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Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Mistletoe


A Regency Christmas story wouldn't be complete without the hero and heroine celebrating their love with a kiss under the mistletoe. Long a symbol of fertility, mistletoe, with its glossy green leaves and white berries, has become a Christmas symbol of love and marriage.

Mistletoe is an evergreen, a spot of life in the brown, dormant landscape of a northern winter. At this low point of the year, Regency people decorated their houses with mistletoe, along with other seasonal greens such as Christmas rose (Hellebore), evergreen boughs, holly, ivy, hawthorn, laurel, rosemary, and bay, as a reminder that spring would return.

In England, mistletoe, which is a parasite, grows most often on apple trees, but also on blackthorn, hawthorn, lime, poplar, rowan and willow. Although its range extends from Devon to Yorkshire, the plant grows mainly to the south and west, and is particularly abundant around London.

Some of the myths surrounding mistletoe originated with the Druids, who deemed the plant a sexual symbol--the juice from the white berries resembles semen--and, by extension, an aphrodisiac. As part of their winter solstice ceremonies, they cut mistletoe from oak trees, providing a link to the later holiday of Christmas.

The origin of kissing under the mistletoe may derive from the Norse legend of the death of the sun god, Balder, killed by a sprig of mistletoe hurled by his enemy Loki. When Balder's mother, Frigga, the goddess of love, cried over her son, her tears resurrected him. In gratitude, she kissed everyone who came under the mistletoe.

A lesser known legend declares mistletoe the plant of peace. Enemies meeting under the mistletoe had to embrace and declare a truce until the next day. This goodwill and embrace may also be the source of the kiss under the mistletoe.

Regency people used mistletoe in the form of a kissing bough--a simple arrangement of mistletoe decorated with ribbons and hung over a doorway or entrance. The gentleman would kiss his lady and then pluck a white berry and present it to her, perhaps as a symbol of the child he could give her. When all the berries were gone, that sprig of mistletoe could no longer be used to steal kisses, although many people disregarded the berries' absence.

Now, for my latest news. The Wild Rose Press has just contracted my Regency Christmas novella, Mistletoe Everywhere, which incorporates the myth of enemies, in this case, the hero and heroine, declaring a truce under the mistletoe. Short blurb: A man who sees mistletoe everywhere is mad--or in love. More info here.

My Christmas present. Thank you, Wild Rose Press.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

Linda

7 comments:

Penny Watson said...

Cool post, Linda. (I have a background in botany, so I am totally digging all this plant stuff!). Can't wait to read your Christmas story next year. Merry Christmas!

Barbara Edwards said...

I'm so glad I dropped by. I learned something I didn't know about mistletoe--What fun.

Linda Banche said...

Hi Penelope, glad I was able to feed your plant habit. I'll keep you posted on my story.

Thanks, Barbara. I didn't know this stuff either until I looked it up for my latest story. I could have written several more posts with all the information I found.

Kelley Heckart said...

Great post. I love history too. I am familiar with the Druid traditons involving mistletoe, but not about some of the Regency mistletoe traditions you mentioned. Very cool. Thanks. Good luck with your Christmas release!

kelleyheckart.com

Linda Banche said...

Hi Kelly. I'm glad you enjoyed the post. And thanks for your good wishes. Merry Christmas.

Jen Childers said...

Congrats!
I always enjoy reading your stuff.
A new years motto, in case you need one:
What would I do if I wasn't afraid

take the step and let your light shine!
Happy New year to all

Linda Banche said...

Hi Jen, thanks, and I'm glad you enjoy my posts. Good New's Year's motto for anyone!