Mistletoe

Druids Cutting the Mistletoe

Henri Paul Motte

Five days after the first new moon following the Winter Solstice, druid priests cut mistletoe with a golden sickle from a special oak tree. The mistletoe had to be caught before it hit ground. People would then hang it over their doors for protection against evil in the coming year.

Belief in the magical powers of mistletoe outlived the druids. When Christianity became widespread in Europe, the mystical respect for the mistletoe plant was somehow integrated into the new religion, and this may have led to the widespread custom of kissing under the mistletoe plant during the Christmas season.

Mistletoe is a parasitic plant that lives on a host, and it was often considered a pest that kills trees. More recently it's been recognized as a "keystone species," or an organism that has an important influence on its environment. It's a popular decoration, even though mistletoe is poisonous to humans. Other animals depend on mistletoe for food, consuming the leaves and young shoots.

 Gathering the Mistletoe

Frederick McCubbin