History Main / UnderTheMistletoe

* PlayedForLaughs/culture clash in ''Manga/TheNightmareBeforeChristmasZerosJourney''. Barrel goes into a restaurant and unwittingly sits under the mistletoe. Being from Halloween Town, he is confused and horrified when [[AbhorrentAdmirer the waitress]] kisses him, and he flees the restaurant CoveredInKisses.
* This is Nozomi's big dream in ''Anime/YesPrettyCure5''. She even slugs Kouji/Coco away stating this when their faces get close early on.

* Frequently done in ''ComicBook/ArchieComics''. Portable mistletoe and mistletoe hats are commonly seen in some stories, such as a cover where Archie got CoveredInKisses from Betty, Veronica, and Cheryl. HeManWomanHater Jughead is always trying to avoid this trope.
* ''{{ComicBook/Asterix}}'': The short story ''For Gaul Lang Syne'', which is collected in ''Asterix and the Class Act'', resolves around Obelix waiting at a mistletoe in hopes of getting a kiss from Panacea. But the wrong people keep passing by and thus end up kissing him, including a Roman soldier.
* Although this example did not happen in an actual comic, it did concern comic book characters. There is a famous illustration by Batman Animated Series artist Bruce Timm, which depicts Poison Ivy, the villainess and master of plants, holding a sprig of mistletoe above the head of Harley Quinn, as if trying to entice Harley into kissing her. Harley looks humorously embarrassed.
* ''ComicBook/BillyAndBuddy'': used this trope at least 3 times:

* In [[http://community.livejournal.com/scans_daily/6813047.html one issue]] of the yearly ''Marvel Holiday Special'', ComicBook/TheAvengers hosted a party. There was only one sprig of mistletoe, so Hank Pym put it on a remote-control hovering device and flew it around "to stretch it". Jessica Drew was not impressed. It should be noted that at least FIVE guys were in on it (including ComicBook/SpiderMan, while married, and Mary Jane IN THE ROOM), and she only suspects after about 4.

* ''ComicBook/XMen'': During her first year with the X-Men, Kitty Pryde held a sprig of Mistletoe over Peter Rasputin's head during a Christmas party as an excuse to kiss him. Kitty remembered this moment sadly when she returned to the mansion in the first issue of Creator/JossWhedon's run on ''ComicBook/AstonishingXMen''.
** In the original story by Creator/ChrisClaremont and John Byrne (''ComicBook/UncannyXMen'' #143), just before that moment there had been a darker twist on it: When Nightcrawler playfully kissed Wolverine's then-girlfriend Mariko on the cheek using the same stratagem, Wolvie flew into a rage and went after Kurt with his Adamantium claws and had to be restrained by Colossus and the Professor.
** Two years before that issue, the same artistic team had produced ''ComicBook/MarveTeamUp'' #79, in which Mary Jane Watson crashed the ''Daily Bugle'' Christmas party and used the same trick to seriously smooch Peter Parker. Mary Jane seems to like this stratagem - in ''The Sensational Spider-Man Annual'', the team of Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca showed a flashback episode early in their relationship where [=MJ=] tried to encourage Peter to kiss her by wearing a Santa hat with mistletoe hanging off it, but he chickened out. However, in both instances (and the one involving Kurt and Mariko), what was shown on-panel was actually holly and not mistletoe.

* ''{{ComicStrip/Garfield}}'' frequently uses this trope during the December comics, [[https://www.gocomics.com/garfield/1987/12/22 leading]] [[https://www.gocomics.com/garfield/1991/12/16 to]] [[https://www.gocomics.com/garfield/1998/12/15 quite]] [[https://www.gocomics.com/garfield/1999/12/19 a]] [[https://www.gocomics.com/garfield/2008/12/14 few]] [[https://www.gocomics.com/garfield/2010/12/18 unwanted]] [[https://www.gocomics.com/garfield/2012/12/14 and]] [[https://www.gocomics.com/garfield/2013/12/24 embarassing]] [[https://www.gocomics.com/garfield/2014/12/24 kisses.]] [[https://www.gocomics.com/garfield/1992/12/25 Even the reader]] [[BreakingTheFourthWall is not safe]].

