Mistletoe, in the form of green branches with small, white balls during Christmas, appears in many homes. What does mistletoe symbolize? Where did the custom of hanging it in homes come from? And additionally, a handful of information on the healing properties of this inconspicuous plant. We invite you to read our article!
Symbolism – what meaning and properties are attributed to mistletoe?
Nowadays, we are not sure where exactly it comes from and when the custom of hanging mistletoe twigs in houses has appeared. It is certain that this custom came to Poland through the English. In England, however, mistletoe has been hung in houses since the 17th century. It is believed that the English took this custom from the Celts, who once lived in the territory of present-day Great Britain. Why did the Celts hang mistletoe in their homes? Because they believed it was a shrub with magical qualities. According to Celtic beliefs, it was supposed to protect the houses from demons and other evil powers. In addition, the Celts prepared a mistletoe infusion that served as an antidote.
Mistletoe is a semi-parasite that grows on trees using the water and mineral salts of the host (at the same time the plant itself can produce food through photosynthesis, hence the name semi-parasite). So why has this inconspicuous and not entirely independent plant become a Christmas symbol? It is difficult to give a precise answer to this question. According to historians, the custom of kissing under mistletoe comes from the 17th England, when a man, after each kiss, picked one fruit from a twig under which he kissed. If, at Christmas, he managed to pick all the fruit, he would receive the gift of fertility. It is not known exactly where this custom and the beliefs connected with it came from. It is supposed that the sticky, specific juice that the mistletoe fruit contains could be associated with the divine seed.
The symbolism of mistletoe is very rich. Throughout the centuries, people have attributed all kinds of meanings and properties to it. Among the most popular and important are:
- Fertility – according to Celtic beliefs (and also according to the tradition of the English kissing under mistletoe to gain fertility by a man), mistletoe was considered a symbol of fertility. It was believed that carrying mistletoe could have a positive effect on potency and overall sexual performance,
- Life – here you can try to find the biological justification of this symbol, because mistletoe belongs to evergreen plants,
- The Sun and the Moon – in the case of this symbolism, we also need to reach out to Celtic beliefs and traditions. We will find in them a description of the custom of annual cutting of mistletoe using a golden sickle,
- Protection – according to tradition, mistletoe was supposed to protect against fires and lightning (for this reason, it was usually hung over domestic hearths).
On this occasion, it is worth mentioning that the first references to the magical properties of mistletoe come from ancient times. Already then, mistletoe was considered a plant with exceptional properties. The shrub found on an oak was considered one of the strongest talismans. The druids mentioned earlier cut down the mistletoe with a golden sickle and also believed in its magical powers. Therefore, the mistletoe had to be cut according to a strictly defined ritual, on the day of the winter solstice.
Kissing under mistletoe
The custom started in England has gained popularity in many countries. Especially in the United States, it is very popular and has many supporters. A kiss under mistletoe is supposed to be a good omen. If, on Christmas Day, we stand under mistletoe together with our beloved person and kiss each other, we will ensure happiness and love for years. Although the association with kissing is most correct, it should also be remembered that the mere presence of mistletoe in the home was to provide prosperity and protection from evil powers. It is also worth mentioning that, according to tradition, it was believed that if a woman refused to kiss under the mistletoe, she would never marry again and become an old maid forever.
How to deal with this exceptional plant?
According to tradition, mistletoe should be treated in a specific way. First of all, when selecting the twigs that will hang in our house, we should pay attention to the amount of fruit. The more small, milky white balls the better. The next important thing about mistletoe is where to hang it. According to tradition, mistletoe can be hung over the kitchen or over the front door. It is also possible to hang it over the Christmas table. However, if we want mistletoe to hang over the heads of the household during Christmas Eve dinner, we should be careful to hang it in good time. This should be done just before everyone is sitting at the table, so that the first star is already in the sky.
