Mistletoe: Dung on a Twig

Mistletoe literally means dung on a twig. The word comes from ancient Anglo-Saxon,

where mistl meant dung and tan meant twig. People noticed the plant sprouted where

birds had pooped because mistletoe spreads through seeds that pass through bird digestive

systems and land on branches. So when you're stealing that romantic Christmas kiss under the mistletoe,

you're actually standing beneath a parasitic plant named after bird excrement that's

slowly strangling the tree it's attached to. Maybe skip the kiss and go for a handshake

instead.