* The ''Fanfic/AdviceAndTrust'' Christmas special has Rei and Kaworu share their first kiss under the mistletoe ([[{{Tsundere}} though she claims that it was merely meant to be platonic]]). [[PostKissCatatonia He is temporarily rendered incapable of rational thought]].

---> “Speaking of approval, I wanted to ask you about a little something involving mistletoe.”\\
“Really, Celestia, if you want to sneak a kiss from me all you have to do is ask.” Discord flexed, his normally stringy body suddenly bulking up with muscle. “I know I’m a stud muffin.”

* Cindy was less than thrilled at being woken up in ''WesternAnimation/YogiBear'''s Christmas special until she learned about the "catch a guy under mistletoe and he HAS to kiss you" tradition. Hilarity Ensues.

* In a ''Creator/{{Vertigo|Comics}} Winter's Edge'' special, a boy steals a kiss from a girl he's just met, then points above them and says, "Mistletoe". She responds by stamping his foot, pointing to ''her'' foot and saying, "[[JustForPun Missile toes]]".

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'', episode "Recap/FuturamaS2E4XmasStory", Fry and Leela almost had a kiss under the mistletoe, until Robot Santa interfered.

* Used to wonderful effect in the ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' song [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSgzSPRL9qc "Under the Mistletoe"]] from the album ''Music/PokemonChristmasBash''. Misty wants it to happen, but Ash doesn't. Again, Hilarity Ensues. (Suffice to say, [[Creator/FourKidsEntertainment 4Kids]] are [[IdiosyncraticShipNaming Poké]][[ShipperOnDeck shippers]].)

* In [[http://community.livejournal.com/scans_daily/6813047.html one issue]] of the yearly ''Marvel Holiday Special'', ComicBook/TheAvengers hosted a party. There was only one sprig of mistletoe, so Hank Pym put it on a remote-control hovering device and flew it around "to stretch it". Jessica Drew was not impressed. It should be noted that at least FIVE guys were in on it (including Franchise/SpiderMan, while married, and Mary Jane IN THE ROOM), and she only suspects after about 4.

* During her first year with the ''ComicBook/XMen'', Kitty Pryde held a sprig of Mistletoe over Peter Rasputin's head during a Christmas party as an excuse to kiss him. Kitty remembered this moment sadly when she returned to the mansion in the first issue of Creator/JossWhedon's run on ''Astonishing X-Men''.
** In the original story by Creator/ChrisClaremont and John Byrne (''Uncanny X-Men'' #143), just before that moment there had been a darker twist on it: When Nightcrawler playfully kissed Wolverine's then-girlfriend Mariko on the cheek using the same stratagem, Wolvie flew into a rage and went after Kurt with his Adamantium claws and had to be restrained by Colossus and the Professor.
** Two years before that issue, the same artistic team had produced ''[[Franchise/SpiderMan Marvel Team-Up]]'' #79, in which Mary Jane Watson crashed the ''Daily Bugle'' Christmas party and used the same trick to seriously smooch Peter Parker. Mary Jane seems to like this stratagem - in ''The Sensational Spider-Man Annual'', the team of Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca showed a flashback episode early in their relationship where [=MJ=] tried to encourage Peter to kiss her by wearing a Santa hat with mistletoe hanging off it, but he chickened out. However, in both instances (and the one involving Kurt and Mariko), what was shown on-panel was actually holly and not mistletoe.

** In the fifth book, [[CloudCuckooLander Luna]] notes that one should be careful around mistletoe, since "Nargles" live in them. Naturally, Nargles come up in a wide variety of stories, especially Luna pairings; often there's the idea that kissing somehow protects you from them.

* In 2010, Wrestling/SantinoMarella attempts to kiss ex-girlfriend Wrestling/BethPhoenix despite that, as she pointed out, he's seeing Wrestling/{{Tamina|Snuka}} while Wrestling/VladimirKozlov holds up the mistletoe. As Santino puckers up, however, Beth places the mistletoe on top of Kozlov and kisses ''him'' instead.

* In 2010, Wrestling/SantinoMarella attempts to kiss ex-girlfriend Wrestling/BethPhoenix despite that, as she pointed out, he's seeing Wrestling/{{Tamina|Snuka}} while Wrestling/VladimirKoslov holds up the mistletoe. As Santino puckers up, however, Beth places the mistletoe on top of Koslov and kisses ''him'' instead.

