Mistletoe – Festive Favorite on the Decline

Kissing under the mistletoe has been a tradition since Victorian times in England and before that in other countries. When the railway arrived in the UK, this yuletide habit spread from southern England to the north and beyond. The chances are if you are offered a seasonal kiss then the person making the offer may well be waving a bunch of it over your head.

Image Credit Flickr User Rhian vK

The legends around mistletoe go back further than a few centuries – it has always been associated with fecundity and the winter solstice. The white fruit has a parallel with human reproduction which is impossible to avoid – and one of its favorite hosts, the apple tree, is also a favorite among people.

Sunflower Seeds Deemed a Public Health Threat

Image Credit Flickr User Loz Flowers

Furrowed brows and gritted teeth over t London’s Tate Modern museum. Just a few days after opening Chinese artist Ai Weiwei’s marvellous installation – named simply Sunflower Seeds – has been closed down due to health concerns.

Image Credit Flickr User Phil Hawksworth

Only a short time after the one hundred million sunflower seeds made from porcelain, each one hand-painted, were installed in the museum’s Turbine Hall, curators began to notice ceramic dust (which is extremely unhealthy when breathed in) hovering over the work.

Image Credit Flickr User Phil Hawksworth

The museum decided that the risks presented by this dust were just too great. The public had been encouraged to walk, skip, dance and lie on the seeds and the museum faced potentially hundreds of litigious culture lovers with lung damage in the future. A no brainer ensued – bring the installation to an extremely untimely end.

Image Credit Flickr User Loz Flowers

It is a great shame – the installation had proven an instant hit and was one of the most anticipated works to have been displayed at the museum for years. Ai Weiwei who is considered a dissident by the Chinese government, must be absolutely beside himself as the installation took several years of planning to bring to fruition.

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The museum has released a statement saying that in no way shape or form was the decision made to close the installation because of pressure from the Chinese government. If that was the case then they should not have sought to quash the rumor – but to just let it lie. This sounds like protesting a little too much.

Image Credit Flickr User Loz Flowers

So, farewell, Sunflower Seeds. Such a shame. You were beautiful.