December is upon us. The year seems to have flown by and here we are on the countdown to the 25th – although my children started that in January! December is a month steeped in tradition and wildlife plays its part, especially some of our plants.

One of the plants synonymous with Christmas has to be mistletoe, which we use to decorate our homes and, according to tradition, kiss underneath. Mistletoe is an interesting plant as it is a parasite which means it cannot survive independently. Instead, it attaches to a host tree or shrub and penetrates its branches so that it can absorb water and nutrients from that plant. Most mistletoe seeds are spread by birds that eat the berries. The seeds get stuck to the bird’s beak and are then wiped off on a new tree or can be excreted in droppings.

The tale of Balder the Bright and Beautiful

Mistletoe has been considered an important plant for thousands of years. One tale in Norse mythology tells the tale of Balder the Bright and Beautiful. According to the legend Balder, who was the son of the Goddess Frigg, had a premonition of his own death. Horrified by this Frigg went to all the animals and the plants of the world and made them promise they would not harm him. She failed to secure an oath from the mistletoe however, as she could not imagine how it could possibly harm her beloved son.

The God Loki was jealous of Balder and found out about the mistletoe. He fashioned an arrow from the plant and used it to secure Balder’s demise. One version of the story tells how, overcome with grief, Frigg planted the mistletoe high up in a tree so it could harm no-one again. Another version tells how the Gods resurrected Balder, and Frigg was so delighted she declared the mistletoe a symbol of love.

Glossy green leaves and bright red berries

Another key plant at Christmas is of course holly. With its glossy green leaves and bright red berries it is the perfect colour combination for Christmas, but its associations with Christmas, as with mistletoe, stem way back into history. The use of holly as decoration dates back as far as Roman times when a feast was held at this time of year to honour their god of Saturn. Holly was used to decorate temples, along with other evergreens.

The Druids believed holly to be sacred due to the fact it remained green all through winter whilst other plants died away. Today holly is considered symbolic of Jesus Christ, as the thorns represent the crown that Jesus was made to wear on the cross and the berries the red of his blood.

A key part of our modern festivities

So both mistletoe and holly are plants surrounded by myth and tradition that go back thousands of years. These are just a few tales amongst many that surround the two plants and that have led them to becoming a key part of our modern festivities. So if you pucker up under the mistletoe this year or deck the halls with boughs of holly, give a thought to the long and complex history that has brought these plants into your home this Christmas.