The Christmas tradition of kissing under the mistletoe, like all traditions, stems from places and cultures we might not associate with the custom as it is known today.

Mistletoe is a hemiparasitic plant. It usually grows on trees and even sinks roots into the trees to get nutrients but it is capable of photosynthesis so it is not a full parasite.

The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe may have its roots in Norse legend. Frigga, goddess of love had a son named Balder and because of a dream he had, she became alarmed and sought to protect him from harm from every living creature and plant, that he could not be harmed by anything on or under the earth. Mistletoe did not grow on or under the earth, but on trees. The evil god Loki knew this and prepared a poison arrow with it with which Balder was killed. After three days Frigga was able to restore her son to life and from then on, it is said she kissed everyone who passed under the mistletoe and decreed that it stood for life and love from then on.

In England the tradition of mistletoe goes back before the birth of Christ. Mistletoe was revered by the Druids, and mistletoe that grew on an oak was considered to have magical qualities. The plant was also considered a symbol of fertility, as it remained green even as the deciduous trees it grew on appeared to be in winter’s grip of death.

The plant continued to be endowed by superstition with mystical and healing properties throughout medieval times. The tradition of hanging the plant in doorways began in England and it was considered good luck as well as a love charm. Over time this tradition included kissing under the mistletoe with the superstition that a girl who wasn’t kissed would not be married within the coming year.