Mistletoe!

Do you hang mistletoe? I never have but always wanted to! This year I saw this pretty crystal with mistletoe at Hallmark. Thad hung it from the chandelier in our foyer - the perfect place to pause for a kiss :)

I was interested in learning more about the story behind mistletoe - I mean after all, how many of us know what it is beyond it being good luck to kiss under the mistletoe? It actually has a very long history dating back to the days of the Druids (pre-Christian) and was considered to bestow life and fertility. The Greeks thought it had mystical powers and it became associated with many folklore customs. In the Middle Ages, branches were hung to ward off evil spirits. In Europe they were placed over doorways to stop witches from entering. Kissing under the mistletoe was first associated with a Greek winter solstice festival and primitive marriage rites. In Scandinavia it was considered a sign of peace - enemies could declare a truce under it, or couples 'make up' under it. In the 18th Century in England it became associated with what we know it as today - a kissing ball - a woman standing under mistletoe could not refuse a kiss - meaning romance or lasting friendship.