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Why Do We Kiss Under the Mistletoe at Christmas? The Weird History of a Very Smoochy Plant

A very romantic tradition built around a very weird plant.

By the Buzzuh Team

The short answer

People kiss under the mistletoe because of a mix of old legends and a very popular English Christmas custom. Mistletoe was linked to luck and life in ancient Europe, and by the late 1700s and early 1800s, kissing under a hanging sprig had become a holiday party tradition in England. It later spread to America, where it's still hanging around today.

First, mistletoe is kind of a freeloader

Mistletoe doesn't grow in the ground. It grows on the branches of trees, tapping into its host to steal water and nutrients. It still makes some of its own food from sunlight, which is why scientists call it a "hemiparasite." Half parasite, all drama.

Birds eat the berries and spread the sticky seeds to new branches, often in their droppings. One popular (though debated) theory says the old English name comes from words meaning something like "dung on a twig." Very festive.

Ancient people thought it was magical

Because mistletoe stays green in winter while its host tree goes bare, it seemed special to people long ago. The Roman writer Pliny the Elder described Druids carefully cutting mistletoe from oak trees with a golden sickle and treating it as a sacred plant.

Mistletoe also shows up in Norse mythology. In the old story, the god Baldur is killed by a weapon made of mistletoe, the one plant that hadn't promised not to hurt him. You may have heard a sweeter ending where his mother turns mistletoe into a symbol of love, but that happy twist seems to be a much later add-on.

So where does the kissing come in?

The smooching part caught on in England by the late 1700s, apparently starting in the servants' kitchens before spreading to pretty much everyone. A sprig or a decorated "kissing ball" would hang at holiday parties, and anyone caught standing under it could expect a peck on the cheek.

In 1820, American writer Washington Irving described an old rule: each time someone got a kiss under the mistletoe, a berry was picked off. When the berries ran out, so did the kisses. Honestly, a very efficient system.

A few mistletoe tips before you hang it up

Mistletoe berries and leaves can be toxic, so if you use real mistletoe, hang it well out of reach of kids, dogs and cats. Plenty of people just use the fake stuff, which works just as well for awkward holiday moments.

And remember, a kiss under the mistletoe should always be a friendly, welcome one. A wave, a hug or a quick cheek kiss counts. So does running away laughing.

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