Thursday, December 3, 2009
How About A Christmas Kiss...??
There are so many Christmas traditions, it's hard to keep up with them all!
Very few of these traditions are as pleasant as the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe. I mean, if nothing else...it's certainly one of the most pleasant!
Like most of the Christmas traditions, this one is rooted in history. In fact, the origins of kissing under the mistletoe might just surprise you!
Mistletoe was used by Druid priests 200 years before the birth of Christ in their winter celebrations. They revered the plant since it had no roots yet remained green during the cold months of winter.
The ancient Celtics believed mistletoe to have magical healing powers and used it as an antidote for poison, infertility, and to ward of evil spirits. The plant was also seen as a symbol of peace, and it is said that among Romans, enemies who met under mistletoe would lay down their weapons and embrace.
Scandanavians associated the plant with Frigga, their goddess of love, and it may be from this that we derive the custom of kissing under the mistletoe. Those who kissed under the mistletoe had the promise of happiness and good luck in the following year.
All I can say is...I don't care where it's from, or where it started, or even who started it! I love it! Of course, being just an old man I don't get a chance to practice this particular tradition as much as I'd like, but that's OK! I have enough memories of trips under the mistletoe to keep me warm for a long, long time!
Now, with that being said...I have to warn all you pretty young ladies out there that if you find yourself being anywhere near the mistletoe...and if you see some old gray-bearded hermit looking guy hanging around, then BE PREPARED!
I hope you know that I'm just fooling here! I think that the kiss is only a nice thing if both parties are into it evenly, ya know? Besides, you know that I don't do the party thing too much, so there!
Now, my friends, let's get some fresh coffee and sit at the kitchen table for a bit. Don't worry...there is no mistletoe hanging anywhere near, OK?
That was very interesting I didn't know that about mistletoe and will be careful at christmastime xx
ReplyDeleteCandy canes and mistletoe. What would Christmas (Yule) be without them? I use candy canes to make meringues (both peppermint and cinnamon) which are fast becoming a tradition in our family. As for the mistletoe...where can you get the real thing these days? I could if I wanted to climb some of the big old oaks around here. But I am of the age where that could be dangerous.
ReplyDelete'preciate the coffee and conversation. Have a sweet day.
Big hugs and extra kisses to you, Bubba, even without the mistletoe! I remember stopping along the roadside to-and-from G-Town to pull mistletoe down from the trees - real do-it-yourselfers (pre-preppers) we were, huh?
ReplyDeleteGreat memories you're stirring up these days - keep'em coming!
Love you much -
Good Morning MY Special One, Shoot I will bring the mistletoe! lol It grows around here much to my surprise, and there is plenty of it too. And of course thanks for the lesson of where and when. I like the the cozy feeling of sitting around the kitchen for coffee these days. I'll bring the fresh ground coffee this morning.
ReplyDeleteHey Sage...
ReplyDeleteSo many of our present day traditions are from long ago, with just enough modern dressing up that we think they are ours alone. I was surprised at the origin as well!
Good to hear that you'll be on your toes and watching out!
Thanks for the visit!
Hey Momlady...
You're going to have to share the recipe for your meringues some day! Starting a new family tradition is a good thing...
Glad to have you drop in for coffee and a bit of conversation today!
Hey Sis...
Yep, I think we got a little spoiled with the real thing growing all around us...and not having to count on the plastic stuff to decorate with.
What stories we could tell from some of our past Christmases, huh?
Thanks for dropping in, Sis!
Hey JoJo...
I haven't been too many places that mistletoe doesn't grow! Better load up on that stuff!
Fresh ground coffee and sitting at the kitchen table sounds pretty cozy, doesn't it? All snug and warm and stuff!
Thanks, sweetie, for coming by today!
Even us old ladies can go for a smooch under the mistletoe. It is a nice tradition.
ReplyDeleteHey Rae...
ReplyDeleteI think that there are a few traditions that transcend age! This is probably one of them!
You know, some of the best traditions I can remember are from my childhood days! Wonder if that's the same with everyone?
Hey, thanks for coming by today, my friend!
We scandinavians has always been a bit pagan and kept our traditions even if christianity came :-) :-) The midsummer pole is perhaps the most obvious of those old customes :-) :-) :-)
ReplyDeleteHave a great day now!
Christer.
Hey Christer...
ReplyDeleteI think your country is a source of some of our best traditions!
Sometimes there is a lot more that countries have in common than we realize!
Thanks for coming over today!
Hey, Mister Hermit, sir - Misteltoe is also a symbol of fertility and..erm...endurance.
ReplyDeleteI've never been kissed under misteltoe...but then, I never was much one for parties and such.
It grows like gangbusters around here and no one harvests it...I keep thinking if I had a cherry-picker I could make a holiday fortune gathering it up and e-baying it or hawking it on a street corner.
Shade and Sweetwater,
K
Hey K...
ReplyDeleteYou know, maybe you could put the Evil Genius to work by sending him up a tree or two and letting him gather some mistletoe. You could even get him to enlist the help of a friend or two!
Take it to the next gathering you attend and sell it for a pittence...maybe make a small profit after giving the EG his cut!
Something to consider...
Thaks for coming by today!
Hey, if there was a little more kissing under the mistletoe this might be a little better world! nothing wrong with a mutual smooch! I love the old traditions like that and hate that people don't seem to adhere to many of them anymore, preferring cheap plastic crap from china over simple pleasures.
ReplyDeleteHey ER...
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you, Girl! Things would be better if we stopped to remember some of the old traditions from time to time!
I sure do thank you for coming by today and leaving a comment!
Uncle Jim, I have no idea how you keep coming up with these great posts brother. Some very interesting reading to be had here daily and I thank you for that.
ReplyDeleteHey Bullseye...
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to know you find the post interesting, my friend! I just try and make things interesting enough to keep folks coming by, ya know?
It sure am glad to see you again...and I'm glad you could come by today, my brother!
Momlady - A friend of mine from Georgia said mistletoe was commonly harvested with a shotgun when he was a youth.
ReplyDeleteHey Reus...
ReplyDeleteNow that's an idea that I hadn't thought of! Thanks for the heads up...and thanks for coming by today as well!