Nov 16, 2012

The Magic Of Mistletoe ...... And The Winner is Laney4!


By Helen Lacey
Laney, please contact Helen on mail (at) helenlacey (dot) com to to collect your prize!

 My second Harlequin Special Edition book, Marriage Under The Mistletoe, released this month (Dec in the Aus/NZ) And as you can tell from the title it is a Christmas story. Woven between the romance is an ornately decorated tree, wrapped presents and of course mistletoe. But, since we don’t get mistletoe in Australia, I had to make do with the plastic variety for my hero and heroine to smooch beneath.

So I thought it might be fun to find out exactly where and when the tradition of stealing a kiss beneath this innocuous little plant started from.

Thank you Mr Google and MR Wikipedia - Mistletoe, it seems, had a long and complex history. European mistletoe, figured prominently in Greek Mythology and is there is also believed to be a link to the Romans.  And then there’s the link to that old Norse bad boy Loki and various other Norse legends. According to Wikipedia in cultures across pre-Christian Europe, mistletoe was seen as a representation of divine male essence – go figure! And those mighty Celts (perhaps my Welsh ancestors) considered it a remedy for barrenness in animals and an antidote to poison.

Apparently, when Christianity became widespread in Europe after the 3rd century AD, the religious or mystical respect for the mistletoe plant was integrated into the new religion. In some way that is not presently understood, this may have led to the widespread custom of kissing under the mistletoe plant during the Christmas season. The earliest documented case of kissing under the mistletoe dates from 16th century England, a custom that was apparently very popular at that time. (Information courtesy of Wikipedia)
The type of Mistletoe used during Christmas celebrations is of the same type as that believed to be sacred by ancient druids, but, outside northern Europe the plant used is not the same species. The mistletoe that is commonly used as a Christmas decoration in North America grows as a parasite on trees in the west as also in those growing in a line down the east from New Jersey to Florida. In Europe, where the custom originates, the 'original' mistletoe, is still used. The European mistletoe is a green shrub with small, yellow flowers and white, sticky berries which are considered poisonous.

According to ancient Christmas custom, a man and a woman who meet under a hanging of mistletoe were obliged to kiss. And what a fabulous custom it is!

Do you have a mistletoe story you’d like to share? Or maybe just a happy Christmas story? To celebrate the release of Marriage Under The Mistletoe I have a copy to give away to one commenter.

26 comments:

  1. I had my first kiss under the mistletoe when I was 14. Now, there's a cringeworthy memory!

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  2. Started dating Labour Day weekend. He bought my ring in October. He invited himself to our family Christmas in my sister's cramped apartment 2.5 hours away. Last present I opened was his engagement ring. Said I needed time to decide, as I was 21 (and he was 31). Two days later said yes. Wed in July the following summer. Now married over 31 years. Definitely my Happily Ever After.

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  3. Hi Scarlet - what a fabulously romantic gesture though, all cringes aside :) Thanks for stopping by.

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  4. Hi Laney - what a lovely story you have. That's why I love writing romances :) Thanks for commenting.

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  5. Congratulations on your latest release, Helen! I love Christmas stories. Heck, I love Christmas with all its lovely trimmings! I put a holly wreath around the vase on our entry table two years ago. It was so pretty I never put it away =)

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  6. Helen, love learning about holiday traditions. Thanks for sharing with us.
    Can't wait to read the book.

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  7. Hi Helen, lovely cover for your book- I do like a christmas story! Hope it flies off the shelves!

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  8. Love hearing how our traditions started. Thanks Helen.

    Jane

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  9. Hi Robbie - I love holly - I love wrapping gifts in brown paper and string with holly deco's. :)

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  10. Hi Patti - holiday traditions are great, aren't they. Thanks for stopping by.

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  11. Hi Louisa - I love Christmas books and was so pleased to have the chance to write one. Thanks :)

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  12. Hi Jane - great to see you here - thanks for stopping by. :)

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  13. Helen, it's the plastic version for me and ly latest story too. I don't have any memories of being kissed under the mistletoe - something to put on the bucket list???

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  14. Helen, what a lovely time to have a book out - just in time of Christmas! I adore Christmas and think I've passed that on to our kids who love spending family time with us. One of my favourite Christmas memories is of watching the first snow fall late on Christmas Eve when we lived in Europe. Gorgeous. We all rushed out into the park to play in the snow by lamplight.

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  15. Hmm, this is funny memory, but I pull the boy I like when I was 16, under mistletoe, so I can kiss him but the boy was tripped and fall.

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  16. Hi Sue - plastic still works!! And yes, a definate bucket list possibility :)

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  17. Hi Annie - how lovely to see snow at Christmas! That is on my lists of things to see and do :)

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  18. Hi Setephani - what a fabulously funny memory! Thank you so much for sharing it :)

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  19. Helen, your Christmas book looks great! No mistletoe stories here, but I do think it looks so pretty.

    This post reminds me that it's almost time to put the tree up. :)

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  20. I've never even see real mistletoe. Only the fake decorations. I doubt I'd want to kiss anyone one under under a lump of plastic. Not romantic at all I think.

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  21. Hi Rachel - I thought the same thing - Christmas is coming! :)

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  22. Hi Mary - I haven't ever seen the the real stuff either. I just have to have a good imagination with it's plastic copy :) Thanks for stopping by today.

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  23. Back when I first started working, there was one group of engineers that put mistletoe above their office doors. Well, obviously I had to go in quite often but after getting caught once, I made sure to pay attention to who was standing where - there were a few that I didn't mind getting caught lol.

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  24. No mistletoe story here either. The idea of getting caught under it with someone you'd rather not be - not nice - and I can just imagine the attempts at Christmas work parties. Still, it's a very nice idea if you both like each other (sounding like a ten year old!)

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  25. Hi Catslady - ah, the old inter office mistletoe :) Gotta watch those! Thanks for stopping by.

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  26. Hi Joanne - I have to agree about being caught with an unwanted admirer! Thanks for dropping by today.

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