My song today is ‘Mistletoe and Wine’. ‘Mistletoe and Wine’ is a Christmas song made famous as a single by Cliff Richards in 1988. So much has changed in society over the past twenty years since this song was recorded, that were two people to find themselves under a hung sprig of mistletoe at an office party today, I’m afraid that this once-perceived harmless tradition could now become the grounds for a grievance procedure to be taken by either party against the other, or against their employer for allowing the provision of such a tradition in a work environment.
By the 18th century, stealing a kiss beneath the mistletoe became a common practice among British servants and the tradition spread from there, from the ‘lower’ to the ‘middle’ and ‘upper’ classes. According to this seasonal custom, it's bad luck to refuse a kiss beneath the mistletoe. After the kiss, the couple is to pluck one of the berries from the plant.
The history of kissing under the mistletoe started in ancient Greece. The tradition occurred during the festival of Saturnalia and later in marriage ceremonies, because of the plant's association with fertility. During the Roman era, enemies at war would reconcile their differences ‘under the mistletoe’, which to them represented peace.
Alas, the practice of this enduring tradition, that was once used to settle disputes could now be the cause of hostility in some politically correct quarters by anyone viewing this old practice as sexual harassment.
Alas, the imbibing of wine over the centuries, has become too traditional a custom in the present times of a normal British household. This is due largely to the cheapness of cost in the discounted supermarkets that now makes its drinking by the bottle no more expensive in 2018 than sipping wine by the glass full was in the 1950s. Also, the spread of alcoholism has increased out of all recognition today to what it once was, across all classes and socio-economic groupings. Couples having one or more bottles at evening mealtimes daily is no longer the rarity it once was. Unfortunately, like the French and other continentals, we British have never been gradually introduced to the taste of wine from childhood onwards. Such practice is frowned upon by us, and indeed, we make the drinking of alcohol on licenced premises banned to all youth under 18 years of age. It is not surprising therefore that anything adults ban children from doing, make all our young who are not yet accepted as adults ‘want to do’ as early and as often and as much as they can! All one needs to do to judge the overall effects of this failed policy of child rearing is to walk into any A&E department on any Saturday night of the week in any part of Great Britain and witness the unholy mess we have, as a nation, got ourselves into through excessive alcohol consumption.
So, please stay safe this Christmas on the roads. If you are driving, though you may be able to easily afford the alcohol you are drinking, you cannot possibly imagine the bitter heartache that is caused whenever an innocent bystander is killed through your negligent or over-the-limit driving. Your act of ‘making merry’ has only ‘made misery’ for another family this and every future Christmas time. Have fun this Christmas, but please ‘don’t drink and drive.’
Love and peace. Bill xxx
By the 18th century, stealing a kiss beneath the mistletoe became a common practice among British servants and the tradition spread from there, from the ‘lower’ to the ‘middle’ and ‘upper’ classes. According to this seasonal custom, it's bad luck to refuse a kiss beneath the mistletoe. After the kiss, the couple is to pluck one of the berries from the plant.
The history of kissing under the mistletoe started in ancient Greece. The tradition occurred during the festival of Saturnalia and later in marriage ceremonies, because of the plant's association with fertility. During the Roman era, enemies at war would reconcile their differences ‘under the mistletoe’, which to them represented peace.
Alas, the practice of this enduring tradition, that was once used to settle disputes could now be the cause of hostility in some politically correct quarters by anyone viewing this old practice as sexual harassment.
Alas, the imbibing of wine over the centuries, has become too traditional a custom in the present times of a normal British household. This is due largely to the cheapness of cost in the discounted supermarkets that now makes its drinking by the bottle no more expensive in 2018 than sipping wine by the glass full was in the 1950s. Also, the spread of alcoholism has increased out of all recognition today to what it once was, across all classes and socio-economic groupings. Couples having one or more bottles at evening mealtimes daily is no longer the rarity it once was. Unfortunately, like the French and other continentals, we British have never been gradually introduced to the taste of wine from childhood onwards. Such practice is frowned upon by us, and indeed, we make the drinking of alcohol on licenced premises banned to all youth under 18 years of age. It is not surprising therefore that anything adults ban children from doing, make all our young who are not yet accepted as adults ‘want to do’ as early and as often and as much as they can! All one needs to do to judge the overall effects of this failed policy of child rearing is to walk into any A&E department on any Saturday night of the week in any part of Great Britain and witness the unholy mess we have, as a nation, got ourselves into through excessive alcohol consumption.
So, please stay safe this Christmas on the roads. If you are driving, though you may be able to easily afford the alcohol you are drinking, you cannot possibly imagine the bitter heartache that is caused whenever an innocent bystander is killed through your negligent or over-the-limit driving. Your act of ‘making merry’ has only ‘made misery’ for another family this and every future Christmas time. Have fun this Christmas, but please ‘don’t drink and drive.’
Love and peace. Bill xxx
