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Will swine flu be kiss of death for festive snogging? - COMMENT ON THIS STORY
SCARBOROUGH florists say they expect mistletoe sales to be as high as ever this year, despite the threat of swine flu.
Specialist publisher Debrett's – the authority on social etiquette – has said party goers should avoid a Christmas kiss on the lips this year because of the threat of spreading the H1N1 virus.
"Because of the spread of swine flu this year, people have started to think they might not jump under the mistletoe quite as readily this Christmas," etiquette advisor Jo Bryant said.
People in Scarborough who have been gearing up for a seasonal smacker at this year's Christmas party shouldn't worry, though – the town's mistletoe retailers say the crop remains as popular as ever. Dawn Readman, proprietor of Floristic Experience in Westborough, said she had not noticed a change in sales.
She added: "Mistletoe always sells well, particularly with all the Christmas parties.
"It's a crop that fascinates me. Down south there's places that are absolutely full of mistletoe. They harvest it and sell it for between 20 and 40 a bunch depending on the quality. It's funny because it's often little old ladies that buy it.
"I don't think swine flu will affect sales at all. It certainly hasn't affected what we have sold."
Julie Godfrey, owner of April Florists in St Thomas Street, said: "We've just got our mistletoe in this morning, but I don't think swine flu will put people off.
"It's usually young people that buy it and I don't think they'll be too bothered. It sells very well and we had people asking for it last weekend."
Cath Warburton, the owner of Blooms on Victoria Road, said she has sourced her mistletoe locally this year which had allowed her to put down the price. She said: "I think mistletoe is a good bit of fun. People always buy it on the last weekend before Christmas."
Mistletoe is traditionally a symbol of peace, fertility and blessings.
In Poland the major Christmas celebration takes place on Wigilia, which is Christmas Eve, and the Polish tradition is to hang mistletoe over the front door to ward off evil.
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Weather for Scarborough
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 10 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: North east
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Temperature: 9 C to 16 C
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