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Christmas time is the time to unite and make merry! Christmas time is also the kiss-must time! The mistletoes are all set to charm you with their magic spell of love! The local florists are stocking fresh mistletoe for the holidays. Let’s know the secrets about this decorative symbolic Christmas plant with dark green leaves and glistening white berries. Scroll down this page offered by Christmasonnet and get amazed by the Mistletoe facts!
Before delving deep into the scientific facts about Christmas Mistletoes or Phoradendron flavescens species, which is more commonly known as the American Mistletoe, let’s know | the traditional links of mistletoes to Christmas. The Anglo Saxon meaning of mistletoe is dung on a twig. This name came from the belief of the ancient times that the mistletoe tree could prevent from bird droppings. Mistletoe was believed to possess the magical powers of healing and was sacred to the old Celtic Druids. Another mistletoe belief is that cutting of the mistletoe from the oak stood for the emasculation of the old king by his successor. This is so because they are also believed to be the sexual symbol and the soul of the oak trees.
The tradition of decorating mistletoe during the Christmas season, originated from the pagan customs and practices. The famous Christmas saying “kissing under the mistletoe” bears its origin in the Norse mythology and Celtic rituals. The mistletoe plant has been treated as a sacred one. Moreover, the use of evergreens during the cold bleak chilly Christmas days symbolizes the hope of a glorious spring, survival and hardiness. Mistletoes are used in decorating Christmas wreaths as they mark peace and goodwill on the sacred occasion of Jesus’ birth.
But the history of Christmas mistletoe casts light on the fact that the ancient church stalwarts favored the use of holly to mistletoes in the Christmas festivities. With the passage of time, people started using mistletoes in all Christmas celebrations. There are several myths connected with the use of Christmas mistletoes. According to one popular myth, mistletoe wood was used to make the crucifixion cross of Jesus Christ. The Christmas tradition of kissing under the mistletoe has long been a part of the Christmas celebration. Let’s find out its association with Christmas.
According to the Celtic Druids story of Goddess Frigga that mistletoe plant has magical powers of healing. The Christmas mistletoe belief goes like this that no one can ever be harmed under the mistletoe. From this popular story Christians took the essence of the restoration of life and fertility. In the Middle Age, mistletoes were believed to drive out evil spirits while hung from the ceilings. Kissing under the mistletoe Christmas custom bears its root to a Greek custom. It was a part of the Greek Saturnalia celebration of ancient marriage rites and Scandinavians admit them as icon of peace.
The biological facts about mistletoes state that mistletoes are parasitic plants. There are several types of mistletoes but all are parasitic in nature. Parasitic plants are those who suck their nutrition from the host plant to which they cling to. But the mystery lies in the fact that mistletoe cooks up its own food by the process of photosynthesis.
For collecting more information on Christmas flowers, feel free to browse the pages in our site Christmasonnet Merry Christmas!
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