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Do you ever wonder why we kiss under the mistletoe?
In the forest, mistletoe is a bit of a scourge, a parasitic plant that latches onto trees and feeds off of them. But at Christmas, it becomes a symbol of romance and fertility. So where did the tradition of kissing beneath the mistletoe come from?
The plant's association with romance dates back to ancient Norse mythology. By the 18th century, stealing a kiss beneath the mistletoe became a common practice among British servants and the tradition spread from there.
According to the tradition, it's bad luck to refuse a kiss beneath the mistletoe. After the kiss, the couple is to pluck one of the berries from the plant. Once all the berries are gone, the bough no longer has the power to command kisses. So if you hang a bough of mistletoe this year, make sure it has plenty of berries on it.
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