Last but not least, the storage of mistletoe. According to tradition, it cannot be simply thrown away. So what should be done? First of all, the twigs must be removed. Then we should hide them in some safe place where they can wait for the next Christmas, during which we will exchange them for fresh ones. Removing and leaving the mistletoe at home for the whole year is to guarantee the health, happiness and life in harmony. If we throw away the twigs, the power of mistletoe will stop working. What is more, its magical properties will turn against us. This means that lovers who have kissed under mistletoe will quarrel (or part) and there will be disagreement among the household members.
It is also worth knowing that mistletoe is a great material for making Christmas decorations. Due to its flexibility and flexibility, it is perfect for making decorations and garlands. Decorations made of mistletoe can be really beautiful. Juicy green combined with milky white balls is a perfect base for creating decorations. The mistletoe will blend beautifully with red, gold and silver, as well as with fresh, coniferous twigs.
The healing properties of mistletoe – what kind of ailments can this plant be used for?
Although mistletoe is a semi-parasite, which makes us unlikely to associate with charity, it should be remembered that this plant is not harmful to humans and animals. On the contrary! Mistletoe has long been used in herbal medicine, using to treat various diseases. Furthermore, young shoots and leaves of mistletoe are also used in the production of natural cosmetics. It is worth knowing that different cultures believe in different healing properties of mistletoe. Not all of them are confirmed in medicine, some of them are simply a continuation of folk beliefs and traditions.
According to Japanese beliefs, fruits growing on mistletoe bushes have an impact on female fertility. If a woman couldn’t wait to have children for a long time or just wanted to get pregnant quickly, she was given mistletoe fruit. This treatment was applied only to women of childbearing age. The Japanese believed that as an evergreen plant, mistletoe must have a positive effect on female fertility (unlike the 17th century Englishmen who believed that mistletoe can have a positive effect on male fertility and potency). In our culture mistletoe is not used as a fertility enhancer.
For more proven therapeutic properties, natural mistletoe extracts are used to alleviate atherosclerotic symptoms, such as dizziness resulting from progressive changes in the arteries. Atherosclerosis is a disease that affects younger and younger people. It is caused by a sedentary lifestyle, poor diet and little exercise. It’s worth developing habits that will have a positive effect on our circulatory system. And if we have to deal with atherosclerosis, we should not underestimate the need to change our lifestyle, take medication and use appropriate preparations. Among them, it is worth using those containing mistletoe to alleviate the symptoms accompanying atherosclerosis.
Good news for people struggling with hypertension! Changes in blood pressure can occur as atherosclerotic changes develop. However, sometimes too high a blood pressure can be a symptom of a completely different condition or a separate health problem. Regardless of the cause of your hypertension (unless, of course, you are allergic or hypersensitive to mistletoe preparations), you can use preparations containing mistletoe. Such preparations will be particularly effective in relieving the symptoms accompanying the onset of hypertension. The use of the mistletoe will help us to alleviate symptoms such as tinnitus, the feeling of rumbling in the head, the unpleasant feeling of “spreading” in the head, as well as the feeling of hotness on the face, neck and nape (in some cases also on the décolletage).
While remaining within the circulatory system, it is worth mentioning that mistletoe also has a beneficial effect on the heart. Thanks to its properties, the plant has gained popularity among people struggling with various heart diseases. Importantly, mistletoe preparations can also be used prophylactically if we know that e.g. many people in our family have had a heart attack or stroke. Mistletoe has a great effect on the cardiovascular system, improving its work. Among the preparations containing mistletoe, we can distinguish those with prophylactic effects, as well as those that support the cardiovascular system, e.g. after a heart attack. Moreover, mistletoe is recommended for people struggling with ailments connected with the presence of subcutaneous hemorrhages, such as varicose veins.
What beneficial substances are found in mistletoe?
