Are you thinking about adding mistletoe to your holiday decor checklist? Mistletoe is a beautiful addition to any holiday aesthetic because of its festive evergreen foliage, striking berries, and historic symbolism. Mistletoe has long symbolized peace, love, and fertility – perfect for the Christmas season – but why do we kiss under mistletoe? Get in the know about this timeless holiday decoration to impress your party guests.

The History of Mistletoe

Before we answer the question, 'why do we kiss under mistletoe?', we need to explain this plant's backstory. The mistletoe plant has a long history stretching back to a Norse myth. This story tells of a goddess, Frigg, whose son, Baldur, was killed with a mistletoe arrow. It is said that as she cried for him, her tears turned to berries and resurrected her son. From that moment on, Frigg proclaimed mistletoe to be a newfound symbol of love and peace to anyone who walked beneath it. Some versions also state that Frigg promised to kiss those who walked under the mistletoe to bring love, fertility, and health to them.

The tradition was adopted by Celtic druids who began to use mistletoe as a symbol of luck, love, and fertility to those who stood beneath it. They also believed in its healing powers. This is why mistletoe became popular to hang above one's front door during the cold winter months.

Fast-forward to today, and mistletoe is still a popular decoration to hang on walls, in doorways, or on Christmas trees. With a better understanding of mistletoe history, let's discuss how the tradition to kiss under mistletoe really took off.

So, Why Do We Kiss Under Mistletoe?

There are a variety of reasons that took hold over centuries and morphed into the romantic tradition we have today. As mentioned, the origins of kissing under mistletoe stretch back to the Norse myth where Frigg proclaimed to kiss those who walked under the mistletoe. But it is believed that the tradition of kissing someone under mistletoe really took hold in the 1700s to 1800s in England. At this time, kissing beneath mistletoe was said to be good luck for fertility and marriage. If a woman was beneath the mistletoe she had to accept a kiss or risk bad luck. Some traditions included plucking one of the berries from the mistletoe after you kissed beneath it and each couple would pluck one berry until there were no more left.

Tip!

Want to learn more about how mistletoe traditions came to be? Check out or guide on How to Hang Mistletoe for more details.

So, why do we kiss under mistletoe today? In modern times we kiss under the mistletoe to demonstrate our love, to bring good luck, and to bless the coming new year – wonderful reasons to celebrate with this tradition each holiday season.

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