# What is this Christmas decoration called?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-christmas-decoration-called/385475>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 24, 2006, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-christmas-decoration-called/385475 "2006-12-24T20:21:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![opossum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/2bfe46/32.png) [@opossum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/opossum)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2006, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-christmas-decoration-called/385475/1 "2006-12-24T20:21:36Z")

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A ball of (artificial) greenery, larger than a softball and smaller than a soccer ball. Probably 8 inches or so in diameter.

I’ve got two now – one is fake pine , with scattered holly berries; the other is fake holly with lots of holly berries. Just received the latter as a gift.

They both have loops of string attached to hang them over a doorway.

I need to know how to phrase a thank-you note, and I’m drawing a complete blank.

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2006, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-christmas-decoration-called/385475/2 "2006-12-24T20:31:18Z")

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[Kissing Ball](http://www.acadiawreath.com/christmas_kissing_ball.asp).

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**Author:** ![opossum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/2bfe46/32.png) [@opossum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/opossum)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2006, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-christmas-decoration-called/385475/3 "2006-12-24T20:33:00Z")

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[QUOTE=Q.E.D.]  
[Kissing Ball](http://www.acadiawreath.com/christmas_kissing_ball.asp).  
[/QUOTE]

Thanks!! That’s it.

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**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2006, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-christmas-decoration-called/385475/4 "2006-12-24T23:51:40Z")

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But shouldn’t it have mistletoe in it?

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [December 25, 2006, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-christmas-decoration-called/385475/5 "2006-12-25T01:25:49Z")

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[QUOTE=Savannah]  
But shouldn’t it have mistletoe in it?  
[/QUOTE]

It’s supposed to have, yes. Traditionally, a single sprig of mistletoe is tied to the bottom of the ball.