My Flabbers Are Ghasted After I Learned That THESE Are The Actual Stories Behind The Bizarre Traditions We Follow Without A Single Thought

The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe is widely believed to have originated with the Vikings. Balder, the god of the summer sun, had a dream that he would die. His mother, Frigg, the goddess of marriage and fertility and wife of Odin, panicked and tried everything to prevent his death. She went to all the elements and asked them not to harm Balder. Loki found a loophole in Frigg's request and used mistletoe (which was not included in her request) to make a poisoned dart that killed Balder.

For three days, the elements tried their best to bring Balder back to life, but eventually, the tears of his mother, Frigg, turned the red mistletoe berries white, bringing Balder back from the dead. Frigg then changed the reputation of mistletoe and kissed everyone who walked underneath it out of gratitude. And that's how kissing under the mistletoe became a tradition.