Kissing Under the Mistletoe

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-03-2006
Kissing Under the Mistletoe
123
Tue, 12-04-2007 - 8:28am

Ever wonder where the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe came from? While there are several variations of stories and myths the most historically accurate is that it started as a pagan ritual. Mistletoe was used by the Druids of the British Isles for years as an anectodote for poision, as well as in important fertility rituals. The plant was sacred to the Druids and once cut from a tree, could not touch the ground. Doing so would cause the plant to lose it's power. As with most European pagans the Druids held a festival on the winter solstice to celebrate the sun god returning to them. They would hang an abundance of mistletoe from the celing of the location of their celebration and have a mass fertility ritual. Meaning they all got together, got naked and had sex until dawn broke the next morning. As years passed the use of mistletoe declined and it's original use diminished to a simple kiss if two people find themselves standing underneath it.

Lothiriel


prod_659_23106.jpg Submission image by HeatherMichelle1975

lothmaybe1.jpg

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iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-2007
Tue, 12-04-2007 - 8:32am

i've never heard of the having sex until dawn, but i kind of like that idea.

~ Last year I received a kidney transplant from my older brother from another state. I'm glad and thankful the operation as a success. Just don't tell him that now i have 3!!!
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-01-2006
Tue, 12-04-2007 - 8:57am
Very interesting... I can honestly say I didn't know that...



28999825.jpg picture by nhgal2006

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-25-2006
Tue, 12-04-2007 - 9:29am

Hi L !


Thanks - I didn't know this story, but our local paper ran an article about the Yule log and the history of that tradition - I found it very interesting and didn't know a thing about it either before reading the paper...so much preparation beforehand starting in the summer.


It's funny to me that so many 'holidays' are a mixture of Pagan and Christian origin.











iVillage Member
Registered: 08-03-2006
Tue, 12-04-2007 - 9:41am
I completely agree with you moon. In fact most Christian traditions at Christmas stem from Pagan ritual and tradition, particularly Norse Tradition. Such as the Christmas tree, the Norse would decorate a tree a on the night of the solstice with fruit, nuts and candles. The tree represents Yggdrasil, the world tree upon which all 9 worlds of the Norse cosmos rest. The tree was kept up for the 12 days of Yule, when Christianity came to Scandinavia, they kept the tradition to soothe the transition from the old pagan religion to Christianity. Another one is the Christmas wreath. Huge wheels or wreaths of evergreen or holly were constructed and rolled down a hill to signal the return of the sun god on the solstice, they were also used to decorate the doors of

lothmaybe1.jpg

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-07-2007
Tue, 12-04-2007 - 4:53pm

"i've never heard of the having sex until dawn, but i kind of like that idea. but this is the season to break out my mistletoe belt buckle ;)"

*snort*

I used to know a guy who wore one of those. Made me laugh all season long. I never did kiss him though. *wink*

~ breath out...so I can breathe you in ~

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-2007
Tue, 12-04-2007 - 4:57pm

are you implying that if i were to wear one of those you'd laugh but would be inclined to kiss me under the mistletoe?

~ Last year I received a kidney transplant from my older brother from another state. I'm glad and thankful the operation as a success. Just don't tell him that now i have 3!!!
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-07-2007
Tue, 12-04-2007 - 5:09pm

*smiles* Exactly right. Though laughing might be a bit extreme. I'd probably just giggle a little while trying to unobtrusively check out the present under the mistletoe before 'blowing' a kiss. *wink*

Nice to meet you too.

~ breath out...so I can breathe you in ~

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-2007
Tue, 12-04-2007 - 5:22pm
i like you choice of words with 'blowing' a kiss.
~ Last year I received a kidney transplant from my older brother from another state. I'm glad and thankful the operation as a success. Just don't tell him that now i have 3!!!
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-07-2007
Tue, 12-04-2007 - 5:28pm

I'm doing well.

~ breath out...so I can breathe you in ~

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-2007
Tue, 12-04-2007 - 5:36pm
I'm well thank you for asking, today was mostly a waste of time at work, and since i'm almost done why start working now.
~ Last year I received a kidney transplant from my older brother from another state. I'm glad and thankful the operation as a success. Just don't tell him that now i have 3!!!

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