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Mistletoe

 

My apologies for the lack of blogging over the last few months – life has been hectic and challenging to say the least. Lots of changes, upheaval, and grief. However, as I have been processing the loss of a dear friend just days ago, his spirit has been communicating and showing me important information about my future. I have taken time out to pause, reflect, and re-evaluate and I now have a clearer picture of the way forward.

 

His death also urged me to just do what’s in my heart and to stop wasting time worrying about whether I’ve got things exactly right at any given moment. I’m human. I will make mistakes. I’m also astute enough to accept that those mistakes are part of my growth and present an opportunity for deeper learning as I make the necessary corrections. Which brings me to the topic of this blog. Mistletoe.

 

Mistletoe is a plant that is subject to a lot of new age mythologising – most of it a modern fabrication. I know I won’t win any popularity contests by pointing this out, but I believe it needs to be said. It’s important (to me, at least), to weed out fact from fiction. We have very scant evidence for its use in prehistory, yet I have heard many people wax lyrically about exactly what the druids used it for, how they used it, and all of its deep spiritual significance.

 

The truth is, we have but two pieces of evidence for its use, one written, and one archaeological, and only one of those originates from Britain. The evidence is interesting, but it certainly does not constitute a full thesis on the plants’ significance in our prehistory, nor is there any proof of the accuracy of the written evidence offered. So what do we know?

 

Mistletoe's presence in modern Christmas and Yuletide traditions is likely rooted in ancient customs and seasonal rituals from various northern European cultures, making it one of the most popular and multifaceted symbols of our winter celebrations. You will often hear the assertion that mistletoe was revered by druids during the Iron Age. What evidence is there of this? Pliny the Elder's Natural History describes how it was regarded by the druids, along with an explanation of its ceremonial use.

 

Pliny’s account was written in the 1^st century CE at the time of the Roman invasions of western Europe. It is also vital to note that his description was referencing the druids of Gaul (modern France), and not Britain. Pliny never visited our shores. I will reproduce the entire entry here:

 

Upon this occasion we must not omit to mention the admiration that is lavished upon this plant by the Gauls. The druids - for that is the name they give to their magicians - held nothing more sacred than the mistletoe and the tree that bears it, supposing always that tree to be the robur [oak]. Of itself the robur is selected by them to form whole groves, and they perform none of their religious rites without employing branches of it; so much so, that it is very probable that the priests themselves may have received their name from the Greek name for that tree.

 

In fact, it is the notion with them that everything that grows on it has been sent immediately from heaven, and that the mistletoe upon it is a proof that the tree has been selected by God himself as an object of his especial favour.

 

The mistletoe, however, is but rarely found upon the robur; and when found, is gathered with rites replete with religious awe. This is done more particularly on the fifth day of the [new] moon, the day which is the beginning of their months and years, as also of their ages, which, with them, are but thirty years. This day they select because the moon, though not yet in the middle of her course, has already considerable power and influence; and they call her by a name which signifies, in their language, the all-healing.

 

Having made all due preparation for the sacrifice and a banquet beneath the trees, they bring thither two white bulls, the horns of which are bound then for the first time. Clad in a white robe the priest ascends the tree, and cuts the mistletoe with a golden sickle, which is received by others in a white cloak.

 

They then immolate the victims, offering up their prayers that God will render this gift of his propitious to those to whom he has so granted it. It is the belief with them that the mistletoe, taken in drink, will impart fecundity to all animals that are barren, and that it is an antidote for all poisons. Such are the religious feelings which we find entertained towards trifling objects among nearly all nations.

 

So, Pliny’s account is enigmatic and interesting, but is it accurate? It’s very important to note that this account was constructed from various Greek and Roman sources, twenty three different sources to be precise. That is a lot of information that has been summarised into two relatively short paragraphs. It is well known that the Roman authors (who make up the majority of the sources used by Pliny), were heavily invested in propaganda and not averse to exaggeration and outright fabrication, in order to thrill their readership and glorify the Empire.

 

Pliny’s account, therefore, represents a mish-mash of information and interpretations, none of which can be verified or deemed in any way reliable. Finally, the last sentence bears the standard mocking, derisory tone employed by many classical authors when describing cultures outside the Empire. Can we therefore believe his testimony, or was it merely a literary device designed to entertain? Essentially, we only have Pliny’s word for it. There is no such documented evidence for mistletoe’s use in the British Isles. So, what evidence do we have for its use in Britain?

 

The discovery of the Lindow Man, an Iron Age bog body found in Cheshire, England, provides the only tangible evidence of mistletoe's potential use in ancient ritual practices. Analysis of his stomach contents revealed mistletoe pollen, possibly evidence its use in ceremonial or sacrificial contexts. Scholars have suggested that mistletoe pollen may have been consumed as part of a fertility or renewal rite, reflecting its broader cultural and spiritual significance in Iron Age Britain.

 

Again we must pay attention to the detail here – it was pollen that was found in his stomach, not berries or leaves. We cannot realistically know the purpose of the pollen ingestion. Was it accidental, or ritualistic, or was the pollen a medicine? Was Lindow Man sacrificed because he was already unwell and volunteered for the task?

 

There are so many variables around this situation, it is impossible to say with any certainty what the presence of the pollen really represents. It certainly doesn’t give us enough evidence to reconstruct an entire belief system around the plant.

 

It’s also important to note what the UK Woodland Trust has to say about mistletoe’s growth habits:

 

We find mistletoe in the south and the West Midlands in England. Look for it in the canopy of trees; it is commonly found in apple, lime and poplar, but has also been recorded on blackthorn, hawthorn, rowan and willow.

 

I find it interesting that the oak is not mentioned as a potential host. Despite the new age association with oaks, druids and mistletoe, according to various academic botanical sources, the instance of mistletoe on oak trees is very low indeed in Britain. According to studies carried out by the Botanical Society of the British Isles, mistletoe on oak trees in Britain is exceptionally rare, with only 11 confirmed cases currently recorded.

 

Surveys reveal that mistletoe was found on pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) in just 2.2% of the 539 10-km grid squares in the 1969–1972 B.S.B.I. survey and only 1.8% of over 8,000 sightings in the 1994–1995 Plantlife survey. Existing mistletoe-bearing oaks are primarily located in Herefordshire, with the host trees ranging from 90 to 400 years old. They are typically found in hedgerows, woodland edges, parks, and churchyards, not dense woodlands.

 

Mistletoe is most usually found on apple trees, which are, incidentally, another important sacred tree in our history (as I’m sure most of you are aware). These botanical studies also suggest that much of the historical identification of mistletoe on oak has been erroneous in the past, due to laypersons misidentification of trees in winter. I feel that Pliny’s assertion that mistletoe was always gathered from the oak may be either a cultural misunderstanding, or a detail added to his story for entertainment value.

 

It seems to me that if druids were relying on mistletoe as a sacred medicine collected only from oak trees, it would have been in very small quantities indeed, and in very short supply, with perhaps years between finds. So, it was either so sacred it was only used very rarely in exceptional circumstances, or it was harvested wherever it was available, regardless of which tree species it grew on. I also wonder how likely it was that a culture largely antagonistic towards the Roman occupation, would have willingly allowed them to witness their sacred rituals. What do you think?

 

Norse mythology further enriches mistletoe’s symbolic repertoire. Baldr, the beloved son of Odin and Frigg, was prophesied to die. To protect him, Frigg exacted oaths from all things in the world - plants, animals, stones, and metals - that they would not harm him. However, she overlooked the mistletoe, which was deemed too insignificant to pose a threat. Loki, the trickster god, discovered this oversight and fashioned a dart or spear from mistletoe. He gave it to the blind god Höðr, who, under Loki’s guidance, unknowingly killed Baldr with the mistletoe weapon.

 

While the myth of Baldr does not explicitly reference mistletoe’s use in rituals, its inclusion in such a pivotal story suggests, at the very least, a sacred or symbolic role in Norse cosmology. Scholars have suggested that mistletoe may have held a broader ritual significance in pre-Christian Norse practices, potentially tied to fertility or protection rites. I’m fairly convinced that mistletoe’s evergreen nature likely resonated with Norse ideas of vitality and continuity during the harsh winters of the northern hemisphere. Scholars also suggest that such plants were often revered in northern Europe for their resilience and symbolic association with life amidst death.

 

Mistletoe’s role in Christian traditions is largely a product of syncretism, where pre-Christian customs were subsumed into Christian practices. The transition of mistletoe into Christianity was certainly marked by tension and adaptation. Early Church authorities heavily condemned its use due to its pagan associations, yet its symbolic themes of renewal and vitality undoubtedly resonated with Christian theology. By the 18th century, mistletoe had firmly entered secular Christmas customs, particularly in England.

 

Mistletoe was hung over the doors of churches, and couples were invited to kiss beneath it, signifying forgiveness and reconciliation, especially if the couple had been experiencing relationship problems. Its romantic connotations, stemming from this, and possibly older fertility rites, continued to flourish in the 19^th century, culminating in the familiar Victorian custom of kissing under mistletoe, having become apparently devoid of any Christian connotation, as documented in ethnographic studies.

 

Today, in its modern guise, mistletoe continues to symbolise love and unity during the festive season. Its enduring appeal thus reflects a rich tapestry of cultural, spiritual, and possible historical meanings, preserved through centuries of evolving traditions. While its role has shifted from sacred plant to festive decoration, its associations with hope and renewal remain unchanged.

 

Wishing you all the very best for the season, and a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2025!