Uploaded June 2019 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Common symbols that have a different meaning than you thought! From candy cane poles outside your local barber shop to the hidden meaning behind Bluetooth’s logo
Number 6. Mistletoe
Now indicative of the a time for holiday cheer and joyous celebration, Mistletoe has grown to recognition as a Christmas tradition in which one person may show their affection for another with a ritualistic kiss. Seeing as how the parasitic plant wasn't a Bible-born tradition, the concept of smooching under the mistletoe seems to originate from Norse mythology. The story goes that Loki crafted an arrow from Mistletoe and was able to use it to slay fellow deity Balder. Upon Balder's resurrection, his mother Frigga declared the mistletoe to henceforth be a symbol of love and peace, one by which all gods and humans should celebrate her son's return. The tradition carried on throughout Europe and as of the 18th century, it was being practiced commonly each year in Britain among servants. To add to the speed by which it spread, one popular belief was that to refuse a kiss was to risk bad luck! Thus it naturally made its way to the modern world at large and carries on today.
Number 5. Okay Sign
A happy substitute for the "thumbs-up" gesture, the frequently-used connecting of the index finger and thumb is a classic go-to way to say "A-OK". Well before its contemporary uses, however, the symbol was a staple in Ancient Greece as a symbol of love and affection due to the way the digits slightly resemble puckered lips. The gesture also appeared in the Roman empire during the first century as it made its first appearance as a symbol of approval. It's also an influential hand symbol in Buddhist and Hindu cultures as it often is seen as a sign of inner perfection, with focus being paid to the circle formed rather than the touching of the fingertips. The tradition of using this gesture flourished globally, carrying this meaning in one way or another with the sense of "perfection" applying as a means of verification rather than speaking to any type of completeness. However, in Italy, the pointing of the fingertip and thumb slightly transform the gesture from one of response to an exclamation of approval, often preceded by what's commonly referred to as a "chef's kiss"!
Common symbols that have a different meaning than you thought! From candy cane poles outside your local barber shop to the hidden meaning behind Bluetooth’s logo
Number 6. Mistletoe
Now indicative of the a time for holiday cheer and joyous celebration, Mistletoe has grown to recognition as a Christmas tradition in which one person may show their affection for another with a ritualistic kiss. Seeing as how the parasitic plant wasn't a Bible-born tradition, the concept of smooching under the mistletoe seems to originate from Norse mythology. The story goes that Loki crafted an arrow from Mistletoe and was able to use it to slay fellow deity Balder. Upon Balder's resurrection, his mother Frigga declared the mistletoe to henceforth be a symbol of love and peace, one by which all gods and humans should celebrate her son's return. The tradition carried on throughout Europe and as of the 18th century, it was being practiced commonly each year in Britain among servants. To add to the speed by which it spread, one popular belief was that to refuse a kiss was to risk bad luck! Thus it naturally made its way to the modern world at large and carries on today.
Number 5. Okay Sign
A happy substitute for the "thumbs-up" gesture, the frequently-used connecting of the index finger and thumb is a classic go-to way to say "A-OK". Well before its contemporary uses, however, the symbol was a staple in Ancient Greece as a symbol of love and affection due to the way the digits slightly resemble puckered lips. The gesture also appeared in the Roman empire during the first century as it made its first appearance as a symbol of approval. It's also an influential hand symbol in Buddhist and Hindu cultures as it often is seen as a sign of inner perfection, with focus being paid to the circle formed rather than the touching of the fingertips. The tradition of using this gesture flourished globally, carrying this meaning in one way or another with the sense of "perfection" applying as a means of verification rather than speaking to any type of completeness. However, in Italy, the pointing of the fingertip and thumb slightly transform the gesture from one of response to an exclamation of approval, often preceded by what's commonly referred to as a "chef's kiss"!
