Ace Collins

I think the mistletoe tradition is fascinating because it really goes back to over a thousand years when the early missionaries were going to reach the Vikings, and the Vikings looked upon the mistletoe plant as this incredible plant.

When these people converted to Christianity, what they did was they brought the mistletoe plant with them and put it over babies' cribs and other things to represent their faith.

They also wanted their bride and groom to be married under a symbol of faith, and so they were married underneath a mistletoe plant.

Well, I think the mistletoe tradition is fascinating because why do we have this plant during Christmas that's essentially a makeout plant?

I mean, you know, why do you have that?

And it really goes back to over a thousand years when the early missionaries were going to reach the Vikings and

The Vikings looked upon the mistletoe plant as this incredible plant.

It was able to grow out of dead wood in the wintertime, because they believed trees died in the wintertime and spring back to life.

And the early missionaries actually just kind of used that as a religious symbol, where

The mistletoe plant represented Christ being crucified on the cross, came back to life.

The green represented eternal life.

Red represented blood of the sacrifice, and the white represented the purity of Christ.

Well, when these people converted to Christianity, what they did was they brought the mistletoe plant with them and put it over babies' cribs and other things to represent their faith.

Well, they also wanted their bride and groom to be married under a symbol of faith, and so they were married underneath a mistletoe plant.

Well, what happens at the end of a marriage even a thousand years ago?

People kiss.

Well, today the only thing we remember about the mistletoe plant is the kissing part.

Before 1830s and 40s in the United States and England,

Uh, Christmas was Mardi Gras and steroids.

It was a drunken party where men would, uh, gangs of men would roam the streets singing the Carol.