If we want to find out what beneficial ingredients we find in mistletoe, we should remember that mistletoe is a collective name for over seventy shrub species. Furthermore, the composition of the plant will vary depending on which tree the shrub will grow on. Generally speaking, mistletoe usually contains lectins (a type of protein), sugar alcohols (otherwise polyols), amino acids, polysaccharides, phytosterols and flavonoids, as well as oleic, betulin and ursolic acids. In addition, we can also find zinc, potassium and calcium in mistletoe. Such a rich composition makes mistletoe used for the production of natural medicines and cosmetic products.
The composition of mistletoe makes it positively affect concentration and memory, and also helps to eliminate the symptoms of senile dementia. Since mistletoe has properties that have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system, it also allows for better oxygenation and nutrition of the brain, which translates into better brain performance. In addition to improving mental performance, mistletoe preparations will also work well for other age-related ailments, such as hearing impairment and numbness in limbs. All of these ailments are connected with the worse condition of the cardiovascular system.
The list of ailments that can help us alleviate (prevent or eliminate them) also includes diabetes mellitus (mistletoe preparations have a prophylactic effect, reducing the risk of this disease), slower metabolism (which can cause overweight and digestive problems), and abnormal pancreatic function. Preparations containing mistletoe extracts improve pancreatic function by stabilizing hormones secreted by it.
Use of mistletoe in treatment
In the early 1820s, the idea that mistletoe can have an anti-cancer effect appeared. Doctors and scientists considered this to be a topic worth exploring. Thanks to many researches, nowadays we can find on the market various preparations containing mistletoe extract, used in cancer therapies. Preparations containing mistletoe extracts have a positive effect on many of the symptoms accompanying cancer, such as appetite problems and insomnia and irregular sleep, as well as alleviate the pain associated with cancer. However, most importantly, thanks to the content of lectins, mistletoe extract inhibits the activity of the enzyme, which is responsible for the longevity of cancer cells. What is important is that healthy people who provide their body with lectins will be able to feel an increase in the overall immunity of the body.
In addition to lectins, there are also viscotoxins in mistletoe. They have a similar effect to lectins, also positively affecting the immunological activity of healthy cells in the body. As a result, cancer cells die faster. A very important fact is that viscotoxins do not negatively affect the condition and life expectancy of healthy cells in the body.
In mistletoe we can also find so-called Kuttan peptides, which contribute to the increase of lymphocytes in the blood (this property has been confirmed by tests with laboratory animals). This means that mistletoe is an immunostimulating and immunomodulating plant. So if we have problems with immunity, it is worth to start using preparations containing mistletoe. Thanks to this, our immunity will certainly increase.
This inconspicuous, semi-parasite plant also affects our nervous system. People suffering from depression and depressive states, sleep problems and insomnia, as well as those who have a lot of stress in their daily lives, should reach for a mistletoe infusion. Thanks to its beneficial substances, mistletoe reduces the level of hormones responsible for stress and tension. If you want the mistletoe to have a positive effect on your cardiovascular or nervous system, you should reach for an infusion from this plant three times a day. If you are suffering from sleep disorders or insomnia, drink a warm infusion of mistletoe for half an hour before going to bed. This will reduce tension in your body and eliminate (or at least significantly reduce) the problems associated with falling asleep.
A wonderful plant with many applications
We hope that after reading this article you have a better knowledge of how many uses this inconspicuous plant has. It is widely used in medicine (mistletoe helps our body with various ailments and diseases), in the production of natural cosmetics, as well as an excellent material for creating Christmas decorations. Mistletoe is a versatile plant, which is definitely worth getting to know better. Even if we don’t hang it in our house during Christmas, it is worth knowing how many beneficial substances this inconspicuous bush contains.
Why don’t you let me talk you into a mistletoe brew? Or will you buy some cosmetics that contain an extract of this shrub? We recommend that you try products containing mistletoe. And for Christmas, all kinds of ornaments created with fresh mistletoe twigs are perfect. Especially beautiful are the decorations and Christmas garlands, which were made with this plant.