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Part eleven of a series on the history and traditions Christmas.
One common item used in Christmas wreaths and garlands is mistletoe. But mistletoe is more than a simple decoration. Mistletoe has been revered by many cultures all throughout history.
The Druids started the tradition of using the mistletoe as decorative items up to two hundred years before Christ. The Druids had a ceremony to celebrate the winter season that included mistletoe. The pagan priests of the time would carefully cut boughs of mistletoe from the sacred oak tree with a golden sickle. They were always careful not to let the boughs touch the ground, for fear of contaminating them. The Druids believed the mistletoe would bring good luck and ward off evil spirits so the priests divided these boughs into sprigs and gave them to the people to protect them from storms and other forms of evil. The Druids also believed that the mistletoe had a healing quality and could be used for everything from healing wounds to increase fertility.
The ancient Celts of Britain felt that mistletoe held sacred powers of healing, and that it contained the soul of the tree from which it was cut. In the Celtic language, mistletoe means "All Heal".
But the tradition of kissing under the Mistletoe comes from a Norse myth from even earlier times. The myth states that Balder had a dream in which he dies. His mother Frigga, the goddess of beauty and love, was alarmed by this and so she went to all of the elements (air, fire, water, and earth) and asked that they spare her son. When she was satisfied that she had secured their cooperation, she informed Balder that he would live forever.
Balder had one enemy, though. Loki, the god of evil, discovered one plant that Frigga had overlooked. That plant was Mistletoe. Loki fashioned an arrow made from the branch of the Mistletoe, and dipped it in poison. He then tricked Balder’s blind brother, Hoder, into firing it and killing Balder. Each of the elements tried to bring Balder back to life, but none were successful save for his mother, Frigga. It is said that her tears turned into the berries from the Mistletoe, and when they rained upon Balder they brought him back to life.
In her joy at Balder’s resurrection, she reversed the poisonous reputation of the Mistletoe and kissed everyone who walked beneath the tree on which it grew. She also issued a decree that anyone passing under the Mistletoe must kiss, and therefore no harm would come to them.
 Reindeer Kissing Under the Mistletoe at Christmas Christmas Ornaments by ChristmasCafe Find unique Christmas ornaments at Zazzle.com |
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