MISTLETOE

By Kelly and Makenzie

WHAT IS MISTLETOE?

It is a leathery-leaved parasitic plant that grows on apple, oak, and other broadleaf trees and bears white berries in winter.

WHAT IS MISTLETOE? (CONT.)

But mistletoe is also capable for growing on its own; like other plants it can produce its own food by photosynthesis.

MISTLETOE MAGIC

From the earliest times mistletoe has been one of the most magical, mysterious, and sacred plants of European folklore.

The mistletoe of the sacred oak was especially sacred to the ancient Celtic Druids. On the sixth night of the moon white-robed Druid priests would cut the oak mistletoe with a golden sickle.

Later, the ritual of cutting the mistletoe from the oak came to symbolize the demoralization of the old King by his successor.

It was gathered at both mid-summer and winter solstices, and the custom of using it to decorate houses at Christmas is a survival of the Druid and other pre-Christian traditions.

RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE

As ancient European people interacted with their environment and began to reason why certain things were the way they were, they developed an intense interest in trees.

This eventually led to another Christmas ritual that has survived almost to the present, along with the seasonal ritual use of mistletoe. As part of a series of rituals, they burned logs around the time of the winter solstice.

After conversion of the people to Christianity, the tradition of burning logs was changed to begin early on Christmas eve. A log was to be kept burning all night, and this culminated in a great celebration on Christmas morning. This yuletide custom of burning the Yule log was widely practiced until only a few decades ago, and probably ceased with the advent of centralized heating. The decline in the use of mistletoe probably was due to other factors.

MISTLETOE AND CHURCH HISTORY

When Christianity became widespread in Europe after the 3rd century AD, the religious or mystical respect for the mistletoe plant was integrated to an extent into the new religion. In some way that is not presently understood, this may have led to the widespread custom of kissing under the mistletoe plant during the Christmas season, possibly relating to the belief in the effects on fertility and conception.

UNDER THE MISTLETOE

The earliest documented case of kissing under the mistletoe dates from 16th century England, a custom that was apparently very popular at that time.

At Christmas time a young lady standing under a ball of mistletoe, brightly trimmed with evergreens, ribbons, and ornaments, cannot refuse to be kissed.

Such a kiss could mean deep romance or lasting friendship and goodwill.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voyPOMgAMYU