Mistletoe is a popular parasitic plant often associated with Christmas. For centuries it has been a tradition to hang a ball of mistletoe in the doorway and then kiss whomever walks beneath it. For more information on mistletoe, including history and decorating tips, check out the links on this page.
History of Mistletoe
The ancient Celts once believed that mistletoe held the soul of the tree that hosted it.Candlegrove: Oh! Mistltetoe!
Ancient Druids of Britain and Gaul once practiced a ritual that fell around the winter solstice: they were required to cut mistletoe from trees, and it had to be caught before it touched the ground. It was then distributed to the villagers and hung in doorways to protect against danger.Candlegrove: Oh! Mistletoe!
An old tradition surrounding the kiss under the mistletoe dictated that if a girl did not want to kiss the boy who propositioned her, she could pluck a berry from the sprig and refuse him. Imagine her surprise if she reached up and found the sprig empty of berries!About.com: Mistletoe
References
Fast Facts
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Fact:
Christmas is December 25th
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Fact:
Christmas 2009 falls on a Friday
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Fact:
Mistletoe considered a hemiparasite because it thrives off of the trees that host it, despite being able to produce nutrients through photosynthesisHeart of Virginia Master Gardners: Mistletoe
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The term for the mistletoe variety associated with Christmas is phoradendron flavescensGardenlink: Mistletoe
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Mistletoe in Old English is Mistletan, which originated from the Saxon words for dung and twigHeart of Virginia Master Gardners: Mistletoe
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Mistletoe is poisonous, but has been used in remedies for cancerHeart of Virginia Master Gardners: Mistletoe
