KISSING is a very popular university student activity but usually it involves a lot of courting, flirting and a couple of dates to score a sloppy one (sloppy kiss that is). Yet Christmas delivers a culturally acceptable way to steal a kiss this festive season. And it all comes down to a plant called mistletoe.

接吻在大学生之间是很流行的一项“活动”，但即使只是为了获得轻轻一吻（就仅是轻轻一吻），也需要经过大献殷勤、打情骂俏加上几次外出约会的繁琐过程。然而，在这个节日季，圣诞节提供了一个在文化上可以接受的偷得一吻的捷径。要达到这个目的，只需要一种叫做槲寄生的植物。

Mistletoe is the name of a plant often used for decorating at Christmas time. It is actually a parasitic plant that attaches to trees and shrubs and lives off their nutrients…awkward. But culturally mistletoe is used to steal a lover’s kiss at Christmas.

槲寄生常用于装饰圣诞树。实际上，它是一种寄生植物，依附在乔木、灌木上，靠树木的养分生存。在西方文化中，槲寄生则被用来在圣诞节时偷走爱人的一个吻。

The basic idea: When you and another person are caught standing beneath the mistletoe you have to kiss. No argument, these are the rules so be careful what you walk under until December 25. Of course the tradition has now gone mobile with many men carrying mistletoe with them only to hold it above themselves when in close proximity to a good looking lady, or lad. This takes stealing a kiss to another level.

具体习俗：当你和另一个人被发现站在槲寄生下时，就必须接吻。规则就是这样，没有商量的余地。所以，在12月25日前，都要小心你头顶的东西。当然，这一传统现在已经变灵活了，因为有很多男人随身带着槲寄生，好在有美女走近时把它举到头上。这一变化把偷吻的难度提到了新的高度。

But why do people kiss under the mistletoe? It all dates back to pre-Christian Europe where mistletoe was used to symbolise masculinity, including romance, vitality and fertility. This symbolism led to a belief that the mistletoe had mystical powers such as the power to start romance and eventually this started the custom of kissing beneath the magical mistletoe plant. The earliest documented kiss beneath the mistletoe is from 16th Century England…another great invention from the Brits. You are very welcome!

但是，人们为什么要在槲寄生下接吻呢？这要从基督教前的欧洲说起。当时，槲寄生象征着阳刚之气，象征着浪漫、活力和生育力。这样的象征意义让人们相信，槲寄生有神秘的力量，能开始一段浪漫情事，最后就演变成在神奇的槲寄生下接吻的习俗。最早对于在槲寄生下接吻的文字记载始于17世纪的英国——英国人的又一项伟大发明，好好谢谢我们吧！

So with Christmas approaching it is time to put the lip balm on and pucker up just in case you get caught beneath the mistletoe for a sneaky kiss.

所以，随着圣诞节的到来，是时候涂点润唇膏、撅起小嘴了，说不定什么时候你就会被发现和身边的人站在了槲寄生下，即将被Ta偷走一个吻。