On behalf of Penny Rachal, Geri Geyen, Melanie Sojourner, Paula Gaylor, Ulrica Scott and myself we wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season. The Extension Office will be closed from Monday through Friday Jan. 2. We pray you enjoy your holiday season and that it will be filled with family, fun and memories that will last into the future.

This is an article I submitted last Christmas, but recently I had several questions and requests to resubmit. So for all of you needing a reason to show affection this Christmas season here are the facts behind the history of mistletoe.

Q. How does mistletoe grow on trees?

A. Mistletoe has an ancient and mysterious history. Around 2,000 B.C. the Celtic Druids in Great Britain considered it a sacred plant and used it to counteract poison, increase fertility and protect against witchcraft. It was called Allheal in folk medicine and North American Indians used it to treat toothache, measles and dog bites. Early observations noted a plant that would often appear on tree branches where birds left their droppings. The Old English word for dung is “mistel” and the word for twig is “tan.” Combining these you get misteltan, which evolved into the term mistletoe, meaning “dung-on-a-twig.”

Dung-on-a-Twig is not the only name given to mistletoe. After the sticky, white berry lands on a tree limb a root grows through the bark into the vascular system where it taps water and nutrients. Appropriately, American mistletoe’s scientific name, Phoradendron, means “thief of the tree” in Greek. In the 1600 and 1700s, mistletoe was used in the treatment of epilepsy, nervous disorders and internal problems. Although the mystique of mistletoe has faded with time, research conducted in the 1920s suggested that it might actually have anticancer properties. However if ingested the berries and leaves have been found to cause seizures, vomiting and in extreme cases even death has been documented.

There is more to mistletoe than its association with humans. It is important to wildlife as an essential food, cover and nesting site. Some birds, butterflies and insects are dependent on it for survival. There are more than 1,300 species of mistletoe worldwide, two of which are native to the United States. Dwarf mistletoe grows out west and American mistletoe in the east, which we have in Mississippi.

Q. Why do we hang mistletoe to kiss under?

A. Today mistletoe has one primary purpose to most American families — hang it under the doorway to kiss. In ancient times mistletoe was a representation of peace. When enemies met under mistletoe in the forest, they had to lay down their arms and observe a truce until the next day. This ancient custom of hanging mistletoe from the ceiling and exchanging kisses under it as a sign of friendship and good will that still exists today. So if you are not sure how to say hello to someone don’t forget to hang some dung-on-a-twig around the house and over the doors this holiday season and express your affection.

David Carter is the director of the Adams County Extensions Service. He can be reached at 601-445-8201.