Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe

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With Baldur nearly invulnerable, the gods made a game of throwing things at Baldur, since nothing would harm him. Baldur's brother, Hodur, couldn't participate as he was blind. Loki discovered that mistletoe had not made a promise. He put Hodur up to throwing a dart of mistletoe at Baldur, guiding his hand so that he would not miss. Kara lets out a breath, but her next intake of air turns into a gasp when Lena lifts her hand to cup Kara’s cheek. Mistletoe is considered a symbol of life because even when its host is leafless, it is evergreen and bears fruit in the winter. The word mistletoe is thought to stemfrom Saxon mistl-tan, meaning “differenttwig.” Seriously. Bob's right. It's got nothing to do with being upset or offended. The article is just plain wrong.

Once ensconced in Arthur’s chambers, Merlin busied himself with starting a fire in the hearth while Arthur sank into a plush chair, humming a carol under his breath. "She was pretty, wasn't she, Merlin?" How this developed into the tradition we have today is unclear, however history.com notes that it is believed to have “first caught on among servants in England before spreading to the middle classes”. Well, not in a literal sense." More in the metaphorical, destined to forever be by your side even though you're a total turniphead sense. The mistletoe then invades the host, “stealing" nutrients and water from it. In fact, the scientific name for American mistletoe (Phoradendron) is Greek for “thief of the tree." We all know about the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe, but do you know how that cameabout?To be on the safe side, ask your florist to replace the real berries with imitation ones or use artificial mistletoe in yourdecorations. Although the legend of Baldur is often cited as the origin of the connection between mistletoe and a kiss, other historians point out that many versions of Baldur's story end quite differently. In these other versions, Baldur dies and is not revived. Given the age of these myths, it's certainly possible that happier versions were passed down over time, influencing future mistletoe traditions. The princess was so fixed on Arthur, she didn't appear to register the comment. Arthur, meanwhile, shot Merlin an unreadable look, before politely excusing himself. He paused at the foot of the dais before the king and his ward. While the plant may not seem the most romantic, mistletoe has become the epitome of love and affection during the holiday season. What does the mistletoe symbolize?

The plant has also been tied to the Romans, who used it as a representation ofpeace, love and understanding and would hang it over doorways, historian Jane Vyer previously told the BBC. She decides to leave her husband and the life that she no longer finds fulfilling, if she ever thought that at all and moves to Whitehaven, a large house on the top of the hill which reminded me of the house in the Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie.Merlin helped him in and out of his clothes, seizing the chance to covertly ogle him, before fastening his sable-lined cloak over his shoulders. In lieu of his usual crown, Arthur selected a thin silver circlet that looked as though it were wrought from ice crystals. Is that really how you feel?" Arthur's voice had an odd inflection. Perhaps the mulled wine had made him maudlin.

Merry Christmas, Lena,” Kara says, leaning forward until warm lips press against Lena’s cheek. Kara lingers there for a moment, Lena caught between the swell of feelings in her chest at the idea that Kara is kissing her, and the disappointment that Kara obviously doesn’t have romantic feelings for her if she’s only kissing her on the cheek while they’re under mistletoe. Why do we kiss under the mistletoe? Of all the plants used in Christmas decor, not many haveas long and asinteresting a history as mistletoe. Discover the meaning of mistletoe and fascinating folklore behindit. First of All, What IsMistletoe? So we can safely say this has nothing whatsoever to do with your toes. That plant you’re kissing under could be a …“dung-twig.” Merlin thought Arthur was unfairly toned and muscly and would look even better with his clothes off. What he said was, "Be careful not to eat too much tonight, or I'll need to make another hole in your belt." Merlin's mouth went dry. He debated stealing a gulp from Arthur's wine goblet. Arthur couldn't be saying what Merlin thought he was. Surely he hadn't meant...

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For centuries, mistletoe has been considered a plant that increases life and fertility. Celtic Druids living in the 1st century A.D. viewed it as a symbol of vivacity, since it remained green while other plants were bare during winter. A brief inspection of the ceiling would be all that it took to avoid that, whereas being forced into a loveless marriage in a world without divorce or any semblance of women’s rights would have been rather harder to escape,” he tells TIME. Noting that it is extremely difficult to decode a phenomenon two centuries later, he adds, “I can say with some certainty, though, that accidentally finding yourself under the mistletoe would have been very, very far down the list of worries and disadvantages of a woman alive in the year 1800.”

Mistletoe is unique in that it can grow even in the depths of winter, which contributes to its image of fertility and vivacity, especially when it sprouts amonga batch of bare tree branches.Lena glances above them. “If I recall correctly, you said you didn’t want our first kiss to be because of the mistletoe, so the way I see it, you still owe me a mistletoe kiss.” The kiss is brief, Kara pulling away all too soon for Lena’s liking but then Kara’s grinning at her and Lena finds she doesn’t mind the fact that she’s no longer kissing Kara because Kara’s smile is bright and she’s still so close Lena can make out the grey in her eyes.