The Unpleasant Truth About Mistletoe

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Mistletoe. I've had an encounter beneath some a time or two in my life. I've also, I'll be honest, avoided mistletoe to keep from getting caught in a lip lock with someone and give them the wrong idea. That said, I've always considered it a cute and harmless holiday tradition. Funny thing about traditions, if you did deep enough you'll uncover the unpleasant truth.

Crappy kiss? Did you know that Mistletoe translates to "dung on a stick." Yep. According to Interflora, the original name for mistletoe was mistaltan. Mistal comes from the Anglo Saxon word for "dung" and tan means "stick." Something to think about next time you kiss under the mistletoe.


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