Dear Reader,
It's the holiday season and one of the most popular decorations out there is mistletoe. It is a plant that is found on trees like oak where it has put its roots into the tree and lives off of the sap of the tree. Mistletoe is perhaps infamous for its role in Norse mythology but this time of year the Victorian kissing ball of mistletoe is what reigns supreme. According to 'tradition' if you kiss a person beneath a sprig of mistletoe they will be your true love in the coming year.
It's a poetic and romantic notion. It also completely ignores the dangers of mistletoe. All parts of this plant are toxic. The pretty white berries are perhaps the most toxic part of this plant. If you choose to acquire a kissing ball, get one made of faux mistletoe. If a berry drops and a small child or curious pet eats it, it can kill them. Play on the safe side of this decoration and go with something that you just have to dust off and hang up next year.
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