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The origins of kissing under the mistletoe, a plant that often bears white berries, are often traced to a tale in Norse mythology about the god Baldur. In many tellings, Frigg declares the mistletoe to be a symbol of love after her son’s death and promises to kiss anyone who passed underneath it.
What happens if you don’t kiss under the mistletoe?
The tradition said that it’s bad luck to refuse to be kissed under the mistletoe. That being said, make sure that you don’t eat the berries because they may be poisonous. It’s an interesting tradition that has its roots in ancient history.
Do you have to kiss on the lips under mistletoe?
4. Mistletoe kissing is not mandatory. If you find yourself standing side-by-side under the mistletoe with your boss, a stranger, or literally anyone you’re not trying to smooch, try an air kiss, hug, handshake, high five or a shoulder shrug instead. 5.
Where did the kissing under the mistletoe tradition come from?
The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe started in ancient Greece, during the festival of Saturnalia and later in marriage ceremonies, because of the plant’s association with fertility. During the Roman era, enemies at war would reconcile their differences under the mistletoe, which to them represented peace.
Is it cheating if you kiss someone under the mistletoe?
Mistletoe is almost a binding legal contract! Women were more forgiving of mistletoe kisses, 41% say it’s not cheating, compared to 34% of men. Older people are also MUCH cooler with their significant other kissing people under the mistletoe than younger people.
What should you remove after kissing under the mistletoe?
After every kiss a berry should be removed from the bush and once all of the berries have been taken the kissing must cease! Some cultures see a kiss under the mistletoe as a promise to marry so be careful out there boys and girls!.
Why do people kiss with their eyes closed?
Most people can’t focus on anything as close as a face at kissing distance so closing your eyes saves them from looking at a distracting blur or the strain of trying to focus. Kissing can also make us feel vulnerable or self-conscious and closing your eyes is a way of making yourself more relaxed.
How do you get your crush under the mistletoe?
How to Use Food to Get Your Crush Under the Mistletoe Bribe him with cookies. Threaten to poison his pudding. Tease him with chocolate. Cook him his favorite meal. Eat a chocolate-covered strawberry (slowly) in front of him. Prepare your lips with cherry-flavored lip gloss. Greet him with a piece of apple pie.
What does a mistletoe symbolize?
Historically, mistletoe represents romance, fertility, and vitality. Because nothing says love like bird feces and poison. But seriously, the Celtic Druids valued mistletoe for its healing properties and likely were among the first to decorate with it.
What is the mistletoe rule?
Under a sprig of mistletoe, a man must kiss the nearest lady only on the cheek. Once the kissing is done, a berry must be removed from the mistletoe. When all of the berries are gone, the mistletoe has lost its kiss-compelling powers!Dec 5, 2014.
Why do people kiss with tongue?
Older research shows that for women, kissing is a way to size up a potential mate. Open mouth and tongue kissing are especially effective in upping the level of sexual arousal, because they increase the amount of saliva produced and exchanged. The more spit you swap, the more turned on you’ll get.
Why do we use mistletoe at Christmas?
The plant’s romantic overtones most likely started with the Celtic Druids of the 1st century A.D. Because mistletoe could blossom even during the frozen winter, the Druids came to view it as a sacred symbol of vivacity, and they administered it to humans and animals alike in the hope of restoring fertility.
Who Invented kissing and why?
The Romans were the ones who popularized kissing, spreading the practice to most of Europe and parts of North Africa. “They were devoted ‘kissing’ missionaries,” Bryant said. For them, a kiss wasn’t just a kiss. There was the osculum, which was a kiss of friendship often delivered as a peck on the cheek.
What happens when two people are under mistletoe?
According to custom, if you’re caught standing under the mistletoe, you may get a kiss. According to happier versions of the legend, Baldur (sometimes spelled Baldr or Balder) was killed by an enemy’s arrow made of mistletoe. His mother, the goddess Frigg, wept tears onto the arrow.
Why do we kiss?
A kiss is the touch or pressing of one’s lips against another person or an object. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sexual attraction, sexual activity, sexual arousal, affection, respect, greeting, friendship, peace, and good luck, among many others.
What kind of trees does mistletoe grow in?
While mistletoe can grow on more than 100 different types of trees, it is most often found on pecan, hickory, oaks, red maple and black gum in North Carolina. Mistletoe is a small evergreen shrub that is semi-parasitic on other plants.
What is a Christmas mistletoe?
Mistletoe is a plant that grows on range of trees including willow, apple and oak trees. The tradition of hanging it in the house supposedly goes back to the times of the ancient Druids; however, there’s little evidence that this happened.
How long does someone’s saliva stay in your mouth after you kiss?
No matter how fleeting the encounter, the DNA will hang around in their mouth for at least an hour. This means that women’s saliva could contain evidence of unwanted attention in cases of assault, or even telltale signs of infidelity.
