HOW DID MISTLETOE BECOME A CHRISTMAS TRADITION

There are a lot of traditions associated with Christmas. One of them is kissing under the Mistletoe.

Mistletoe is a tree that grows on range of trees including willow, apple and oak trees.

[{"selector":"#anim-fca2d2da-35f4-4a73-a4a1-4973f9320d50 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 2.86224584662473e-7%) scale(0.9433962264150944)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

The tradition of hanging mistletoe in the house supposedly goes back to the ancient Druids. But there's no evidence for this claim.

[{"selector":"#anim-19d6e421-0e7b-4a57-acca-4fbe6c8678b8 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0, 9.85999612234353%, 0)","translate3d(0, 0%, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

In Norse mythology, the tree is mentioned as a sign of love and friendship.

[{"selector":"#anim-d0ca4b68-b56b-4a55-b09f-884b8eadec74 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-4.954954954954954%, -4.954954954954954%) scale(0.9009009009009009)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

The tradition of kissing under it came from England with earliest record dating back to 1784.

[{"selector":"#anim-8662794e-2902-4e4e-b4eb-68b77e973ab6 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(4.804804804804804%, -0.6496878763565661%) scale(0.9009009009009009)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

It started in the 1720s, in the early Georgian period where the tree was hung on the old English decoration called the Christmas Bough.

[{"selector":"#anim-e3ef7d84-322f-4d6c-b832-17a75246eea4 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-2.8165657994094058e-15%, 2.7333158669762264e-7%) scale(0.9009009009009009)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

The illustration of mistletoe kissing also appeared in the book version of 'A Christmas Carol' in 1843.

[{"selector":"#anim-31a18206-1f2b-4070-a3bf-c45ab7d59bd4 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-9.939318762848183%, 0.39390769050338387%) scale(0.7058823529411764)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

click here

[{"selector":"#anim-5bc94014-5c25-4d3b-82dc-7c9fc194a0ae [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e3258393-073a-4090-a2fc-4fb8ecb53012","keyframes":[{"transform":"scale(1)","offset":0},{"transform":"scale(1.5)","offset":0.33},{"transform":"scale(0.95)","offset":0.66},{"transform":"scale(1)","offset":1}],"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-1de02055-0f41-46a4-8de9-54592675d2c8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6836b47f-5750-4fa6-828e-d482a2dc0e9a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b04222dc-dfd5-424a-9e0c-770c1ac0d88f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -81.50912%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]