Kissing Under Mistletoe This Christmas 2022: Know Significance, The Story From Norse Mythology and Findings of Historians for Understanding This Christmas Tradition
There are a few things that make the Christmas season more fun and enjoyable. The romance of kissing under the mistletoe is surely one of them! From our favourite movies and shows to songs that capture this emotion, kissing under the mistletoe is a Christmas tradition we have all witnessed in some form or other. Come Christmas season, the streets don the most colourful lights, trees are decorated and prepped, and various nooks and crannies and alleys are filled with mistletoe. But where does the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe stem from? As we prepare to celebrate Christmas 2022 on December 25, it’s high time we found out! Christmas 2022 Songs Playlist: All-Time Favourite Festive Hits To Set the Mood for the Holiday Season (Watch Videos).
The story from Norse Mythology
Like most traditions in our cultures, the idea of kissing under mistletoe also comes from mythology. Most people date this practice back to a story from Norse Mythology which revolves around the god Baldur. The folklore of Mistletoe begins with Baldur’s mother, Frigg, casting powerful magic to ensure that no plant grown on earth could be used as a weapon against her son. However, since mistletoe grows from tree branches and not the earth, it was used by Loki to make the spear that finally killed Baldur. However, one version of the story that many retell is that after her son’s death, Frigg declares Mistletoe as the plant of love and promises to kiss anyone she meets under it. This version of the story captures the current tradition of kissing under the mistletoe. Christmas 2022 Carols: All-Time Favourite Christmas Songs and Melodies You Can Add to Your Playlist This Holiday Season.
The Gap in The Story
Historian Mark Forsyth says this is not actually the way the story ends, making the actual origin of kissing under the mistletoe tradition a mystery. However, according to Forsyth, the tradition began between 1720 and 1784 in England. The first extensively researched paper on Mistletoe was published in 1720 by English apothecary and physician John Colebatch. However, the first reference to the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe can be found in the 1784 song, the verse goes:
“What all the men, Jem, John, and Joe,
Cry, ‘What good-luck has sent ye?’
And kiss beneath the mistletoe,
The girl not turn’d of twenty.”
We hope that these tidbits and anecdotes give you some fun facts about mistletoe and the history and traditions around it!
(The above story first appeared on Today News 24 on Dec 19, 2022 04:01 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website todaynews24.top).
