8 Days til’ Christmas Countdown: Kissing under the mistletoe is a christmas tradition that has its origins in ancient practices specifically in places with colder climates or those that experience cold winter months.
Mistletoes are plants that grow on a variety of trees including oak, apple and willows. The mistletoe was believed to help with specific ailments and health issues such as epilepsy, arthritis and infertility. However, consumed in large quantities as with many potent plants and herbs it could be highly poisonous. Today, some herbalists and medical practitioners say it can be used as a helping aid in curing cancer.
Mistletoe is a resilient plant that keeps its rich green color and prospers all winter long, even in the some of the coldest conditions.
It’s strength and vitality made it a symbolic token of eternal life and good fortune – becoming incorporated into rituals, ceremonies and hung above doorways as a representation of prosperity and everlasting peace even when conditions were brutal – like during those harsh winter months.
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