immediately. This tradition would be replied in other cultures as we’ll see below.
Healing properties
As we mentioned, its unique characteristics made it a sacred plant thought to have many healing properties and even magical powers. Ancient Greeks saw it as a particularly healing plant that was used to cure any ailment. From menstrual cramps to epilepsy and even as an antidote for poison. The faith on mistletoe went as far as believing it also had magical powers that could predict the future and help its recipients ensure eternal life. Ancient Romans took a lot of this belief and would also use the plant for this purpose.
Romantic powers
But, beyond its medicinal properties and magical powers, many of these ancient cultures believed mistletoe was also a great aphrodisiac that could enhance amorous prowess and ensure fertility. This was mainly due to its natural suggestive shape and how berries were arranged.
It’s believed that one of the first cultures tu use mistletoe as an aphrodisiac were the Celtic Druids around the first century. For them, the fact that Mistletoe didn’t only survive the winter, but would also blossom in these conditions was a gift from their gods. As such, both humans and animals would eat it for fertility purposes during the season.
The custom was this. On the sixth night after the winter solstice, the chief of the Druids would cut the mistletoe from an oak tree (considered the most sacred type of mistletoe). It was wrapped on a special cloth to avoid the mistletoe touching the ground. Once it was retrieved, the chief would cut the mistletoe in pieces and distribute it to his people. These pieces were then hung on the doorways to protect each household from evilness.
Now, back to the amorous properties of mistletoe, Druids believed that the berries, especially the white ones that were common in the territory, represented the sperm of Gods and thus, the greatest aphrodisiac. The berries were diluted in a tea-like beverage to enhance these properties.
The Greeks also saw mistletoe as a great aphrodisiac that was mainly consumed during the Saturnalia festival and marriage ceremonies. Greeks started the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe as part of their fertility Ancient Romans took both the Greek and the Norse beliefs and would also see them as symbols of peace and bringers of fertility. The relation between mistletoe and fertility would be carried on during the Middle Ages.
Christmas kissing under the mistletoe tradition
By the 18th century, mistletoe took the spotlight as a Christmas staple, but also it was then that the creepy kissing tradition started. However, it wouldn’t be until Victorian times when it really stuck. Although it’s unclear how the kissing thing came to this era, it’s reported that it was something that English peasants and servants would do during the season, eventually, it spread to the upper classes and the world… well, some places in the world.
What was the deal? If a woman was standing under a mistletoe, a man could just go kiss her. Refusing it was seen as a sign of bad luck, and it was even believed that by doing so they were cursing themselves to a life without marriage. The tradition went further on and men would give one kiss per berry on the mistletoe, when the berries were all gone they had to stop the kissing. Yikes…
This tradition was popularized in the iconic novels of Washington Irving and Charles Dickens and is probably why they became so popular at that time. Girls would even take a mistletoe leaf and put it under their pillows. This would make them dream about their love interest and with some luck lure them into marriage.
All in all, kisses or not, the mistletoe kept one of its ancient symbolism, and that is as bringers of good fortune and peace. That’s why in many countries, people still hang mistletoes on their doors during Christmas and New Year’s, hoping the next year will be filled with luck and good fortune.
Photos from Unsplash and Wikimedia Commons
