Texas mistletoe good for holiday smooches, even livestock feed 

By LYNN MONTGOMERY | East Texas Edition

Dec. 22, 2005 - Hanging mistletoe in a doorway is a tradition that’s generated many holiday kisses, and even some good laughs if the to-be-smooched is surprised.

What exactly is mistletoe and how did this tradition be-gin?

Mistletoe is an evergreen parasitic plant that grows on various trees. The plant is either female (produces berries) or male (produces only pollen).

Mistletoe got its name in the second century from Anglo-Saxons. The Old English term is misteltan. Mistel means “dung” and tan is “twig.” Translated the name “misteltan” means dung-on-a-twig, according to the Howstuffworks website. So, basically, mistletoe’s name is derived from bird droppings on a branch.

There is more than one species of mistletoe, but the Texas version is not toxic, and according to Dr. John Reagor, head of toxicology at the Texas Veterinary Diagnostic Medical Lab. He did suggest to “treat with caution” if live mistletoe is purchased from a store because it could be the toxic version from another state. 

Reagor said good mistletoe is not a bad livestock feed when the leaves are green and fleshy. “We wintered some goats and cattle with mistletoe back in the ‘50s,” he said.

The plant is not all good for the host tree, though. Because mistletoe is a parasitic plant, it will eventually kill a tree, but “it will take a long time,” the toxicologist said.

As far as the original for the kissing tradition associated with the the plant, two stories give insight.

The first story is from the eighth century, when Balder, the god of the summer sun, dreamed he was going to die. His mother, Frigga, the goddess of love and beauty, was very upset because if Balder died, then so would everything on Earth. She went to all the elements — air, fire, water, and earth, as well as to all the animals and plants — asking them not to allow Balder to die. 

The Viking lore notes Balder’s enemy, Loki, found Balder’s one weakness: Mistletoe. Mistletoe has no roots and therefore could not be affected by Frigga’s plea. Making the dream come true, Loki made a poisoned dart and tricked Balder’s blind brother Hoder into shooting the arrow, which struck and killed his brother.

For three days, all the elements tried to bring Balder back to life. Frigga’s tears, though, turned the mistletoe’s berries from red to white, which was enough to raise Balder from the dead, according to the story. Because of this, Frigga changed mistletoe’s reputation of being bad and kissed everyone who walked underneath it out of gratitude for its hand at getting her son’s life restored. 

Another story involved the Druids from Britain. In a special ceremony, five days after the new moon following winter solstice, the Druids would cut mistletoe from an oak tree (and sacrifice two white bulls while prayers were being said) so the priests could hand out the sprigs. The people believed it would keep them safe from evil spirits and storms. 

The Druids also believed that whenever enemies met under the mistletoe in the forest, they had to lay down their arms and observe a day of truce ... until the next day. From this, according to one website on the subject, “came the ancient custom of hanging a ball of mistletoe from the ceiling and exchanging kisses under it as a sign of friendship and goodwill.” 

So, this holiday, if the children get bored or Pa needs to get out of the “hen” house, send them on a search for mistletoe. But, be aware of where the mistletoe is hung because an old aunt, or a cute cousin, just might want to give you a smooch! 

Seasons Greetings!