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MistletoeSymbolism – what meaning and properties are attributed to mistletoe?
Symbolism - mistletoe?

Symbolism – what meaning and properties are attributed to mistletoe?

Nowadays, we are not sure where exactly it comes from and when the custom of hanging mistletoe twigs in houses has appeared. In England mistletoe has been hung in houses since the 17th century. It is believed that the English took this custom from the Celts, who once lived in the territory of present-day Great Britain. Why did the Celts hang mistletoe in their homes? Because they believed it was a shrub with magical qualities. According to Celtic beliefs, it was supposed to protect the houses from demons and other evil powers. In addition, the Celts prepared a mistletoe infusion that served as an antidote. 

Mistletoe is a semi-parasite that grows on trees using the water and mineral salts of the host (at the same time the plant itself can produce food through photosynthesis, hence the name semi-parasite). So why has this inconspicuous and not entirely independent plant become a Christmas symbol? It is difficult to give a precise answer to this question. According to historians, the custom of kissing under mistletoe comes from the 17th England, when a man, after each kiss, picked one fruit from a twig under which he kissed. If, at Christmas, he managed to pick all the fruit, he would receive the gift of fertility. It is not known exactly where this custom and the beliefs connected with it came from. It is supposed that the sticky, specific juice that the mistletoe fruit contains could be associated with the divine seed. 

The symbolism of mistletoe is very rich. Throughout the centuries, people have attributed all kinds of meanings and properties to it. Among the most popular and important are:

  • Fertility – according to Celtic beliefs (and also according to the tradition of the English kissing under mistletoe to gain fertility by a man), mistletoe was considered a symbol of fertility. It was believed that carrying mistletoe could have a positive effect on potency and overall sexual performance,
  • Life – here you can try to find the biological justification of this symbol, because mistletoe belongs to evergreen plants,
  • The Sun and the Moon – in the case of this symbolism, we also need to reach out to Celtic beliefs and traditions. We will find in them a description of the custom of annual cutting of mistletoe using a golden sickle, 
  • Protection – according to tradition, mistletoe was supposed to protect against fires and lightning (for this reason, it was usually hung over domestic hearths).

On this occasion, it is worth mentioning that the first references to the magical properties of mistletoe come from ancient times. Already then, mistletoe was considered a plant with exceptional properties. The shrub found on an oak was considered one of the strongest talismans. The druids mentioned earlier cut down the mistletoe with a golden sickle and also believed in its magical powers. Therefore, the mistletoe had to be cut according to a strictly defined ritual, on the day of the winter solstice.

Nowadays, we are not sure where exactly it comes from and when the custom of hanging mistletoe twigs in houses has appeared. In England mistletoe has been hung in houses since the 17th century. It is believed that the English took this custom from the Celts, who once lived in the territory of present-day Great Britain. Why did the Celts hang mistletoe in their homes? Because they believed it was a shrub with magical qualities. According to Celtic beliefs, it was supposed to protect the houses from demons and other evil powers. In addition, the Celts prepared a mistletoe infusion that served as an antidote. 

Mistletoe is a semi-parasite that grows on trees using the water and mineral salts of the host (at the same time the plant itself can produce food through photosynthesis, hence the name semi-parasite). So why has this inconspicuous and not entirely independent plant become a Christmas symbol? It is difficult to give a precise answer to this question. According to historians, the custom of kissing under mistletoe comes from the 17th England, when a man, after each kiss, picked one fruit from a twig under which he kissed. If, at Christmas, he managed to pick all the fruit, he would receive the gift of fertility. It is not known exactly where this custom and the beliefs connected with it came from. It is supposed that the sticky, specific juice that the mistletoe fruit contains could be associated with the divine seed. 

The symbolism of mistletoe is very rich. Throughout the centuries, people have attributed all kinds of meanings and properties to it. Among the most popular and important are:

  • Fertility – according to Celtic beliefs (and also according to the tradition of the English kissing under mistletoe to gain fertility by a man), mistletoe was considered a symbol of fertility. It was believed that carrying mistletoe could have a positive effect on potency and overall sexual performance,
  • Life – here you can try to find the biological justification of this symbol, because mistletoe belongs to evergreen plants,
  • The Sun and the Moon – in the case of this symbolism, we also need to reach out to Celtic beliefs and traditions. We will find in them a description of the custom of annual cutting of mistletoe using a golden sickle, 
  • Protection – according to tradition, mistletoe was supposed to protect against fires and lightning (for this reason, it was usually hung over domestic hearths).

On this occasion, it is worth mentioning that the first references to the magical properties of mistletoe come from ancient times. Already then, mistletoe was considered a plant with exceptional properties. The shrub found on an oak was considered one of the strongest talismans. The druids mentioned earlier cut down the mistletoe with a golden sickle and also believed in its magical powers. Therefore, the mistletoe had to be cut according to a strictly defined ritual, on the day of the winter solstice.

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We present you our offer of ecological decorations. Especially for you, we create Christmas and Advent wreaths, mini-Christmas trees and mistletoe balls and bouquets. We also offer nature painted, paintings and forests in jars.