Do you know why people kiss under the mistletoe? Or why people put wreaths on their doors? If the answer is no, then now is the time to find out! If you’ve ever wanted to know where these Christmas floral traditions come from then take a read below, because we’ve done the research for you…
Kissing under the Mistletoe
The Druids believed that mistletoe had mystical healing properties because it was an evergreen plant and hung over their doors for good luck. The Ancient Greeks thought it had a supposedly aphrodisiac appearance and associated it with fertility.
In Norse mythology the God Baldur was so beloved by his mother Frigga that she made a sacred oath with the trees and stones of the earth so that he could not be harmed. But mischievous Loki found something that she had not made the oath with – unassuming mistletoe – and he fashioned an arrow and murdered Baldur!
Some versions of the myth say Frigga’s tears turned into mistletoe berries, which brought Baldur back to life, prompting Frigga to declare mistletoe a symbol of love.Other versions say he was not so lucky!
But it wasn’t until the 19th and 20th centuries that the British public started hanging mistletoe in their homes, with some Victorians who believed that a woman who refused a kiss would end up an old maid!
Poinsettias
Poinsettias are named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first ambassador from the USA to Mexico in 1825 who brought the flower to the United States and sent it as a gift to his friend who was a fellow enthusiastic botanist. With it’s striking red leaves that bloomed in December it became popular among the general public and ended up alll over the world.
But there is also an old Mexican legend as to why it is synonymous with Christmas. A poor little girl (sometimes a boy!) on her way to church service was sad that she had no gift to give to the baby Jesus. The girl creates a bouquet out of weeds she finds on the side of the road as it is the only thing she can give. When she gets to the service and lays them down, the weeds turn into the bright red plant of the poinsettia.
Wreaths on the door
A lot of Christmas traditions are the refashioned myths of the pagans given a Christian spin. Pagans believed that evergreens in winter kept away evil spirits, so they often created boughs and wreaths with holly, mistletoe and ivy. The evergreens were in celebration of the winter solstice in which the hours of daylight would increase for the new year.
Christmas Tree
Medieval Germans brought in trees and decorated them with apples as a symbol of Eden, with the trees known as ‘paradise trees’. Over time they were decorated with other edible ornaments and became a tradition in Germany.
It wasn’t until Prince Albert brought home a tree from his native Germany as a gift to Queen Victoria that the tradition of decorating a Christmas tree really took off in Britain. An illustration published in a fancy magazine showing the royal family around the tree in 1848 inspired many families to follow suit and decorate a tree for their home.
Did you know any of the myths and legends behind these Christmas traditions?
