Why do we put mistletoe in the doorway on Christmas?
Those berries somehow brought Baldur back to life, so Frigga declared mistletoe to be a symbol of love. According to The Smithsonian magazine, “Mistletoe would come to hang over our doors as a reminder to never forget. But at Christmas, mistletoe isn’t just a sign of motherly love, but a symbol of romance.
What is the tradition of mistletoe?
The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe started in ancient Greece, during the festival of Saturnalia and later in marriage ceremonies, because of the plant’s association with fertility. During the Roman era, enemies at war would reconcile their differences under the mistletoe, which to them represented peace.
Is mistletoe for Christmas or New Years?
But why exactly do we do that? The white-berried holiday mistletoe we kiss under at Christmas or New year’s Eve (if we’re lucky) is one of more than 1,300 species of mistletoe. Hanging mistletoe is a Chrismas tradition in the U.S., while in Europe, it is more commonly used as a decoration on New Year’s Eve.
What are you supposed to do under the mistletoe?
One of the perhaps more unusual traditions that many people do at Christmas is to hang a bunch of mistletoe in their house. The idea is that if you meet someone underneath it, you have to give them a kiss!
What did the Druids use mistletoe for?
The ritual of oak and mistletoe is a Celtic religious ceremony, in which white-clad druids climbed a sacred oak, cut down the mistletoe growing on it, sacrificed two white bulls and used the mistletoe to make an elixir to cure infertility and the effects of poison.
Is it bad luck to have mistletoe in the house?
In history and folklore mistletoe is widely considered to represent luck, health and in many cultures, fertility. The druids used mistletoe to ward off evil spirits, which may be the origin of us hanging it over doorways.
Is mistletoe a pagan tradition?
Druids, or ancient Celtic people, believed mistletoe had magical powers and used it during rituals. Because of its use in pagan ceremonies, mistletoe was banned in Christian places of worship, according to Leonard Perry, a forestry professor at the University of Vermont.
Do you have to kiss under the mistletoe?
A young lady caught under the mistletoe could not refuse to give a kiss. This was supposed to increase her chances of marriage, since a girl who wasn’t kissed could still be single next Christmas. According to ancient custom, after each kiss, one berry is removed until they are all gone.
What does a kiss under the mistletoe symbolize?
The origins of kissing under the mistletoe, a plant that often bears white berries, are often traced to a tale in Norse mythology about the god Baldur. In many tellings, Frigg declares the mistletoe to be a symbol of love after her son’s death and promises to kiss anyone who passed underneath it.
Why is the mistletoe bad?
Mistletoe IS poisonous, although it is doubtful as to whether it will actually cause death. All parts of the plant are toxic (that’s berries, stem and leaves). The Mistletoe plant contains Phoratoxin and Viscotoxin, which are both poisonous proteins when ingested.
Why did the Druids use mistletoe?
What should you remove after kissing under the mistletoe?
After every kiss a berry should be removed from the bush and once all of the berries have been taken the kissing must cease! Some cultures see a kiss under the mistletoe as a promise to marry so be careful out there boys and girls!
What does the Mistletoe have to do with Christmas?
As you know the mistletoe is used for the Christmas season. So if a young lady is caught standing under the mistletoe she can’t refuse to be kissed, whether it be on your cheek or on you lips. Mistletoes are flowering plants that gain and keep their nutrition by living on and parasitizing other plants.
What is the true meaning of mistletoe?
Mistletoe is the English common name for most obligate hemiparasitic plants in the order Santalales . They are attached to their host tree or shrub by a structure called the haustorium, through which they extract water and nutrients from the host plant. Their parasitic lifestyle have led to some dramatic changes in their metabolism.
How did mistletoe become a Christmas tradition?
The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe on Christmas emerged in Europe during the Middle Ages. The original custom held that each time a man kissed a woman under a twig of mistletoe, he should remove one of the berries. Once all the berries were gone, no more kissing could take place under that twig.
What does mistletoe mean in Christmas?
Evergreen Mistletoe and Celtic Sacred Oak. Mistletoe is one of the four plants traditionally adopted by Christians in order to celebrate Christmas. Its evergreen leaves indeed symbolize ‘life that does not die’. This parasitic plant grows mostly on apple trees.