Advent Calendar Day 20: Mistletoe

December 20, 2011

Symbol of Christmas:

Image source

Mistletoe

I guess the most common use of mistletoe at Christmas is for people to kiss under.  But I just learned some interesting facts about this plant from this site.  The most interesting thing (and I'm not trying to be gross) is where the name comes from.  According to the site, "The word "mistletoe" is derived from the Anglo-Saxon words, "mistel" (dung) and "tan" (twig) --misteltan is the Old English version of mistletoe. It's thought that the plant is named after bird droppings on a branch."  Kind of gross, right?  That makes me think twice about doing any kissing underneath.  Another interesting fact from the same site is this:

Mistletoe (Phoradendron flavescens or Viscum album) is a parasiticplant that grows on trees, particularly hardwood trees like oak and apple. A parasite is a plant or animal that needs another plant or animal to survive. As mistletoe grows on a tree and uses its roots to invade a tree's bark, which allows mistletoe to absorb the tree's nutrients. Sometimes, mistletoe can harm a tree and cause deformities in a tree's branches, but usually it doesn't kill its host. If the host dies, the mistletoe dies.

But what about the kissing stuff?  The article goes on to explain some myths that might be the origins of this tradition:

There are a lot of myths surrounding mistletoe. Vikings dating back to the eighth century believed that mistletoe had the power to raise humans from the dead, relating to the resurrection of Balder, the god of the summer sun [You can read the details of this story here]. Another myth in mistletoe's past comes from Britain. In the first century, the Druids in Britain believed that mistletoe could perform miracles, from providing fertility to humans and animals to healing diseases and protecting people from witchcraft. ... The origin of the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe is vague. However, the tradition may have stemmed from either the Viking association of the plant with Frigga (the goddess of love) or from the ancient belief that mistletoe was related to fertility. Another explanation for the tradition is that it is derived from the festival of Saturnalia, a popular mid-December celebration in ancient Rome.  While mistletoe is widely viewed as a symbol of love and fertility, it's also representative of peace. Ancient tales tell of enemies who encounter each other underneath trees bearing mistletoe. The enemies lay down their arms, embrace, and agree to a truce until the next day. This act of goodwill is yet another possibility for why we kiss under mistletoe: abstaining from violence and exchanging greetings under the plant may have prompted the custom of kissing.

Okay, but what does mistletoe have to do with Christ?  If you remember, mistletoe is a parasite.  It needs a host plant to survive.  We can make the analogy that we are like the mistletoe, and Christ is the tree.  When we attach ourselves to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we are spiritually nourished.  And just as mistletoe lives all year long, we can enjoy the prospects of eternal life as long as we hold fast to the gospel.  I also like that mistletoe is a symbol of peace.  Christ said, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you" (Matthew 5:44).  I hope we can show goodwill toward others, not just at Christmas time, but throughout the year as we hold on to the joy of the gospel, and share it with others.