So, what’s the deal with mistletoe? How and where did this crazy tradition start? …and, what exactly IS mistletoe?
what exactly IS mistletoe?
“Mistletoe is a parasitic plant that lives off the nutrients and water from a host tree. Although it is parasitic, it will not kill the host tree but can weaken it. The berries are often spread by birds from one tree to another, and this is how the large rounded clumps of mistletoe form in tree branches.”
Here’s a good summary of the plant and traditions: Why do we kiss under the mistletoe?
And here is Cecil Adams’ take on the mistletoe tradition.
Ah! The Master has written on mistletoe? I should have known… :rolleyes:
Dwarf mistletoe is spread by the seeds getting pressureized inside the drupes and shooting out of the tree up to 50 ft. I always figured it had to do with a bit of premature fun. 
Of course this is speculation, but if you walk around some areas of woodlands in England this time of year, mistletoe would be one of the few bitts of colour you would see, so it is not surprising it became a Christmas decoration.
My understanding is that there is no real record of much kissing going on, at least in the UK, until the 18th century.
According to a piece in my newspaper yesterday, there’s no reference to the tradition in a seemingly thorough account of the plant and associated beliefs, published in the UK in 1720, but there are references to the kissing custom in the 1780s. Apparently kissing under the mistletoe also occurs in German cultures, so the connection with Norse myths may well be the reason - or perhaps it’s a reinvention of some 18th century antiquarians who wanted to legitimise seasonal high jinks. But apparently it also happens in France, though mainly as part of New Year celebrations. So who knows?
True - and the tradition of decorating the home with pieces of [whatever is still green out there] is pretty well-established (Holly, Ivy, heck, Christmas trees).
I’ve heard it said that mistletoe has a bunch of fertility symbolism associated with it, such as :
Paired berries that are borne in the branched crook of two leaves (somewhat resembling testicles)
The berries are white and sticky. I can’t imagine what that could be linked to.
The plant itself seems to spring forth alive out of a seemingly dead (but actually just dormant) tree, at a time when most other growing things appear dead.
You can look to “Druidical” & Norse legends for the story of mistletoe. Its modern place in Yuletide celebrations can be traced to Washington Irving. His Sketchbook, written during his sojourn in Britain, includes a visit to Bracebridge Hall, where “ancient customs” of the holiday were kept. Excerpted as Old Christmas, his research was highly influential. On mistletoe:
We learn from the scholarly minister how previous regimes had forbidden Christmas celebrations. He was in favor of the holiday, in home & at church–but had his limits.
Old Christmas was wildly popular & helped dispel the Puritan gloom around the day in the New World. And in the Old–Charles Dickens used Irving’s folkloric research to create the jolly holiday Scrooge learned to love.
Even before leaving New York, Irving helped invent our modern holiday. From Colonial days, urban Americans held dinners to celebrate their origins; honoring St George, St Andrew, St David or St Patrick proclaimed your roots in England, Scotland, Wales or Ireland. In the young Republic, Irving & his literary friends honored St Nicholas to celebrate their New York roots. The Dutch Reform founders of New Amsterdam hadn’t indulged in much frippery–but Irving told of the saint flying through the sky to distribute toys in Knickerbocker’s History of New York. Clement Moore, who probably wrote the later “Visit From St Nicholas”–was part of Irving’s circle.
Learn more here.
A few years ago, I was roped in to help decorate our (modern) Anglican church. I knew where to find some holly and soon had a good selection in the car. On my way back, I saw a young entrepreneur selling mistletoe on the side of the road and bought some, thinking that it would be gratefully accepted. Not so - I was informed that it was “not done” to hang it in the church, although no one really knew why.
Yeah, what could possibly go wrong with encouraging young folk to make out in church?
That would only last as long as the supply of berries held out. With each smooch under said parasite, you were supposed to pluck one berry. Berries gone? Move along.
You could also hide stolen pearls among the stems(thank you, Agatha Christie)