The mistletoe is a parasitic plant that grows primarily on apple, lime, poplar and hawthorn trees.Large quantities of the waxy, white berries are toxic.

The ancient Celtic Druids believed the plant had healing and magical powers and that this parasite held the soul of the host tree. The Druid priests used mistletoe in a special ceremony, five days after the New Moon, following winter solstice...around this time of year. Rarely found on oak trees, the Druids considered this phenomenon to be magical.At the appointed time, they would cut the mistletoe from a "holy" oak tree with a golden sickle and catch the branches in mid-air, believing the mistletoe would lose its powers if it were to touch the ground.

Two white bulls would be sacrificed amid prayers that the recipients of the mistletoe would prosper. The priests would then divide the branches into smaller sprigs, distributing them to the people who hung them over their doorways as protection against thunder, lightning, and other various evils. The Druids elevated mistletoe to sacred powers, even using it in ceremonies of human sacrifice. Because of the Druids use of mistletoe, Christians eventually banned its use in their churches in England. The folklore surrounding the magical powers of the plant blossomed over the centuries. Sprigs were placed in a baby's cradle to protect the child from faeries. Giving a sprig to the first cow calving after New Year would protect the entire herd. And so forth... In the Middle Ages and later, branches of mistletoe were hung from ceilings to ward off evil spirits. In Europe they were placed over house and stable doors to prevent the entrance of witches. In some parts of England the Christmas mistletoe is burned on the twelfth night lest all the boys and girls who have kissed under it never marry.

In the York cathedral the minister placed the branch on the High Altar and proclaimed public and universal liberty, pardon and freedom of all sorts of inferior and wicked people at the minster gates, and the gates of the city, towards the four quarters of heaven. Here's where kissing enters the scene. Because mistletoes retains it rich green color, it was considered to be a symbol of fertility. Because of this, kissing under the mistletoe is found associated with the Greek festival of Saturnalia and later with primitive marriage rites. In Scandinavia, mistletoe was considered a plant of peace. Enemies could declare a truce and warring spouses could kiss and make-up. Later, the eighteenth-century English adopted a tradition that is known as a kissing ball. According to the tradition, at Christmas time a young lady standing under a ball of mistletoe, trimmed with evergreens, ribbons, and ornaments, cannot refuse to be kissed. Such a kiss could mean deep romance or lasting friendship and goodwill. If the girl remained unkissed, she cannot expect not to marry the following year. Interestingly, during uptight Victorian times, the custom came into full bloom! Even if the pagan significance has been forgotten, the custom of exchanging a kiss under the mistletoe is still found in many European countries, Canada and America. In France, the custom of kissing under the mistletoe is reserved for New Years Day. It is known as "Au gui l'An neuf", or Mistletoe for the New Year. In basic terms, Mistletoe is a plant that can be used as a decoration. However, it becomes more than a plant when we adopt the ancient pagan rituals that made this plant famous throughout history. It's amazing how, out of ignorance, we can pollute the Water of Life that we freely drink from. You are no longer ignorant about this subject. What will you do now? - Rod

• Topic: Miscellaneous

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