What is the French tradition for mistletoe?
Kissing under the mistletoe as the clock chimed in the new year was supposed to bring good luck and, if you were in love with the person you were kissing, a wedding before year end. But today in France, the kissing season has been extended, just as it has in the US.
What is the symbolic meaning of mistletoe?
Historically, mistletoe represents romance, fertility, and vitality. Because nothing says love like bird feces and poison. But seriously, the Celtic Druids valued mistletoe for its healing properties and likely were among the first to decorate with it.
Is mistletoe a thing in France?
While in the UK we associate mistletoe with Christmas, other countries link it more to New Year. In France, for example, it's seen as a good luck charm and French people often give it to friends as a New Year gift to wish them luck in the coming 12 months.
What does the Christmas mistletoe symbolize?
Mistletoe is one of the four plants traditionally adopted by Christians in order to celebrate Christmas. Its evergreen leaves indeed symbolize 'life that does not die'.
Why do we kiss under the mistletoe?
According to one sunnier version of the myth, the gods were able to resurrect Baldur from the dead. Delighted, Frigg then declared mistletoe a symbol of love and vowed to plant a kiss on all those who passed beneath it.
What happens if you don't kiss under the mistletoe?
We all know that standing under a sprig means getting a kiss, but did you also know that tradition claims “any woman under the mistletoe cannot refuse a kiss” and that “a single woman who is not kissed under the mistletoe will remain single for the next year?” Ugh, as if.
Do French people kiss under the mistletoe?
In the Middle Ages in France, mistletoe was cut and offered as a symbol of prosperity and long life, usually accompanied by a set form of words to assure their arrival. Nowadays, of course, we regard kissing beneath the mistletoe as one of those slightly obscure Christmas traditions whose origins are lost in time.
What is the connection between mistletoe and Christmas?
Where does the Christmas tradition of mistletoe come from? The tradition of hanging mistletoe dates back to the ancient Druids who believed the plant brought good luck and helped protect against evil spirits.
What trees does mistletoe grow on in France?
Although its abundance here varies greatly from region to region where it does grow it really grows with a vengeance especially on poplar trees that have grown in the wetlands of France since before the second world war.
Does mistletoe mean poop on a stick?
Ancient observations of the poop-on-a-stick origins of the plant led to its name "mistletoe," or mistiltan in Old English, derived from the Anglo-Saxon words mistel, meaning "dung," and tan, meaning "twig." Mistletoe has been part of European winter traditions since long before the first Christmas.
Why did mistletoe become a Christmas tradition?
The original custom was that a berry was picked from the sprig of Mistletoe before the person could be kissed and when all the berries had gone, there could be no more kissing! The name mistletoe comes from two Anglo Saxon words 'Mistel' (which means dung) and 'tan' (which means) twig or stick!
Is it good luck to kiss under the mistletoe?
The mistletoe tradition blossomed, first among English servants and eventually expanding to the middle class. The basis of the mistletoe tradition was that men were allowed to kiss any woman seen underneath mistletoe -- and refusal to accept was considered bad luck.
What kind of trees are in France?
BROADLEAVEDAshAlderBeechCork oakPedunculate oakPyrenean oakRed oakSessile oakOstryaCultivated poplarNon cultivated poplarLocust treeOlive-treePlane treeTiluptree6 more rows
Is mistletoe a tree?
Mistletoe is a small evergreen shrub that is semi-parasitic on other plants. Instead of producing roots in the ground, mistletoe sends out root like structures into tree branches, from which it steals water and nutrients. The tree the mistletoe grows upon is known as its host.
What is a mistletoe plant?
Mistletoes are a large group of plants that are parasitic on aboveground parts of woody trees and shrubs. These perennial flowering plants have specialized roots that are able to penetrate the host plant from which it derives water and nutrients.
Why is mistletoe used for Christmas?
Mistletoe is more than just a Christmas decoration, because it pre-dates Christmas. It’s been linked to many stories and traditions over hundreds of years. Here are some of its symbolism:
Why is mistletoe associated with love?
A Symbol of Love – Mistletoe became associated with love due to the kissing tradition. In many movies and novels, mistletoe gives couples an opportunity to become intimate, thus reinforcing its association with love and romance.
Why Do People Kiss Under Mistletoe at Christmas?
It’s not clear why people began kissing under mistletoe, but the tradition appears to have first caught on among domestic workers in England and then spread to the middle classes. It is likely rooted in an ancient tradition where mistletoe was regarded as a symbol of fertility. Other reasons could include the Norse myth of Baldur, Druid customs, and Saturnalia traditions.
What is mistletoe jewelry?
In jewelry design, mistletoe is often featured on earrings, necklaces, brooches, bracelets, and rings. Some are fashioned in gold or silver, where freshwater pearls are depicted as white berries. Other designs depict leaves made of emerald stones, green glass, Paua shell, mother of pearl, or polymer clay. Mistletoe makes for gorgeous hair decorations, especially in clips and combs.
