Mistletoe

The plant's romantic overtones are said to have started with the Ancient Druids of the 1st century AD, because mistletoe could blossom even during the frozen winter and it was viewed as a sacred symbol of vivacity. It was administered to humans and animals in the hope of restoring fertility. Kissing under the mistletoe at Christmas, first caught on in the 18th century, among servants. To refuse a kiss was bad luck and for each kiss a mistletoe berry had to be plucked. When all the berries were gone, the kissing had to stop !