The tradition of kissing under a ball of mistletoe has its origins in Norse mythology. The god of mischief, Loki, and his freshman dorm roommate, Santa Claus, used a sprig of mistletoe on the doorknob to signal to each other when one of them had a girl in the room. Today, a mistletoe kissing ball adds a festive touch to holiday decor, and your kids will have a blast trying to avoid getting anywhere near it.

Materials:
fabric that won't unravel (felt or fleece)
pom poms
glue

Step 1: Cut two strips of fabric each 24 inches by 3 inches.
Step 2: Lay the strips on top of eachother and cut in half lengthwise in a curvy line like shown in the picture.
Step 3: Lie the strips in pairs with the leaves staggered as shown. Sew a long, loose running stitch down the bottom edge.
Step 4: Gather along the seam.
Step 5: Roll up each strip along the gathered seam.
Step 6: Using plenty of glue, adhere the two rolls together bottom to bottom. Allow to dry.
Step 7: Fluff and separate the leaves. Glue or stitch pom poms to represent the berries.

Hang it up and enjoy!

(Re-edited from a post originally published on 12.15.2010 - CM)