Why do people hang mistletoe?
In fact, many still hold to the tradition of hanging the mysterious golden bough during Christmas to bring good luck, romance and to ward off evil.
What is the meaning of mistletoe in Aeneid?
In Virgil’s Aeneid, mistletoe is seen as a symbol of good luck. Trojan hero Aeneas brings a golden bough, which is thought to be mistletoe, in order to enter the underworld. One of the episodic tales in the epic, The Golden Bough, was written during the Pax Romana under the reign of Augustus Caesar.
Where does mistletoe come from?
Native to Northern Europe and known as Viscum Album, mistletoe is a hemiparasitic plant that grows on branches of trees, particularly hardwood trees like oak and apple. It is characterized by symmetrical evergreen leaves and white or red berries and has been considered sacred for centuries.
What is mistletoe in a tree?
Mistletoe is a plant that grows parasitically on trees. Mistletoe can cause Witches’-broom, a symptom of a disease that results in clusters of weak shoots, in the host tree. One way to harvest mistletoe is to climb high in the tree to get the clusters; another way is to blast them out with a shotgun. How’s that for festive?
Where does the word "mistletoe" come from?
The word mistletoe comes from the Old English misteltan, with tan meaning “twig” and mistel meaning, well, “mistletoe.” (Middle English speakers apparently confused tan as the plural of ta, “toe,” which is how we ultimately get mistletoe ). As for the roots of mistel, that etymology is obscure, though the word has cousins in Germanic languages.
Why do we kiss under the mistletoe?
Historically, mistletoe represents romance, fertility, and vitality. Because nothing says love like bird feces and poison.
What does mistel mean?
Because mistletoe can be spread through birds’ feces, it is possible that mistel derives from an obsolete, Germanic-derived noun mix, meaning “dung, filth.”. So we can safely say this has nothing whatsoever to do with your toes. That plant you’re kissing under could be a … “dung-twig.”.
What is the dark side of mistletoe?
The dark side of the mistletoe. In Norse mythology, the plant plays a key part in a story with a violent conclusion; the god Balder is killed by his blind brother, Hoor , with, of all things, a mistletoe projectile. Some versions claim he came back to life, and his mother, Frigg, cried tears that turned into mistletoe berries and then declared ...
Where did kissing under the mistletoe originate?
The origin of kissing under the mistletoe is shrouded in uncertainty, but it is believed the ancient Greeks celebrated the winter holiday of Kronia—a lively festival and one of the biggest of the year—with mistletoe and may have started the tradition of kissing under it.
What Does Mistletoe Symbolize?
Mistletoe Symbolism signifies hope and good fortunes in life. Also, it shows the vital part in making life more meaningful. You have to be persistent in what you do and be strong to overcome your life challenges. Nothing refreshing can happen if you don’t work hard and active your objectives. Go after what you know will be the changing point for your life. So, your goals are an integral part of the success process. But you have to work hard and achieve the right things in your life. Every step is crucial as you aim to make positive moves.
Why do people use mistletoe as a Christmas decoration?
Back then, kissing under the mistletoe was said to bring good luck, and bad luck if you didn’t kiss under it. This further made the mistletoe a symbol of romance and luck. Once the British started to use mistletoe as a Christmas decoration, the plan became overly associated with romance and luck.
Why do people use mistletoe?
Mistletoe is commonly used as a decoration around Christmas time. Many people only use it as a decoration for traditional reasons. If you and someone else are under the mistletoe decoration you are supposed to kiss. This may make the mistletoe seem like a romantic little plant. While many people use mistletoe as a traditional Christmas decoration, not many people question why it is used as a Christmas decoration Mistletoe is used as a Christmas decoration adds to this plant’s symbolism and will be discussed later in this article.
Why is mistletoe considered a magical plant?
Thousands of years ago, in about the first century AD mistletoe, was used by the Celtic druids for many different things, as they thought that it was a cure-all. It was thought to be basically a magical plant. It got its romantic roots because it was said to make barren animals fertile again. However, mistletoe did have some negative connotations as well, as some varieties of the plant are poisonous, which is why people don’t eat them.
What does the oak tree represent in the druids?
It was very rare to find mistletoe in their favorite tree, the oak tree, which made mistletoe even more important. The oak tree symbolized life and power to the druids. And when mistletoe was on the tree, it added more, but opposite symbolism to the tree.
Why are deciduous trees important to Celtic astrology?
Deciduous trees were important in Celtic astrology because of the way that they lost their leaves and later grew all of them back. This symbolized the circle of life and death, growth and renewal, and change in general. When mistletoe would grow on these trees it would add further meaning. Mistletoe is found in the winter when the leaves all or mostly gone—this symbolized life in the midst of death to the Celtic druids.
