Kissing
under the mistletoe might not seem so romantic to those who know one
possible origin of this word. According to some authorities, mistletoe
derives from the Old English word mistiltan; tan means "twig" and mistily
means "dung." It seems that in olden times people thought mistletoe twigs
sprang from bird droppings. Another theory is that mistily means
"bird-lime" and refers to a sticky substance used to catch birds that was
made by boiling mistletoe twigs. Mistletoe, long known to be poisonous,
was used in connection with human sacrifices by the Druids, which is why
the early Christian church forbade its use in church decoration. Kissing
under the mistletoe is an English custom dating back to the early
seventeenth century. Few people know that each kiss requires the plucking
of a berry from the mistletoe and that the kissing is finished when the
last berry is picked. The berries should not be eaten - they are
poisonous.