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PRINTWhy do we kiss under the misletoe?
For years, the innocent mistletoe plant has been thought of as a plant with romantic qualities. Ancient Druids once considered mistletoe to be sacred. They believed that mistletoe could cure sickness and protect its owner from evil spirits. The Druids would harvest mistletoe with a special golden sickle, reserved for this purpose only, at the winter solstice, which is a few days before what we now celebrate as Christmas. Because mistletoe was so sacred, the Druids would not allow the plant to touch the ground. They would hang mistletoe over their doorways and entrances, believing that this would help protect the safety and health of all who passed through, as well as promote romance and fertility. They also believed that if a man kissed a woman under the mistletoe and gave a white berry from the plant to the woman, the couple would get married within the next year.
Happy holidays!
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Sandi Duncan is the Managing Editor of the Farmers' Almanac. Click here to read Sandi's full biography.Free Weekly eNewsletter
Farmers' Almanac Long Range Weather
February 12th - February 15th
- Northeast U.S.
Light snow, then fair skies.
- Midwest/Great Lakes U.S.
Flurries, especially Great Lakes.
- Southeast U.S.
Wet weather, then fair skies, milder.
- North Central U.S.
Flurries Northern, Central Plains east. Frigid! Approaching 30 below in parts of Montana, North Dakota.
- South Central U.S.
Scattered snow showers, very cold.
- Northwest U.S.
Gusty winds accompany scattered showers.
- Southwest U.S.
Showery, windy.
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If you notice a hole in the upper left-hand corner of your Farmers' Almanac, don't return it to the store! That hole isn't a defect; it's a part of history. Starting with the first edition of the Farmers' Almanac in 1818, readers used to nail holes into the corners to hang it up in their homes, barns, and outhouses (to provide both reading material and toilet paper). In 1910, the Almanac's publishers began pre-drilling holes in the corners to make it even easier for readers to keep all of that invaluable information (and paper) handy.