A gift from Germany
I've noticed Mistletoe growing increasingly in UK trees, so I read up about it and learnt that it's due in part to an influx of continental blackcaps from Germany that have started overwintering in Britain, with many thousands now spending their winters here.
'Blackcaps are migratory warblers that are becoming regular winter visitors to our bird tables. Berries, including those of mistletoe, are an essential part of their diet. On eating the white flesh of the mistletoe berry, the birds wipe their bills on twigs and branches, leaving behind the seed. If the seed is deposited on a host tree and manages to take hold, a mistletoe plant might germinate on the branch. It seems that blackcaps are more efficient at spreading mistletoe seeds than other birds, such as the mistle thrush, which also feed on the berries.' - www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2018/12/where-does-mistleto....
'According to the Anglo-Saxons, kissing under the mistletoe was connected to the legend of Freya, Norse Goddess of love, beauty and fertility. According to legend, a man had to kiss any young girl who, without realizing it, found herself accidentally under a sprig of mistletoe hanging from the ceiling.' www.thewhitegoddess.co.uk/articles/mythology_folklore/mis....
Mike Oldfield ~ Incantations Part Four