where did the myth of the mistletoe come from??

Answer 1

It is most assciated with Norse Mythology- I used to know some of the origins but I forgot most of them- so I did a search and got a refresher, here is what I found :

The magical tradtions - From the earliest times mistletoe has been one of the most magical, mysterious, and sacred plants of European folklore. It was considered a bestower of life and fertility; a protectant against poison; and an aphrodisiac.

The mistletoe of the sacred oak was especially sacred to the ancient Celtic Druids. On the sixth night of the moon white-robed Druid priests would cut the oak mistletoe with a golden sickle. Two white bulls would be sacrificed amid prayers that the recipients of the mistletoe would prosper.

Later, the ritual of cutting the mistletoe from the oak came symbolize the emasculation of the old King by his successor. Mistletoe was long regarded as both a sexual symbol and the "soul" of the oak. It was gathered at both mid-summer and winter solstices, and the custom of using mistletoe to decorate houses at Christmas is a survival of the Druid and other pre-Christian traditions. (Mistletoe is still ceremonially plucked on mid-summer eve in some Celtic and Scandinavian countries.)

In the Middle Ages and later, branches of mistletoe were hung from ceilings to ward off evil spirits. In Europe they were placed over house and stable doors to prevent the entrance of witches.

It was also believed that the oak mistletoe could extinguish fire. This was associated with an earlier belief that the mistletoe itself could come to the tree during a flash of lightning.

In parts of England and Wales farmers would give the Christmas bunch of mistletoe to the first cow that calved in the New Year. This was thought to bring good luck to the entire herd.

Kissing under the mistletoe is first found associated with )the Greek festival of Saturnalia) and later with primitive marriage rites. Mistletoe was believed to have the power of bestowing fertility, and the dung from which the mistletoe was thought to arise was also said to have "life-giving" power.

In Scandinavia, mistletoe was considered a plant of peace, under which enemies could declare a truce or warring spouses kiss and make-up.

In some parts of England the Christmas mistletoe is burned on the twelfth night lest all the boys and girls who have kissed under it never marry.

And for those who wish to observe the correct etiquette: a man should pluck a berry when he kisses a woman under the mistletoe, and when the last berry is gone, there should be no more kissing!

Answer 2

Mistletoe is not a myth. It grows on trees. I've picked it and sold it for fundraising when I was a kid.

I like the tradition that you get to kiss the girl under the mistletoe. Is that what you are referring to? I don't know when that tradition began or why. Would be interesting to know. Good question if that's whay you mean.

Answer 3

From some lovers, that happened to be kissing underneath a Mistletoe tree.
I thinks its romantic. Gives a good excuse to kiss and make out!

Answer 4

Ancient Celts called mistletoe "heal-all"--its berries (poisonous) were supposedly imbued with magical powers.

The berries (white and waxy--don't eat them!) represented semen that fell from the sky (lusty sky god having sex in the heavens, I suppose) and made plants grow in the trees. Thus, the plant (especially the berries) was used for fertility and holiday (lusty) good cheer.

Since it's evergreen and you can see it when the leaves fall off deciduous trees, it was seen as a symbol of eternal life and regeneration--green in the midst of the cold winter.

The myth mainly came from northern Europe, like Scandinavia and Britain (Picts, Celts, Norse.)