December - Mistletoe

Sent to you
by e-mail

Simply enter your details and hit the send button
more info

Click Here

Amphibians
Bats
Beetles
Birds
Birds of Prey
Ladybirds
Dolphins
Butterflies
Caterpillars
Wildlife Rescue
Creepy-crawlies
Spiders
Gift Shop
Hedgehogs
Mammals

Index > Members Area > Mistletoe >

Mistletoe

Holly and ivy make great looking decorations at Christmas time, but if it's kisses you're after, there's really only one bit of winter greenery guaranteed to get lips puckering. The tradition of kissing beneath a sprig of mistletoe has been the catalyst for thousands of romances over the centuries, but the origin of this ritual is still a bit of a mystery?

Mistletoe is a semi-parasitic evergreen plant, which grows on the branches of trees. It's propagated by birds which eat the plant's pearly white berries, and as the seeds pass through the bird, they are deposited on a new tree. The name mistletoe may have come from one of the birds which feeds on the berries - the Mistle Thrush.

Over the years mistletoe has been used to treat many disorders including; epilepsy, gout, heart disease, whooping cough and to aid fertility. Powerful stuff. Imagine having your cough cured and becoming pregnant all in one go.

The kissing custom is probably derived from the Druids who believed that mistletoe could impart fertility if taken as a drink or tied about the body. They viewed the mistletoe with such reverence that even cutting it down became a ritual, involving an Archdruid, a golden sickle, various white-robed virgins and the sacrifice of a couple of white bulls.

Over time, the rituals surrounding mistletoe have been greatly diluted. Nowadays most people view the kissing tradition as harmless fun. The only sacrifice might be a little loss of dignity.

Note: Like many other medicinal plants Mistletoe can be toxic.

Related Pages: