From the earliest times mistletoe was regarded as a bestower of life and fertility. The common mistletoe is one of the most “magical” plants of European folklore.
The mistletoe of the sacred oak was especially venerated by the ancient Celtic Druids. The Druid rite of plucking the mistletoe, described by Julius Caesar, adds an aura of mystery to the magical folklore surrounding the plant.
Decorating the house with mistletoe may be a survival of the old Druid oak cult. The custom is also associated with certain primitive marriage rites.