The myth: Mistletoe will bring you good luck.

Remember that old joke? If athletes get athlete’s foot, what do astronauts get? Missile toe!

Mistletoe is an odd plant: it is a parasite that grows atop tree or shrub branches.

The association of good luck with mistletoe goes back centuries. The idea of kissing is more recent: “The UK tradition of kissing under the mistletoe is thought to have started in the 1700s, but it became much more popular throughout the 1800s. The Victorians especially became big fans of puckering up under the plant – and it’s stuck ever since. Although caution must be advised in these COVID ridden times!” [ngs.org.uk]