On Christmas Day, Western couples have a tradition of sharing a kiss beneath the mistletoe. But what is the significance of this practice?
A kiss under the mistletoe.
Western culture places great importance on Christmas, with numerous customs that may be difficult for us Asians to fully comprehend. Among these is the recurring image of “a kiss under the mistletoe.”
So, what does mistletoe symbolize? Its significance actually stems from a famous myth in Norse mythology.
The Legend of Mistletoe begins with the story of the summer sun god named Balder. Balder once dreamt that he would die. The young Balder shared this dream with his mother, the goddess Frigga, who was the goddess of love and beauty.
Upon hearing this, Frigga became extremely worried, believing that the dream might be an omen. She prayed to all things on Earth to protect Balder.
She also declared that if Balder were to die, everything would perish as well. Consequently, Balder grew up immune to any plants or materials that came from the ground, which children would throw at him. However, one of Balder’s enemies, Loki, found a loophole in Frigga’s curse – the mistletoe.
Mistletoe does not grow from the ground but rather lives on other trees, so it was not affected by Frigga’s curse. Realizing this, Loki fashioned an arrow from mistletoe and tricked the blind brother, Hod, into using it to shoot Balder.
That very arrow killed Balder. For three days, all beings on Earth sought ways to save Balder but to no avail.
Balder is killed by Hod’s arrow.
Finally, it was the tears of his mother, Frigga, that transformed the mistletoe berries from red to white, bringing Balder back to life. Overjoyed, goddess Frigga reclaimed the bad reputation of mistletoe and kissed everyone who passed beneath it, in gratitude for saving her son.
From that time on, Westerners have had the tradition of hanging mistletoe at their doorways during Christmas. Couples in love began to kiss under the mistletoe, believing that the goddess Frigga witnessed and protected their love forever.
According to some sources, this tradition originated during the reign of Queen Victoria in England, around the 16th century. It became a religious belief so strong that when two opposing armies clashed, even if they were filled with hatred, they would cease fighting if they saw mistletoe in front of them.
If you want to learn more about this incredibly romantic tradition, join us in exploring the video below.
