Why do we kiss under the mistletoe at Christmas?

The history behind this frisky festive tradition

Kissing under the mistletoe is one of the great guilty pleasures of the festive season – whether you’re having a romantic moment with your bae or a sneaky smooch at the office Christmas party. So how did this tradition come about?

Mistletoe Meaning

Love and mischief

Some believe the plant’s association with romance dates back to ancient Norse mythology. According to legend, Frigga the goddess of love and marriage, got all the plants of the Earth to promise not to harm her son Baldr, with the exception of mistletoe. Loki, the god of mischief tricked another god into killing Baldr with a spear of the plant. When Baldr was eventually brought back to life by the gods, Frigg declared mistletoe would be a symbol of love, not death.

The symbol of fertility

Because it remains green all year round, mistletoe has long been linked with fertility and believed to have magical healing powers, with some cultures believing it to be an aphrodisiac.

Some believe the Christmas kissing tradition may have started with Greek mythology. According to Peter Haining in his book Superstitions, "The mistletoe was revered by the ancient Greeks as sacred, yet superstition has it that the reason why it is so lucky to be kissed under it is that the plant once offended the old Gods, who thereafter condemned it to have to look on while pretty girls were being kissed!".

Modern romance

The practice of stealing a kiss under the mistletoe was common practice among British servants by the 18th century and by the Victorian era new superstitions had been added to the tradition. For example, if a girl refused a kiss whilst standing under mistletoe, it was said that she wouldn't receive any marriage proposals during the following year. Since then the custom has evolved into the one we know. Some say the correct etiquette is that the man can only kiss a woman or girl on the cheek and when he does so, he must removes one berry from the sprig. Once all the berries are gone, the kissing is over.

Did you know…?

European mistletoe, Viscum album, is a parasitic plant that obtains water and minerals from trees and shrubs – and its berries are toxic to humans (although not to birds who love to feast on them).

Is this a tradition that you still do at Christmas? Tweet us your 'under the mistletoe' stories.