Christmas Kissing Balls & Topiary #christmasdecor #christmasgiftidea #christmasdecorations

Christmas kissing balls are a tradition that began in the Middle Ages where town folk would form round pine boughs and nestle a statue of a baby Jesus within. These holy boughs would be hung in doorways to bring blessings and good fortune to all who passed by. They were abandoned by the Puritans and came back into fashion in the Victorian era with a twist. Boughs we’re inserted into a potato or an apple and lavender, rosemary and mistletoe were added symbolizing love and devotion. The decorations became known as kissing balls. Eventually mistletoe symbolizing love and fertility became what we still recognize today as a traditional symbol of holiday affection, and whoever passes beneath gets a kiss. Todays kissing balls are made up of all manner of Christmas decorations and adorned with pine cones, lights, birds, foliage and any and every Christmas ornamentation that suits your taste and decor. I love kissing balls and I love topiaries In my humble opinion topiaries are interchangeable with kissing balls. To me, at Christmastime, they become tabletop kissing balls! I hope this inspires you to make Christmas Kissing Balls. If you have any topiaries, now is the time to refresh them and turn them into beautiful tabletop kissing balls. Thank you so much for watching!