RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) – We embark on our somewhat annual hunt for the elusive mistletoe at sundown on Christmas Eve.
This parasitic plant with purported powers to purse and pucker lips often leads us into the nether reaches of our wonderful Richmond, the capital city of state made for mistletoe. Virginia, after all, is for lovers.
And we love us some mistletoe.
This year, as the sun settled down on the edges of a mottled sky as red as Rudolph’s nose, we spot big, healthy clusters high in a tree (I regret to say I’m not sure of the species) overhanging the Downtown Expressway within sight of our holiday light-festooned high-rises.
I believe this is the Richmond Metropolitan Authority toll road, and therefore, sort of a jointly owned property, of some sort.
I gently and carefully climb the tree (read the fine-print, OSHA-approved disclaimers at the ethereal end of this report) and gently remove some of the higher clusters – the ones with the puckerlicious white berries that have some toxicity when eaten, but some electricity when simply gazed upon.
I then rushed the fresh bouquet into downtown and the beautifully lit and decorated esplanade surrounding the James Center, a romantic park-like area visited by many couples of all ages and races.
We tried our mistletoe on a wide range of folks and are happy to report . . . 100 percent success!
You must watch our video story to gather all the details of this Christmas Eve sensation, but I can reveal here that a few sprigs of this mighty plant even worked for yours truly.
Merry Christmas all, and to all, merry kissing as well!
