In the North of England, mistletoe grows on lime, poplar, apple and hawthorn trees. Druids believed it had the power to ward off evil spirits. They also used it as a sign of friendship - thus the custom of kissing under the mistletoe.
Because of this connection with the Druids, the early church associated it with sinners and evil and banned mistletoe for use and display in churches.
But they have always been a pretty independent lot in York. Mistletoe at Christmas remained popular there after the Druids were long gone. For a while it was incorporated into a service of repentence and pardon. York Minster held a winter Mistletoe Service when York's miscreants and evil doers were invited to seek forgiveness.
Holding up a branch of mistletoe, the priest would declare, "public and universal liberty, pardon and freedom of all sorts of inferior and wicked people at the minster gates, and the gates of the city, towards the four quarters of heaven."
Today, the Mistletoe Service is not longer offered in quite that way. But a sprig of mistletoe still decorates the high altar during the holiday season as a reminder of ancient customs and the spirit of forgiveness.
And probably because the independent people of York still like the idea.
