Mistletoe(槲寄生)
槲寄生（这个难认的字读作“ｈｕ”）是一种寄生植物，西方人视它为一种神圣的植物，常用来装饰圣诞树。传说在檞寄生下亲吻的情侣，会厮守到永远。如果站在檞寄生下，表示任何人都可以吻你，而且绝对不能拒绝，因为那不仅非常失礼也会带来不吉利，这是圣诞节的重要习俗。西方人常常将檞寄生挂在门梁上，不仅可以代表幸运，而且还可以守株待兔，亲吻任何经过门下的人。

　　It's a Christmas tradition. A man has the privilege of kissing a lady who happens to be standing under a sprig of mistletoe, a plant that is said to symbolize peace and love.

Mistletoe, a woody plant with leathery green leaves and white berries, is hung above doorways during the Christmas season. Tradition says that a person caught standing underneath the hanging mistletoe can not refuse to give a kiss to anyone who might ask. Needless to say this has resulted in many a kiss being given both in friendship and in passion. You may well be wondering where this warm Christmastime tradition came from and I think you will be surprised to learn that this custom was actually inspired by a very ancient Norse legend. This legend tells of Balder, the god of peace, who was killed by the evil god Loki with an arrow made of mistletoe - mistletoe was the only thing that could hurt Balder. When Balder's mother, Frigga - the goddess of love, found out about her son's death she was grief-stricken. She and the other gods worked desperately to restore Balder's life and when they had at last succeeded Frigga was so grateful that she promised to bestow a kiss upon anyone who stood beneath the mistletoe. Thus, this ancient legend not only created the "kissing tradition" that we know today but also enshrined forever the mistletoe as a symbol of love, peace and forgiveness - three qualities which are an essential part of the Christmas spirit

槲寄生

　　槲寄生叶子绿而坚韧，结白色小浆果， 人们在圣诞佳节时分将其悬挂在门口。有个习俗是若你站在槲寄生下方时，有人要求亲吻你，你可不能拒绝对方喔。不消说很多时候人们会因友情、 爱慕之情而要求亲吻。你或许会纳闷这个温馨的圣诞习俗打哪儿来的？你可能会惊讶它的由来是古挪威民间传说。传说和平之神伯德，被邪恶之神罗 其以世上唯一可致其死地的武器，也就是槲寄生所制的箭刺死。伯德的母亲-爱神费迦得知此事时悲痛万分，于是和众神拼命地挽救伯德的生命，最后 终于成功地将他救活。费迦实在太感激了，便允诺只要有谁站在槲寄生下，便赐给那人一个亲吻。因此这个传说不但造就了一个至今我们所熟悉的亲 吻习俗，也永远将槲寄生象征的含意，也就是爱、和平、宽恕保存下来，而这三者也正是圣诞节重要的精神所在。

小知识：檞寄生还是槲寄生？

　　　　名词解释：檞寄生