A kiss under the mistletoe

Pucker up for it is the season for sneaking a kiss under the mistletoe!

Viscum album or European White-berried Mistletoe adorns the doorway of many a home at this time of year. Romantically named by the Anglo-Saxons "mistel" means dung and "tan" means twig. It is a parasitic plant that can spread to trees via bird droppings, hence the name. Though people once thought it was the actual bird landing on the branch that caused it to grow, not realising the seeds were spread by the bird's droppings. Still fancy that kiss?

As with many of the Christmas plants I have discussed this week the roots of this tradition go back before Christianity. The Winter Solstice traditions of the Pagans included the cutting down of mistletoe. Mistletoe was believed to be a symbol of life-force and fertility.

In Norse legends, Balder who was the son of Frigga was murdered by a malevolent spirit using a bolt made of mistletoe. Balder was brought back to life by Frigga crying tears of white berries. Frigga was so happy she blessed the plant and promised to kiss all those under it.

To honor the Norse legend guests would kiss the hand of their host under the mistletoe, this has now evolved into the tradition we have today.

Even though a tree infected with the parasitic mistletoe will die sooner, the mistletoe itself and the dying tree provide a habitat, source of food and nesting sites for insects, birds and animals. The mature mistletoe grows into a round ball shape called a 'witches broom', these provide fantastic nesting for birds.

Even Justin Beiber sang a song about mistletoe. Sorry about that.

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