Kissing Under The Mistletoe

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Hello everyone, Winnie Griggs here.

One of the many signs of the season is the appearance of mistletoe – on the trees, in holiday movies, on Christmas cards and hanging in homes. And being the curious person I am I thought I’d dig a bit into the traditions around this plant and how it became associated with Christmas and with kissing. And I’m going to share a little of what I found out with you today.

The mistletoe’s romantic association can be traced back to ancient times, where it held a special place in various cultures and traditions. The ancient Druids, who inhabited the British Isles, revered mistletoe for its seemingly magical properties. They believed it had the power to bring good fortune, ward off evil spirits, and even bestow fertility upon couples. During the winter solstice celebrations, the Druids would gather mistletoe from sacred oak trees using golden sickles and distribute it among the people, fostering a sense of unity and goodwill.

The mistletoe’s romantic symbolism is also deeply rooted in Norse mythology. According to one of the most popular myths, the goddess Frigg, who was associated with love and fertility, had a son named Balder. Distressed by prophetic dreams of her son’s impending death, Frigg sought a promise from every element in creation not to harm Balder. However, the mischievous Loki discovered that Frigg had overlooked mistletoe, thinking it was too insignificant to pose a threat.

Taking advantage of this, Loki fashioned a weapon from mistletoe and tricked Balder’s blind brother, Hodr, into using it to unintentionally kill Balder. Devastated by her son’s death, Frigg’s tears turned the red berries of the mistletoe white. To honor Balder and symbolize love triumphing over death, Frigg declared that the mistletoe should never again be used to harm but rather as a token of love, leading to the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe as a sign of goodwill and affection.

Fast forward to medieval England, where the mistletoe’s association with love and celebration persisted. As Christmas celebrations evolved and incorporated various customs and rituals, mistletoe found its way into the festivities. The plant’s evergreen nature and ability to thrive in winter contributed to its allure as a symbol of life and renewal during the cold and dark days of winter. During the holiday season, branches of mistletoe would be hung in homes and gathering places, inviting couples to share a kiss underneath. It became a symbol of peace, love, and reconciliation during the Christmas season, fostering a sense of unity and merriment.

The Victorian era, known for its romantic sensibilities and elaborate traditions, saw a resurgence of interest in mistletoe as a symbol of love and romance. As Christmas celebrations became more elaborate and festive, mistletoe found its way into holiday decorations, and kissing under the mistletoe became a cherished custom at Christmas gatherings and balls.

Over time, the mistletoe tradition became widespread, not only in England but also in other European countries and eventually in the United States. Today, mistletoe remains an iconic and enduring symbol of Christmas romance, with couples and revelers continuing to share kisses beneath its branches during the festive season.

Fun Facts and Trivia:

  • There are over 1,300 different species of mistletoe, and not all of them produce the iconic white berries. Some varieties boast vibrant red or yellow berries.
  • In Victorian England, there was a charming custom associated with mistletoe kisses – for each kiss, a berry was plucked from the mistletoe. Once all the berries were gone, the kissing had to cease. This added an element of anticipation and playfulness to the tradition.
  • Mistletoe has made its mark in literature, adding a touch of romance to various works. One notable example is Washington Irving’s “The Sketch Book,” where the author beautifully describes the festive atmosphere surrounding the mistletoe.
  • White berries are toxic, but not poisonous, to humans. But keep your pets away from mistletoe, it’s poisonous to them.
  • Some doctors prescribe mistletoe to cancer patients to help ease side effects from chemotherapy.

So there you have it, my short history of how kissing under the mistletoe became associated with Christmas.

Did you ever receive a kiss under the mistletoe? Do you hang mistletoe in your home as part of your Christmas decor? Leave an answer or comment on this or any thought on other Christmas traditions to be entered in a drawing for a Christmas book and a little surprise.

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Winnie Griggs is the author of Historical (and occasionally Contemporary) romances that focus on Small Towns, Big Hearts, Amazing Grace. She is also a list maker, a lover of dragonflies and holds an advanced degree in the art of procrastination.
Three of Winnie’s books have been nominated for the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award, and one of those nominations resulted in a win.
Winnie loves to hear from readers. You can connect with her on facebook at www.facebook.com/WinnieGriggs.Author or email her at winnie@winniegriggs.com.

