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Show The same mistletoe which makes boys bold and girls blush at Christmastide had other meanings mean-ings In other times. Mistletoe, as one story goes, once was a full grown tree. Then Its timber was cut for the cross on which Christ was crucified. Since then, it has retrogressed to Its present state as a parasite, a plant which grows on other trees. Ancient Druids worshipped mistletoe mis-tletoe because It grew on their sacred oak. At the end of every year a Druid priest would cut down the mistletoe with a golden sickle, and not one twig was allowed al-lowed to touch the earth. Later sprigs of mistletoe were often fastened over doorways to ward off evil spirits. In Colonial days mistletoe was high and the lad who stole a kiss had to reach up and pull off one berry for every kiss. His kisses stopped when the berries were gone. |