The Origin of Mistletoe

“Oh ho the mistletoe, hung where you can see. Somebody waits for you, kiss her once for me.”

Burl Ives sung those words in “Holly Jolly Christmas” and we sing them right along with him. But what is mistletoe and why do we gather under in hopes of getting a holiday kiss from someone special?

Mistletoe is a parasitic plant which perches on a tree branch and absorbs nutrients from the trunk – hardly one of the most romantic forms of life. But it has been inspiring people to go under it for generations. Mistletoe has a large mythological background across many cultures.

The Greeks believed that Aeneas, the famous ancestor of the Romans carried a sprig of mistletoe in the form of the legendary golden bough. In Eddic tradition, mistletoe was the only thing able to kill the god Baldur, since it had not sworn an oath to leave him alone. Amongst other pre-Christian cultures, mistletoe was believed to carry the male essence, and by extension, romance, fertility, and vitality.

Its use as decoration stems from the fact that it was believed to protect homes from fire and lightning. It was commonly hung at Christmas time only to remain there all year until being replaced by another sprig next Christmas.

The process by which mistletoe became associated with kissing is part of a legend.   As the legend goes, Balder was killed by an evil spirit with an arrow made of mistletoe. Saddened by her son’s death, Frigga wept tears of white berries, which brought Balder back to life. Frigga was so overjoyed that she blessed the plant and promised a kiss to all who passed beneath it.

Whatever the origin, don’t forgot to hang some mistletoe this season, for a chance to steal a kiss from that special someone.

Flowers are a perfect way to say ‘thank you’ this holiday season

Being the host for Thanksgiving dinner is no small undertaking – it takes a lot of thought and preparation. Whether you are going to be a guest or if you will be having guests, flowers are always a great way to say ‘thank you.”   Thank you for having us over to your special feast, or ‘thank you’ for making the time to travel to our home and celebrate with us.

Bringing a nice bouquet of fresh cut sunflowers, for example, to your host will add a special touch to any coffee table or buffet table.   A fall color arrangement will be the perfect centerpiece next to the turkey platter. You could also hand out a single flower to your guests as they leave as a memory of the special time together.

It is also a nice gesture, if you have out of town family staying nearby, you can brighten their room by having a festive bouquet delivered to them to add a touch of home to their surroundings.

The best time to order for a holiday of course is as soon as possible. But if you do want to wait you can order up to Nov 24th to pick up on the 25th so you have it for Thanksgiving which is on the 26th.  If sending to a hotel, order it for delivery on the day your guests are to arrive and make sure you get the name of the person at the hotel that you let know when the flowers will be arriving for your guests.  Also get a confirmation call when they are placed in the room, as hotels are busy this time of year.

A Thanksgiving Thought:

Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use
them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.- W.T. Purkise

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