The mistletoe was sacred to the Celts and the Germanic tribes, especially as a symbol of fertility. At the time of the winter solstice, the Celtic druids cut mistletoe with their golden sickles.
As a Christmas symbol, mistletoe has a long tradition, especially in England, and even today it has not been completely replaced by the Christmas tree. Around 1920, more than 500 tons of mistletoe branches were exported from France to England each year in the pre-Christmas period. More and more mistletoe is in demand as a Christmas decoration and is not missing on any Christmas market (if it takes place!). The most popular is to hang mistletoe twigs with their white berries over doors during the Christmas season.
Hardwood mistletoe only thrives on deciduous trees, but here it grows in many different ways, fir mistletoe only on fir trees and pine mistletoe only in the crown of pines. Furthermore, mistletoe is either male or female, they are dioecious. Female mistletoes are especially popular as Christmas decorations, as they still carry the white, spherical berries in winter. In recent years, mistletoe has become increasingly common, probably because it benefits from global warming. With their green leaves, they are capable of photosynthesis, but they draw water and nutrients from the host plant, which can considerably weaken it in case of heavy infestation.