[[folder: Advertising]]

* In the Christmas installation of ''WebVideo/TheAwkwardCompilation'', Alex attempts this with Lester using mistletoe [[ADateWithRosiePalms lotion]]. A valiant attempt, but it's a no go.

* ''ComicBook/BouleEtBill'': used this trope at least 3 times:

* In ''Film/BatmanReturns'', Batman and Catwoman have an exchange about it in battle. The Ironic Echo happens when they actually encounter mistletoe at a Christmas party as Bruce and Selina.

* ''Fanfic/JWITCHSeason1'': At the end of "Not So Black and White", Jade uses the Snake Talisman's invisibility to sneak up on Will and Matt and place a mistletoe over them [[ShipperOnDeck to help them have their first kiss]].

* In the Christmas installation of ''WebVideo/{{Awkward}}'', Alex attempts this with Lester using mistletoe [[ADateWithRosiePalms lotion]]. A valiant attempt, but it's a no go.

* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10264509/176/Tales-of-Fairies]]'' Chapter 176, [[TheMatchmaker Mirajane]] sets up Mistletoes with runes to keep people from leaving until they kiss on the lips. This ends up leading to Natsu and Gray getting trapped under one... specifically the one under the guild's entrance.

* During her first year with the ''Comicbook/XMen'', Kitty Pryde held a sprig of Mistletoe over Peter Rasputin's head during a Christmas party as an excuse to kiss him. Kitty remembered this moment sadly when she returned to the mansion in the first issue of Creator/JossWhedon's run on ''Astonishing X-Men''.

* A Christmas episode of ''Series/AustinandAlly'' have the titular characters kissing under the mistletoe three times...only to be interrupted all three times.

* In the Christmas episode of ''Series/TheMuppets'', Sam the Eagle tries to invoke this trope in order to get Janice, who he's developed a crush on in this series, to kiss him, and waits under the mistletoe for her to show up. It doesn't work. Chip, the [=IT=] guy, interrupts the whole thing and tries to talk to him right as Janice walks past. [[ThrowTheDogABone She kisses him later though for being nice to Chip.]]
* ''Series/{{The Nanny}}'': C.C tries to lure Maxwell into kissing her under the mistletoe, but he is too distracted working. [[HoYay Then, Fran suddenly shows up and kisses her on the cheek]].

* ''Series/{{Shake It Up}}'':

* ''Series/{{Warehouse 13}}'' has the original mistletoe, which magically compels those who walk beneath to kiss one-another. Myka narrowly avoided having this happen with Pete. Artie, however, was not so lucky when Claudia's brother Joshua happened to walk by.

* In one of the earliest episodes of ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'', which was of course a Christmas one, Jerry stops Tom from chasing him by holding up a mistletoe and making a cute smoochy face at him. Tom then blushes and turns away shyly, only to have Jerry kick him in the rear. Truly one of the biggest FoeYay moments in the series.

[[folder: Professional Wrestling]]

* ''{{ComicStrip/Garfield}}'' frequently uses this trope during the december comics, [[https://www.gocomics.com/garfield/1987/12/22 leading]] [[https://www.gocomics.com/garfield/1991/12/16 to]] [[https://www.gocomics.com/garfield/1998/12/15 quite]] [[https://www.gocomics.com/garfield/1999/12/19 a]] [[https://www.gocomics.com/garfield/2008/12/14 few]] [[https://www.gocomics.com/garfield/2010/12/18 unwanted]] [[https://www.gocomics.com/garfield/2012/12/14 and]] [[https://www.gocomics.com/garfield/2013/12/24 embarassing]] [[https://www.gocomics.com/garfield/2014/12/24 kisses.]] [[https://www.gocomics.com/garfield/1992/12/25 Even the reader]] [[BreakingTheFourthWall is not safe]].

[[folder:Anime * Manga]]

* Frequently done in ''ComicBook/ArchieComics''. Portable mistletoe and mistletoe hats are commonly seen in some stories, such as a cover where Arche got CoveredInKisses from Betty, Veronica, and Cheryl. HeManWomanHater Jughead is always trying to avoid this trope.