Druids unveil mystery of the mistletoe

LONDON: Druids recreated an ancient ceremony at Britain’s largest mistletoe market on Tuesday to honour the festive plant, traditionally held over the heads of those in the mood for a cheeky Christmas kiss.    Devotees of the Celtic religion also revealed the little-known — and surprising — reasons why the festive sprig is just the job for those feeling both festive and frisky. Out to rediscover the plant’s spiritual side, druids performed the blessing in England’s self-styled ‘Mistletoe Town’, Tenbury Wells, in Worcestershire, England.

The druids believe mistletoe is special because it never touches the ground, and possesses symbolic fertility qualities. Druid Stefan Allen, from the Mistletoe Foundation, revealed just what makes mistletoe so appropriate to smooch beneath. “Traditionally mistletoe was considered to be the semen of the gods and of the forest, because the berries contain a liquid that looks like and has the texture of semen,” he said. “This is the real reason we kiss under it at Christmas, this and because mistletoe blooms in the dark womb of wintertime.”

Huddled in a circle, the druids clasped bunches of mistletoe and performed a ritual asking for the plant to bring blessings to all the homes it was going to.

Mistletoe received a further seal of approval after members of Britain’s lower House of Commons proposed a motion backing the creation of an annual national Mistletoe Day, planned for December 1 each year.