1
00:00:03,180 --> 00:00:07,020
Steve Webb: Hi and welcome to
day four out of 25 of the 2022

2
00:00:07,020 --> 00:00:10,620
encore of the 2009 season of the
Lifespring Why Christmas show

3
00:00:10,620 --> 00:00:14,850
hosted by James Cooper, creator
of whychristmas.com. And yours

4
00:00:14,850 --> 00:00:18,900
truly, Steve Webb, the OG
Godcaster and host of over 3000

5
00:00:18,900 --> 00:00:22,740
podcast episodes at
Lifespringmedia.com. Every day

6
00:00:22,740 --> 00:00:25,410
from now to Christmas day you
will hear an episode from the

7
00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:29,010
2009 season and if you're not
yet subscribed or following the

8
00:00:29,010 --> 00:00:33,030
show, you can do that at
LifespringWhyChristmas.show. Are

9
00:00:33,030 --> 00:00:35,190
you ready? Here's the show.
Enjoy.

10
00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:58,670
Welcome to the Lifespring Why
Christmas show day four.

11
00:00:58,730 --> 00:01:01,730
Remember we'll have a show today
right up to and including

12
00:01:01,730 --> 00:01:05,540
Christmas. I'm Steve Webb, and
I'll be your host today as we

13
00:01:05,540 --> 00:01:09,470
learn a bit about mistletoe, one
of my favorite parts of the

14
00:01:09,470 --> 00:01:13,940
Christmas season. Mistletoe is a
plant that grows on other trees

15
00:01:13,940 --> 00:01:17,870
commonly willow and apple trees.
The practice of hanging it in

16
00:01:17,870 --> 00:01:21,560
the house goes back to the times
of the ancient Druids in Western

17
00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:24,740
Europe. It was supposed to
possess special powers which

18
00:01:24,740 --> 00:01:28,850
bring good luck to the household
and ward off evil spirits. It

19
00:01:28,850 --> 00:01:31,910
was also used as a sign of
friendship. And that's where the

20
00:01:31,910 --> 00:01:35,540
custom of kissing under the
mistletoe comes from. And that

21
00:01:35,540 --> 00:01:40,160
custom first started in England.
The original custom was that a

22
00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:43,580
berry was picked from the sprig
of mistletoe each time there was

23
00:01:43,580 --> 00:01:47,600
a kiss. So make sure you get a
bunch with lots of berries on

24
00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:51,320
it. It's traditional to take
decorations down on 12th night

25
00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:55,250
also known as epiphany, which is
the sixth of January. During the

26
00:01:55,250 --> 00:01:58,460
Middle Ages greenery including
mistletoe was often left hanging

27
00:01:58,460 --> 00:02:02,090
up until Candlemas when
Christians celebrate Jesus going

28
00:02:02,090 --> 00:02:06,590
to the Jewish temple as a baby
in early February. You can find

29
00:02:06,590 --> 00:02:09,020
out more about some of the other
Christmas plants at

30
00:02:09,050 --> 00:02:13,580
whychristmas.com. Tomorrow James
will be back with a very special

31
00:02:13,580 --> 00:02:17,540
show. Don't miss it. Until then.
I'm Steve Webb