Why Do People Kiss Under the Mistletoe?

Every Christmas season, sprigs of mistletoe become an unlikely symbol of romance, particularly in the United States and the United Kingdom. A small bouquet of mistletoe, usually hung from a doorway or other location, beckons couples to exchange a quick kiss—an oddly tender custom for a plant that siphons nutrients from its botanical hosts. But how exactly did clippings of a parasitic plant become an excuse for holiday smooches?

European mistletoe (Viscum album), with its cheery green foliage and white berries, is the common mistletoe of literature and Christmas celebrations. Distributed throughout Eurasia, from Great Britain to northern Asia, the plant has long held spiritual significance for various cultures throughout its range. Because it is evergreen, standing in sharp contrast to its leafless and seemingly dead host plants in the winter, mistletoe has often been seen as a symbol of fertility, life, and vitality.

Although exactly how this ancient lore morphed into a romantic holiday tradition remains uncertain, it is generally agreed that the modern custom developed in England. Mistletoe as Christmas greenery, without the kissing, was mentioned in a 1648 poem by Robert Herrick, “Ceremony Upon Candlemas Eve.” One of the earliest documented references to the kissing tradition comes from an English comic opera, Two to One, published in 1784, which mentions three men kissing a young woman beneath the mistletoe. By the early 19th century, the custom reached the United States. American author Washington Irving mentioned it in The Sketch Book in about 1820. As he described, the custom at that time was to pick a berry from the plant after each kiss until all the berries were gone, rendering the sprig useless for more kisses. In some places a kiss under the mistletoe was believed to inevitably lead to marriage, much like catching a bridal bouquet at a wedding.

Today a consensual kiss under the mistletoe is a lighthearted holiday tradition for many—an opportunity for a little flirtatious fun in the midst of a busy Christmas season. That a clingy, parasitic plant has come to symbolize affection and romance is a testament to the power of tradition and to the delightful ways culture can transform even the humblest organism into holiday magic.