OF MISTLETOE…
Viscum album – the original mistletoe of European myth, legend and tradition.
The word 'mistletoe' derives from the older form 'mistle', adding the Old English word tān (twig).
'Mistle' is common Germanic (Old High German mistil, Middle High German. mistel, Old English mistel, Old Norse mistil).
In France it was often given as a Porte-Bonheur - a gift for luck, particularly for the New Year, rather than at Christmas.
This association with peace may have origins as ancient as the kissing custom, as the plant is associated with peace in the Norse, Greek and Roman traditions about mistletoe.
The peace association was a tradition in Britain too at one time, though it has become eclipsed by the kissing custom feature.
During the First World War embroidered ‘silk’ postcards sent from the Front at Christmas often depicted mistletoe, perhaps emphasising mistletoe’s value both as a symbol of peace and as a message for loved ones.
There are many explanations of the kissing tradition – though most relate either to the Norse legend of Baldr or to the view that mistletoe is an ancient symbol of fertility.
The most obvious fertility aspect is that, as an evergreen growth on a deciduous host, mistletoe, as a parasitic can be seen as symbolic of the continuing ‘life-force’ (and vitality/fertility) of the host tree through the winter (which may be particularly significant if the tree is your sacred oak, in Druidic traditions).
According to the custom, any two people who meet under a hanging of mistletoe are obliged to kiss. The custom may be of Scandinavian origin.
It was described as early as 1820 by Washington Irving in his ‘The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon’:
‘The mistletoe is still hung up in farm-houses and kitchens at Christmas, and the young men have the privilege of kissing the girls under it, plucking each time a berry from the bush. When the berries are all plucked the privilege ceases!’
I wish you all the very best, and thank you for all your kind words, time, comments and faves. Very much appreciated.
M, (*_*)
For more of my other work visit here: www.indigo2photography.com
IT IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN (BY LAW!!!) TO USE ANY OF MY image or TEXT on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved
OF MISTLETOE…
Viscum album – the original mistletoe of European myth, legend and tradition.
The word 'mistletoe' derives from the older form 'mistle', adding the Old English word tān (twig).
'Mistle' is common Germanic (Old High German mistil, Middle High German. mistel, Old English mistel, Old Norse mistil).
In France it was often given as a Porte-Bonheur - a gift for luck, particularly for the New Year, rather than at Christmas.
This association with peace may have origins as ancient as the kissing custom, as the plant is associated with peace in the Norse, Greek and Roman traditions about mistletoe.
The peace association was a tradition in Britain too at one time, though it has become eclipsed by the kissing custom feature.
During the First World War embroidered ‘silk’ postcards sent from the Front at Christmas often depicted mistletoe, perhaps emphasising mistletoe’s value both as a symbol of peace and as a message for loved ones.
There are many explanations of the kissing tradition – though most relate either to the Norse legend of Baldr or to the view that mistletoe is an ancient symbol of fertility.
The most obvious fertility aspect is that, as an evergreen growth on a deciduous host, mistletoe, as a parasitic can be seen as symbolic of the continuing ‘life-force’ (and vitality/fertility) of the host tree through the winter (which may be particularly significant if the tree is your sacred oak, in Druidic traditions).
According to the custom, any two people who meet under a hanging of mistletoe are obliged to kiss. The custom may be of Scandinavian origin.
It was described as early as 1820 by Washington Irving in his ‘The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon’:
‘The mistletoe is still hung up in farm-houses and kitchens at Christmas, and the young men have the privilege of kissing the girls under it, plucking each time a berry from the bush. When the berries are all plucked the privilege ceases!’
I wish you all the very best, and thank you for all your kind words, time, comments and faves. Very much appreciated.
M, (*_*)
For more of my other work visit here: www.indigo2photography.com
IT IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN (BY LAW!!!) TO USE ANY OF MY image or TEXT on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved