Christmas trivia.

Why holly and mistletoe? Mistletoe is a much older tradition going back to Celtic times. The oak tree was particularly sacred to the Celtic Druids, and this is one of the trees mistletoe grows on, so by association it also developed mystic powers. The fact that it fruits in the dead of winter probably added to the mystique. An old Norse tradition says that embracing under a mistletoe bough is an expression of eternal friendship, which is doubtless where our custom of kissing under the mistletoe comes from. Holly is essentially a Christian symbol - indeed the original name of the holly tree was the holy tree. The symbolism is green leaves to represent the crown of thorns and red berries to represent Christ's blood. The same red-green symbolism is of course seen in poinsettias, which are common Christmas plants in other parts of the world where they don't have holly.