Why Do People Kiss Under the Mistletoe?

Most people have heard of the Christmas tradition of kissing under the mistletoe, but few seem to know the history of kissing under the mistletoe. Mistletoe, actually, has been considered a very sacred and magical plant for centuries as a part of European folklore. In fact, the ancient Celtic Druids believed the mistletoe of sacred oak trees had miraculous powers! The Celtic Druids believed that mistletoe was in fact a remedy for poisons, could alleviate illnesses, as well as insure fertility, and protect against any dangers from witchcraft - what a magical and miraculous plant, indeed! Celtic Druid priests would actually wear white robes and cut the mistletoe of the sacred oak tree with a gold sickle on the moon's sixth night, and amongst prayers, two white bulls were sacrificed at this time. The prayers would be for the mistletoe's recipients to prosper. The ritual of cutting the mistletoe off of the oak tree became a symbol of the sterilization of an previous King by the next King as the tradition went down through the ages. The Celtic Druids actually considered mistletoe to be a symbol of the oak tree's "soul."

Another interesting scenario from the Celtic Druid history of mistletoe, is one that involves enemies. When enemies would meet in a forest, under the mistletoe, they would have to regard a truce until the following day and lay down their arms. From this mysterious history of mistletoe has seemingly come the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe. However, there is yet another part of the history of mistletoe that may have led to this tradition: the legend of Freya. Freya was the goddess of beauty, love, and fertility, and this tale was often tied to the Anglo-Saxons. According to the story, any young woman who accidentally found she was under a branch mistletoe hanging from above, could be kissed by a man. This tradition seems to be where the history of kissing under the mistletoe actually began.

However, there are still more stories in the long history of kissing under the mistletoe. In Europe, during and after the Middle Ages, sprigs of mistletoe would be hung from the ceilings to protect from lurking evil spirits, as well as hung around the house and stable to stop witches from trying to enter. Europeans also thought that the mistletoe of oak trees could remove themselves off of the tree when a flash of lightning occurred and that mistletoe could actually extinguish fires!

Still, there are more interesting stories in the history of kissing under the mistletoe. Mistletoe was burned on the twelfth night of Christmas in some parts of England in order to avoid all of the girls and boys who have kissed under the mistletoe never marrying. In Scandinavia, though, this Christmas plant was considered one of peace. Here, also, enemies would be able to contend a truce and husbands and wives could kiss and make amends under the mistletoe.

There you have the mysterious history of kissing under the mistletoe!

If you are wondering if mistletoe is poisonous, you can find the answer here:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2349390/is_mistletoe_poisonous.html?cat=32

Sources:
http://www.coolquiz.com/trivia/explain/docs/mistletoe.asp
http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/noel/angl/gui.htm
http://gardenline.usask.ca/misc/mistleto.html