Design Crafters

Mistletoe has been associated with many pagan rituals and
apparently has been used as a decoration at Christmas time for many thousands of years. According
to the book by Charles Panati, "Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things,"
the church forbade the use of mistletoe in any form, because of its idolatrous
associations.

Holly was suggested as a substitute as a Christmas decoration. The sharply pointed leaves were to
symbolize the thorns in Christ’s crown and the red berries were to symbolize
drops of His blood. Consequently, holy became a nativity tradition. The Christian
ban on mistletoe was in effect throughout the Middle Ages. Surprisingly, as
late as the 20th century, there were churches in England
that forbade the wearing of corsages made of mistletoe during services.