Sarah's Fun Fact Friday! - Fancy Some Friday Night Frisky-ness?

After an afternoon stroll to Winter Wonderland at Hyde Park for a turkey, stuffing & cranberry roll I looked around and realised that I was in fact in Bavaria, or at least a Barvarian/ German themed winter wonderland complete with bratwurst & bier. I then made a rather interesting (or so I thought) discovery that in fact I standing by a stall from ‘Kissing’ – which is a small Barvarian town! And as it is the season to get close to those that you love there may well be some kissing involved – and I come with good news – KISSING IS GOOD FOR YOU! See what I mean.....

1.) Kissing boosts immunity and strengthen the body's defenses.
2.) Kissing helps you pick the best mate. It’s a ‘mate’ (in the primal sense) assessment tool and when you're kissing somebody, you can really hear them and see them and feel them. So kissing is not just kissing. It is a profound advertisement of who you are, what you want and what you can give. Kissing is biology's way of determining who in nature you are most genetically compatible with. (It’s a good reason to practice!)
3.) Kissing burns calories! Anywhere from 2 to 6 calories a minute. Not quite a jog on the treadmill, but hours worth of smooching may burn off half a handful of M&Ms or half a glass of wine! – or an advent chocolate or two!
4.) Kissing keeps facial muscles strong. Don't underestimate the workout your mouth gets during a makeout session. You use 30 muscles while kissing and the smooching helps keep your cheeks tight. Good work.
5.) Kissing naturally relaxes you It increases the levels of oxytocin, the body's natural calming chemical and also increased endorphins, the body's feel-good chemicals.
6) Kissing prevents tooth decay by increasing saliva produced!
 - the fact that saliva can stay in your mouth for up to 24 hours is kinda yuk though so make sure you pick your kissing partner well!!!

Well if you have recovered from all that kissing here is festive fact for you! Since ancient times, the mistletoe has been one of the most magical, mysterious of European folklore. The ancient Druids considered the mistletoe to be a sacred plant and believed it had miraculous powers which could cure illnesses, serve as an antidote against poisons, ensure fertility and protect against the ill effects of witchcraft. It was also believed that the mistletoe was an aphrodisiac or a sexual symbol.  From these strange beliefs has come the modern-day custom of hanging a ball of mistletoe from the ceiling and exchanging kisses under it as a sign of friendship and goodwill.

The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe descends from the customs of several different cultures. For instance, exchanging kisses under the mistletoe was a tradition of Greek festivals and marital ceremonies. If a couple in love exchanges a kiss under the mistletoe, it is interpreted as a promise to marry, as well as a prediction of happiness and long life.

The Anglo-Saxons associated the powers of the mistletoe to the legend of Freya, the goddess of love, beauty and fertility. According to the legend, a man had to kiss any young girl who, without realising it, found herself accidentally under a sprig of mistletoe hanging from the ceiling. Guys would pluck a berry when they smooched the girls and when the last berry was gone, there would be no more kissing!

In France, the custom linked to the mistletoe was reserved for New Year's Day: "Au gui l'An neuf"--Mistletoe for the New Year.

Today, kisses can be exchanged under the mistletoe any time during the holiday season.

Did you know? Although the mistletoe is considered to be the seed of love, the common name of the plant is derived from the ancient belief that mistletoe grew from bird droppings. – Definitely a reason to look up!

Keep those lips protected and watch out for the mistletoe! J

Till next time

Sarah