Every holiday season, a little sprig of greenery appears in doorways and hallways, commonly known as mistletoe. With it comes the tradition that some love and some hate. If you find yourself standing underneath mistletoe with someone else, you’re supposed to kiss.
Mistletoe, a parasitic plant, needs to grow on other trees. Around 1,500 species of mistletoe exist in the world, but the European one that we know is called Viscum Album. Thousands of years before it became a symbol of awkward holiday moments, it appeared in European folklore as a magical plant with healing powers and protection against evil spirits.
One of the earliest stories comes from Norse mythology. The myth said the god Balder was invincible to every object in the world except mistletoe. After his accidental death involving the plant, his mother, the goddess Frigg, declared mistletoe a symbol of love. She vowed anyone standing beneath it will never be harmed, only kissed. The berries represent Frigg’s tears crying her son’s death. Whether or not this story actually inspired the modern tradition, it definitely helped shape mistletoe’s reputation as a plant of peace and affection.
The mistletoe can blossom even during the freezing winter. To ancient people, who saw winter as a season of death and darkness, this ability was a sign of life. Celtic Druids believed it promoted fertility and restored vitality, which eventually tied the plant to ideas of romance and renewal.
Mistletoe’s associations with fertility and vitality persisted throughout the Middle Ages, keeping the plant rooted to the seasonal customs and symbolism. By the 18th century, mistletoe was a familiar feature of Christmas holidays. The kissing tradition seems to originate from English servants before spreading to the rest of the society.
During the Victorian age, the tradition was adopted by all classes and became more similar to what we know today. Early versions of the custom allowed a man to claim a kiss from any woman beneath the mistletoe, and refusing was seen as unlucky. Each kiss required plucking one berry from the sprig until none remained.
Whether people embrace it or avoid it, the mistletoe remains an enduring part of winter festivities, a reminder of how ancient stories can grow into the traditions we celebrate every year. If you find yourself caught under it, well, consider it history giving you a gentle nudge!
