I love watching cheesy Hallmark Christmas movies because there's something extra special about mixing a cringe-worthy romance plot with the Christmas season. One of the best parts of these plots is that there is always, and I mean always, a surprise kiss that occurs under a mistletoe.
You're picturing the scene in your head right now, aren't you? The guy and the girl, because movies are still heteronormative, just happen to be falling in love during the Christmas season when BOOM, a mistletoe appears out of nowhere and they suddenly have to kiss due to whatever magical forces.
So, what's the whole mistletoe thing about anyway? Apparently, kissing under the mistletoe was started forever ago due to the Greeks, Celtic Druids, and Norse mythology. Kissing under the mistletoe became popular because it was expected to boost fertility. I don't really understand why this tradition started though considering that mistletoe is actually a parasite that can be poisonous if eaten, but I guess kissing under parasitic plants can be cute.
Besides the fact that we choose to kiss under a poisonous plant to celebrate baby-making, I have a few other qualms with this Christmas tradition. One problem is that I never actually see mistletoe anywhere. In all these Christmas movies people are kissing under a mistletoe that is conveniently placed exactly where they are standing, but in real life I have never come across mistletoe on the street or at a party. How am I expected to kiss under the mistletoe if it's nowhere to be found?
Another issue I have with it is that it's pretty creepy if you think about it. The whole concept is saying that you must kiss someone if you're standing under the mistletoe with them. I don't like that. What if you just don't want to kiss them?
We should never, ever be forced to kiss people under a weird plant just to celebrate fertility during the Christmas season, even if it does come across as adorable in all our favorite Christmas movies.