86 thoughts on “Kissing Under The Mistletoe”

  2. The past is cloudy (I don’t think mistletoe showed up in high school and I went to a women’s college); we don’t use it in our decorating. It’s fun to read about and see in movies, though!

  4. I do hang a pretty ball of mistletoe in the house for Christmas time. My hubby likes to kiss me under it lol.

  5. Yes, I have been kissed under the mistletoe! Where I used to live it grew in the trees around my home. What memories!

    • not everyone does. my mom had an artificial mistletoe ball with a windchime attached that she hung every year and the kids all loved ringing the chime. I never actually hung mistletoe until a couplee of years ago when I came across an exact copy of it in a vintage store and had to have it

  7. My mom had a fake mistletoe she hung every year. My dad always kissed my mom under the mistletoe.
    I have never been kissed under the mistletoe though.

  8. I’ve been kissed under the mistletoe before.

    There is a lot of mistletoe that grows in the trees along the road in Oklahoma. I remember once as a little girl around five years old, we stopped along the road & my dad climbed waaaay to the top to cut some for us.

  10. I have a beautiful red and green basket. I hang mistletoe on the handle and put Hershey’s kisses in the basket. Everyone gets a kiss under the mistletoe.

  12. I don’t remember ever being kissed under the mistletoe. I have hung it in my home in years past but not recently.

  13. Merry Christmas Winnie! Yes, I have been kissed a few times under the mistletoe. I use to hang a fake one, but I’ve left it off as one of the things to put out! I’ll have to get another one! LOL

    My father use to shoot mistletoe out of our pecan groves growing up.

  15. When I was a kid, we had a huge tree growing in our pasture that had mistletoe growing in the very top of it. Every year in December, my dad would get out his rifle and shoot a few sprigs down, and hang it in the doorway between our living room and kitchen. When I was old enough to have boyfriends, they would always try to steal a kiss from me when we passed underneath it. My dad is in Heaven now but I still remember all of the great Christmases we had.

  16. Never knew the story behind the mistletoe, thanks for sharing. I am sad to say I have never been kissed under it.

  17. I have kissed under the mistletoe, but I have not had any real live mistletoe, just the fake stuff. Interesting history of mistletoe. Thanks for sharing.

  20. Yes, I have received a kiss under the mistletoe from my boyfriend, who is now my husband. I don’t have mistletoe in my home now.

  22. what wonderful history. thanks for sharing. living on the farm, we didnt have access to mistletoe, so mom always made with construction paper, a mistleoe and hung it in the kitchen doorway.

  24. I do recall it being hung in a family member’s house at Christmas, although I never hung it in mine, that I can recall. It is lots of fun, especially for younger children who were always pranking one another. It got many laughs during their antics.

  25. I don’t think I’ve ever been kissed under any mistletoe! I did find it interesting that mistletoe is occasionally prescribed to cancer patients by some doctors! Thank you for the fun article!

  26. I loved your article.it was very interesting. I have been kissed under the mistletoe but I don’t use it for decorating.

  28. This was fascinating. No, I have never had that pleasure. I have never hung some in our home and neither did my parents.

  31. Hubby & I used to kiss under the mistletoe. I also remember my parents had some plastic mistletoe which served them well ;o)

  33. I enjoyed reading your interesting post. No, I have never been kissed under mistletoe and we don’t hang it at home.

  34. The one time I got caught under the mistletoe was at my grandparents’ house. It was hung in the doorway between the kitchen and living room, and it was my grandfather who grabbed me and gave me a good smack on the cheek. That was a total surprise, believe me! All my cousins had a good laugh.

  35. My hubby once gave me a kiss under the mistletoe when we were at his mom’s home and his family had put up mistletoe.

  37. Merry Christmas. Yes, I have had kisses under the Mistletoe. We have not had it hanging in our home in the for a while. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.

  39. That was a very interesting blog post. I have never used mistletoe and I’m pretty sure there’s none in my Christmas decorations. Thanks for the chance to win a prize.

  40. Thanks for sharing this post! Yes I have kissed under the mistletoe and I have hung it before Have a Blessed Day

  41. Thank you, Winnie, for the interesting post. I knew some of the traditions and lore surrounding mistletoe, but you added much more to that knowledge. I find it interesting that a plant associated with love is actually a parasite that damages and can deform the host tree it is living on. If there are enough mistletoe plants on a tree, they could kill it.

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