Have you ever seen your parents kissing under the mistletoe? Yuck! Next time you do, you can tell them exactly where the word ‘mistletoe’ comes from — it may change their minds altogether!

The second part of ‘mistletoe’ meant a ‘twig’. So far so good. It’s the ‘mistle’ bit that is VERY yucky. It goes back to an ancient word that meant ‘wee’ or ‘poo’. That’s because mistletoe tended to grow where birds did their bottom business. Just as manure from horses and farm animals helps crops to grow, so the mistletoe would flourish among the bird droppings. In fact, people long ago believed that the mistletoe grew out of the poo itself, not just nearby!

Charming. I’m not going near any mistletoe sprigs this Christmas!