Kissing underneath the mistletoe is a very old and widely practiced Christmas tradition. But what is the reason for kissing underneath this specific plant? According to an article by The Holiday Spot, mistletoe is a commonly parasitic plant. It generally grows on apple trees and occasionally oak trees, despite its ability to photosynthesize its own food. Some varieties of the plant grow poisonous berries! So why should this plant be code for kisses?
In the same article on The Holiday Spot, it is explained that kissing under the mistletoe began as a tradition of Saturnalia: a celebration of the winter solstice. An article by the History Channel describes how the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe was incorporated into Christmas. This would make sense, because Saturnalia is the predecessor of the pagan celebration of Christmas. The tradition may also stem from the belief that mistletoe is symbolic of fertility.
There is a part of Norse mythology that also lends itself to the kissing tradition of mistletoe. There was a prophecy that Odin's son Baldur was going to die. Frigg, Baldur's mother and the goddess of love, went to all the animals and plants of earth to procure a promise with them that they would not harm her son. There was one plant that Frigg had overlooked while on her quest: mistletoe. Loki, the god of mischief, took notice of this and crafted an arrow made from mistletoe. The arrow proved fatal to Baldur, causing his death. It is said that Frigg's tears became the white berries of the plant. The gods were able to revive Baldur and Frigg declared mistletoe as a symbol of love and pledged to kiss anyone who walked underneath the plant where it grew.
Mythology aside, mistletoe is hung in many households that celebrate Christmas. Perhaps the use of mistletoe as a decoration is to ensure that it is never overlooked again, as Frigg overlooked it when trying to protect her son. So the next time you end up getting kissed underneath the mistletoe, you'll have something interesting to add to the conversation. Maybe you'll even find yourself waiting there just to tell passersby where the tradition comes from. Whatever the case may be, now you're more informed about some of the traditions celebrated on this huge holiday.
