Why Do People Kiss Under the Mistletoe?
Some people complain about the over-commercialization of the holiday season and how the need to buy and buy has drained all the charm out of Christmastime. Well, it’s not totally gone. Eager children still get wonderful toys, families still come together for great meals, and there’s always the off chance you’ll spot someone you like very much standing beneath the mistletoe, which means you have the right to give that person a Christmas kiss.
Mistletoe has been held as a sacred plant, with magical powers, for centuries. For the Scandinavians of old, it was a plant of peace. Enemies passing beneath it had to set their weapons aside and take a break from any hostilities between them, at least until the next day. Gradually, the tradition changed to kissing. According to Norse myth, kissing under the Mistletoe is also a way to celebrate the resurrection of Baldur, the god of plants.