A mistletoe sprig is a fun bit of Christmas cheer that many of us enjoy hanging up each year as we decorate for the holidays. The plant with distinctive green leaves and white berries is associated with romance, and according to custom, people caught underneath a hanging bough are supposed to share a smooch. 

It has spurred countless awkward embraces and many eyeroll-inducing sitcom jokes, but where did the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe begin? Before you pop in a breath mint and pucker up this holiday season, let’s take a look at mistletoe and its history as a symbol of love and romance. 

What is mistletoe?

Mistletoe is a perennial flowering plant with evergreen leaves and white or red berries that contain sticky seeds. More than 1,000 different species of mistletoe are found worldwide, and all of them are parasitic, meaning they grow on other shrubs or plants and siphon at least some of their nutrients from the host. Mistletoe is toxic to humans, although small amounts can be used medicinally and usually don’t cause serious symptoms. 

The name “mistletoe” comes from Anglo-Saxon words for “dung” and “twig” because ancient people noticed that the plant seemed to grow from tree branches with bird droppings on them. This is because mistletoe is usually propagated after its sticky seeds have passed through a bird’s digestive tract. 

If you’re wondering how a poisonous and parasitic plant named “dung-twig” became associated with romance, there’s an explanation ahead.

Mistletoe in mythology and literature

Mistletoe has appeared in the mythology and literature of several ancient cultures. In a famous Norse legend, the venerated god Baldur dreamed of his impending death. To protect him, Baldur’s mother sought a promise from every entity in the world, living and non-living, that they would not hurt her son. The one thing she didn’t request an oath from was mistletoe, as she mistakenly believed the plant too “small and innocent” to cause Baldur harm.

The trickster god Loki learned of this oversight and fashioned an arrow of mistletoe, which “pierced [Baldur] straight through, and he fell down dead on the spot.” Some versions of this legend allege that Baldur was resurrected after death. In gratitude, his mother proclaimed mistletoe a symbol of love and swore to bestow a kiss on anyone who walked under it. Sound familiar?

Mistletoe was considered sacred and powerful to the Druids, especially a type that grows on oak trees and was used in a ceremony known as the “ritual of oak and mistletoe,” as described in Pliny’s Natural History.

“[A]mong the Celts of Gaul the Druids esteemed nothing more sacred than the mistletoe and the oak on which it grew,” wrote James George Frazer in The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion.

When mistletoe was discovered growing on an oak tree, two white bulls were sacrificed as an offering to the gods.

A priest also climbed the tree and used a golden sickle to cut the mistletoe bough, which was then dropped down into a white cloth.

The Druids believed “mistletoe given in drink will impart fertility to any animal that is barren and that it is an antidote to all poisons.”  

Practical and symbolic uses of mistletoe in history

The Greeks and Romans were aware of mistletoe’s medicinal properties and used the leaves of the plant to treat an array of ailments including headaches, epilepsy, ulcers, spleen disorders, and menstrual cramps. 

Because of the evergreen plant’s hardiness and ability to bloom in winter, some civilizations considered mistletoe a symbol of fertility and rebirth and it was thought to be an aphrodisiac. 

Ancient Greeks also used it in marriage ceremonies, believing it to enhance fertility. 

The Romans perceived mistletoe as a protective element and decorated their homes and doorways with the plant in the wintertime to appease the gods. Warring parties would also settle their disagreements under the peaceful influence of mistletoe.

As far as kissing under the mistletoe, the practice is thought to have begun during the ancient pagan festival known as Saturnalia, which was held around the winter solstice.

During the “raucous” and “riotous” festival, celebrants were encouraged to kiss their love interests under sprigs of the plant. 

Mistletoe’s reputation as a plant of peace, protection, and fertility continued through the Middle Ages. People hung it over doorways to ward off bad luck and ensure healthy livestock and crops. 

Mistletoe as a Christmas decoration

By the 16th century, mistletoe had transitioned from its pagan roots to a Christian backdrop. In Tudor-era England, “kissing boughs” made from mistletoe and other evergreens were common Christmas decorations.

The tradition of smooching under the mistletoe spread, and by the mid-19th century had become popular in the United States. 

Men could “steal” kisses from any woman they chose and if she rejected his advances it was said she’d have bad luck including not receiving any marriage proposals for at least a year.

Charles Dickens referenced this in his 1837 book The Pickwick Papers: When a “branch of mistletoe” was hung from the kitchen ceiling, it “gave rise to a scene of general and most delightful struggling and confusion” and a chaotic flurry of kisses both wanted and unwanted.

Mistletoe in modern times

The “magical” plant was assigned a new function when we entered the modern era of entertainment. Easily recognizable as a symbol of Christmas tradition, mistletoe offers a convenient device to encourage budding romance in movies and television shows. It’s also a simple way to establish awkward scenes and amorous mishaps in sitcoms and films.

Many holiday episodes of TV series, from Bewitched to Happy Days to Friends, feature silly mistletoe setups and jokes, and Scrooged, Toy Story, Batman Returns, and American Psycho are just a few fan-favorite movies with notable Christmas mistletoe scenes.

Likewise, songs highlighting mistletoe are practically inescapable during the holidays. In 1958, Brenda Lee sang “Mistletoe hung where you can see / Every couple tries to stop”  in the classic holiday song “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” Mommy kissed “Santa” in Jimmy Boyd’s popular Christmas tune, and other musicians from Frank Sinatra to Run-D.M.C. have referenced the evergreen plant in their songs over the years.

While the practice of hanging mistletoe at Christmastime is still going strong today, the rules about kissing are more relaxed – we are post-covid and #metoo, after all. Whether you plan to encourage kissing under the evergreen leaves or not, it couldn’t hurt to hang a festive sprig of mistletoe in the doorway as you decorate for the holidays. It might even ward off bad luck or help you resolve an argument with a friend.