Nobody Remembers the REAL Reason for Mistletoe

Nobody Remembers

I don’t meet too many men in kilts do you? But today, but there he was…towing over me…over six feet four, long blond hair to his shoulders, sporting a big, thick gray beard, standing in front of me proudly showing off his blue kilt…..telling me he was the runt of the litter. I didn’t catch his name…but it was Mcsomething or other, and it was his store I was in: a store full of kilts, and hats, and dragons, and crosses, and sheets of arms, and history galore.

It was boring, hot, and humid out–and I had been out in it all day. It was cool in this shop, and wonderfully full of history. We got into a conversations about clans, and Scots—- Wales and Ireland— and the sad demise of red hair.

“So, are you in favor of the Scots getting their independence?” I asked.

“Well, have you heard that the Vikings, who own the oil fields, want official recognition of their special status and they may use their vast oil reserves as a bargaining chip to win the right to referendum, if the Scots do not vote for Independence?”

Okay. I had no idea we still had Viking, but evidently in the Shetland Islands, there are about 23,000 of them, and they claim to be…Vikings. And the Scots, NEED that oil. I wouldn’t mess with them.

And then, while we were talking about the Knights of the Templar, somehow he got on the subject of warriors…and Mistletoe. He described some ancient battle that had taken place, long ago in Celtic land…and how it ended under Mistletoe.

What? Yes, there’s more to Mistletoe than kissing.

He took me to a doorway, and pointed up to a 8×11 picture frame, which hung underneath a Mistletoe, and on which, this was inscribed:

Mistletoe

In ancient Celtic language Mistletoe means “All Heal”. It was believed that the Mistletoe held miraculous magical qualities. Healing and making poisons harmless, it was used for fertility in animals and humans, it gave protection from witchcraft and evil spirits and brought good luck and blessings.

It was considered so scared in fact that when enemies happened to meet in the forest under Mistletoe they would lay down their arms and call a truce until the next day.

From this custom came the practice of hanging Mistletoe in a doorway or middle of a room as a token of peace and good will to all comers.

In cultures across pre-Christian Europe, mistletoe was seen as a representation of divine male essence (and thus romance, fertility and vitality).

I was so in wonder at the story, that the man took DOWN the frame, and the fake mistletoe about it, and handed it to me.

“No…I can’t take that..let me pay you for it.” I said.

“Hey, I can give this to you if I want to, hell, it’s my store.” he said.

To which he got a big hug from me, and come to think about it, I was too flabbergasted to do much of anything but smile.

And then he said, “There is another custom about the mistletoe that I don’t tell anyone, and that’s you pluck a berry THAN you can kiss the girl until all the berries all gone. One berry equals one kiss. But when all the berries are gone, that’s it. No more kisses. I don’t want people plucking all the berries off, so I don’t mention that bit.”

I was thinking about giving the mistletoe and the history to a friend, but…how could I part with such a nice gift from a complete stranger?

So think about this: Men in the heat of battle stopping DEAD in their tracks…due to some parasitic weed. Can you imagine Isis doing that?

Someday I’m going back to that store, and this time, I’m taking my camera.  I will never look upon Mistletoe the same way.

In fact, it’s going above my doorway and staying there all year round.

August 29, 2014 - Posted by Joyanna Adams | History, Uncategorized | History