how did mistletoe become part of the Christmas tradition?

Question

ok so im working on a school project. So how did mistletoe become part of the holiday seasons tradition?

Answer 1

It comes from the story of Loki and Baldr of the Norse/Germanic gods. Let's see if I can condense this for you:
Baldr was born of Frigga and Odin, the most beautiful and most loved god of all. Frigga gained the oath of every living creature to protect him from harm, all except the mistletoe that was too small and weak to worry about. Loki, being Loki, tricked this information out of Frigga and went to the hall where all the gods were making sport of Baldr and throwing things at him to watch them bounce off. Loki went to Hodr, Baldr's blind brother and asked him why he wasn't joining in on the fun. When Hodr replied that he was blind and had no weapon, Loki placed the mistletoe dart in his hand and guided it for Hodr. Baldr dropped dead to the floor instantly.

Now this is where lore changes depending on what you read, but I remember reading once that Frigga declared that everyone would kiss under the mistletoe to celebrate Baldr and his ressurection at Ragnarok (the end of the world). OLD tradition includes pinching one berry off per kiss. :)

33. From the branch which seemed | so slender and fair
Came a harmful shaft | that Hoth should hurl;
But the brother of Baldr | was born ere long,
And one night old | fought Othin's son

Answer 2

Nowadays, mistletoe is commonly used as a Christmas decoration, though allusions to mistletoe as a Christmas green are rare into the eighteenth century.[5] Viscum album is used in Europe whereas Phoradendron serotinum is used in North America. According to a custom of Christmas cheer, any two people who meet under a hanging of mistletoe are obliged to kiss. The custom is English, rather than Scandinavian in origin.[6]

According to custom, the mistletoe must not touch the ground between its cutting and its removal as the last of Christmas greens at Candlemas; mistletoe might remain hung through the year, often to preserve the house from lightning or fire, until it was replaced the following Christmas Eve.[7]. The tradition has spread throughout the English-speaking world but is largely unknown in the rest of Europe. In previous times the tradition was that the couple took away a fruit each time until they were all used up and at this point the mistletoe lost its vitality. The appearance and nature of the fruit's content (viscin) is very similar or suggestive of human semen and this has strengthened its pagan connections.

Answer 3

It was a Celtic solstice tradition. Their Yule brought several of the items we associate with Christmas, including misteltoe.

Answer 4

i dont know but i like it and i wish 2 be under one wit my guy! lol- jk good luck on your project and merry christmas!