Harper’s Christmas number 1893

This is Edward Penfield's cover for Harper's Christmas number, printed at the end of the 19th century. Above the title, we find a symbol of festivity and peace: mistletoe. The mistletoe's significance winds back through time. From its place in Norse mythology, symbolizing peace and reconciliation, to its association with fertility in Druidic rituals, this plant has long been imbued with profound meaning. Consider the Golden Bough, the key that granted Aeneas access to the underworld, a symbol connecting the worlds of the living and the dead, much like the mistletoe connects heaven and earth in its arboreal embrace. The act of kissing under the mistletoe—a tradition that emerged in the Victorian era—transforms a symbol of peace into a ritual of love. It’s a psychological dance, a subconscious yearning for connection and renewal in the cold heart of winter. And so, the mistletoe continues its cyclical journey. Each winter, it resurfaces, draped over doorways, a reminder of our shared human desire for love, peace, and a touch of magic in the darkest of times.