![]() ![]() ![]() Remember that story for the next time you find yourself stuck making awkward flirtatious small talk underneath a clump of mistletoe at a party. Baldr was killed, and Frigg’s tears of woe were caught on the mistletoe’s branches, turning into the white, pearl-like berries, symbolising her love for him. His mother, the goddess Frigg, made every earthly object vow never to harm him.Īs a result, Baldr became known for his invincibility – until Loki turned up and fashioned a weapon out of mistletoe, the one thing which hadn’t made the vow. As the story goes, another god called Baldr was driven to paranoia by visions of his own death. This parasitic plant is an unlikely symbol of romance and Christmas courtship today, and its importance in winter festivities is said to stem back to a Norse myth involving the infamous trickster god Loki. Mistletoe is another emblematic reminder of the pre-Christian traditions of the region. Read more about: Xmas Yule love this: 11 lost Christmas traditions from around the UK ![]() In 274 AD, long after Saturnalia was already a thing, the Romans established yet another way to mark the season: a day to celebrate the sun god Sol Invictus. Saturnalia is a classic example of a winter solstice festival, one of many which have evolved in different cultures to bring good cheer in the season of long nights, and to mark the sense a sense of renewal and rejuvenation. Interestingly, the festivities also saw houses decked out in greenery, and gifts were exchanged. As the Roman writer, Seneca reported, “It is now the month of December, when the greatest part of the city is in a bustle… Loose reins are given to public dissipation, everywhere you may hear the sound of great preparations'. All in all, Saturnalia had all the hype and excitement we associate with Christmas today. They were also allowed to openly criticise those in power, making Saturnalia an annual flowering of free speech and cheeky satire. This even meant servants and slaves were allowed to take control, with their masters even serving them feasts and following their orders. ![]()
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