Why do people use mistletoe at Christmas?
It was gathered at both mid-summer and winter solstices, and the custom of using mistletoe to decorate houses at Christmas is a survival of the Druid and other pre-Christian traditions. The Greeks also thought that it had mystical powers and down through the centuries it became associated with many folklore customs.
Who is the goddess of mistletoe?
One is associated with the Goddess Frigga. The story goes that Mistletoe was the sacred plant of Frigga, goddess of love and the mother of Balder, the god of the summer sun. Balder had a dream of death which greatly alarmed his mother, for should he die, all life on earth would end.
Why is the oak mistletoe sacred?
It was considered to bestow life and fertility; a protection against poison; and an aphrodisiac. 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.
Why was mistletoe hung on the ceiling?
In the Middle Ages and later, branches of mistletoe were hung from ceilings to ward off evil spirits. In Europe they were placed over house and stable doors to prevent the entrance of witches. It was also believed that the oak mistletoe could extinguish fire.
What is mistletoe plant?
In Scandinavia, mistletoe was considered a plant of peace, under which enemies could declare a truce or warring spouses kiss and make-up. Later, the eighteenth-century English credited with a certain magical appeal called a kissing ball. At Christmas time a young lady standing under a ball of mistletoe, brightly trimmed with evergreens, ribbons, ...
Why did the King cut the mistletoe from the oak?
Later, the ritual of cutting the mistletoe from the oak came to symbolize the emasculation of the old King by his successor. Mistletoe was long regarded as both a sexual symbol and the "soul" of the oak.
What is oak mistletoe?
The rarer oak mistletoe was greatly venerated by the ancient Celts and Germans and used as a ceremonial plant by early Europeans. The Greeks and earlier peoples thought that it had mystical powers and down through the centuries it became associated with many folklore customs.
What is the meaning of mistletoe?
Mistletoe and The Druids. The ancient Druids believed mistletoe to be an indicator of great sacredness. The winter solstice, called 'Alban Arthan' by the Druids, was according to Bardic Tradition, the time when the Chief Druid would cut the sacred mistletoe from the Oak. The mistletoe is cut using a golden sickle on the sixth night ...
Why is mistletoe so lucky?
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!".
Why is mistletoe banned in the church?
It is interesting to note that mistletoe was excluded from church decorations, probably due to its connection with the Druids and its pagan and magickal associations. This ancient ban on mistletoe is still widely observed even today.
What do the druids believe in mistletoe?
The Druids are thought to have believed that the berries of the mistletoe represented the sperm of the Gods. When pressed, a semen like substance issues from the white berries. Mistletoe was considered a magickal aphrodisiac. Girls standing under a sprig of mistletoe were asking for a bit more than a kiss, it seems.
What is the plant called that is used to cure many ills?
The plant in old folklore is called Allheal, used in folk medicine to cure many ills, and indeed the Druids considered the mistletoe to be a sacred plant and believed it had miraculous properties which could cure illnesses, serve as an antidote against poisons, ensure fertility and protect against the ill effects of witchcraft.
What is the bough of the Xmas tree called?
The bough itself is called ' the mistletoe'. The candles were ceremoniously lit on Xmas Eve and then every evening throughout the 12 days of Xmas.
What does it mean when a man kisses a girl under the mistletoe?
If a couple in love exchanges a kiss under the mistletoe, it is interpreted as a promise to marry, as well as a prediction of happiness and long life.
Why is mistletoe hung over doors?
Mistletoe was hung over doors as protection from witches and demons, hung in cradles to protect infants from fairies and kept in homes as protection from fires. Surely, mistletoe has no power to offer such protection, but let it serve as a reminder of the One who truly can protect our lives and, more importantly, our souls – Jesus Christ, the One who Isaiah called the “beautiful and glorious Branch of the Lord!”
Why do Druids kiss under mistletoe?
The Druids believed that mistletoe would make barren animals fertile and would act as a remedy against any kind of poison. Some scholars believe that the practice of kissing under mistletoe originated with the Druid notion that mistletoe helped to “bring forth” life through the union of male and female.
Is mistletoe evergreen?
There are a great variety of species of mistletoe; most of them are evergreen and bear their fruit (generally either red or white berries) in the early winter. Since so few plants remain green in the winter, mistletoe naturally came to be associated with the Christmas season.
Is mistletoe a parasite?
The botanical name for the genus of mistletoe is Phoradendron (phor meaning “thief” and dendron meaning “tree” in Greek). As a partly parasitic plant, mistletoe does in fact act like a thief, because it “steals” nutrients from its host tree. But it is only “partly” parasitic, because it has the ability to photosynthesize its own food and survive independently. However, mistletoe is generally found on trees, and it will use whatever means necessary to survive. It has been known to endure extremely harsh weather and even droughts by reaching deep beneath the tree bark of its host to drain water and minerals.
