The Mistletoe Next Door

I was sitting on the morning porch with our youngest, who is here for the holidays, when she looked up at the large tree in our neighbor's yard and said " I can't believe that that tree is sprouting new green leaves". I explained to her that the green sprigs were not leaves... but Mistletoe.

 She became very excited, and wanted to know why it was growing on that tree? I found it hard to believe that I had never pointed out mistletoe to my daughter. It is a parasite and grows on trees all over Texas this time of year. Long story here, but her very tall husband, who hails from Wisconsin (where apparently he had never seen mistletoe growing), was summoned. A ladder appeared and we captured (stole), some mistletoe from next door. All the while my hubby was fussing at us that we couldn't steal mistletoe from the neighbors tree.

The custom of hanging mistletoe in a doorway during the holidays actually came from England. If you want to read more about the customs pertaining to mistletoe go HERE.