Hay Clan Mistletoe tradition

While the mistletoe bats on Errol's aik,

And that aik stands fast,

The Hays shall flourish, and their good grey hawk

Shall nocht flinch before the blast.

But when the root of the aik decays,

And the mistletoe dwines on its withered breast,

The grass shall grow on Errol's hearthstone

And the corbie roup in the falcon's nest.

                                                                           

                                                            Thomas the Rhymer 

Tradition ran that the fate of the Hays of Errol (an estate in Perthshire, Scotland) was connected to the mistletoe that grew on a certain aik (oak) tree. The vast oak tree was of an unknown age and held a profusion of mistletoe. Many charms and legends were considered to be connected with the tree as well as the duration of the Hay family and their united existence. 

It was believed that a sprig of the mistletoe cut by a Hay on Allhallowmas Eve (Halloween), with a new dirk, after surrounding the tree three times sunwise (clockwise) and pronouncing a certain spell, was a sure charm against all glamour or witchery and an infallible guard in the day of battle. A spray gathered in the small manner was also placed in the cradle of infants and thought to defend them from being changed for elfbairns by the fairies. 

Finally, it was affirmed that when the root of the oak had perished, "the grass should grown on the hearth of the Errol and a raven should sit in the falcon's nest." The two most unlucky deeds which could be done by one of the name of Hay was to kill a white falcon and to cut down a limb from the oak of Errol.

When the old tree was destroyed exactly is unknown, but the estate was sold out of the Hay family and of course it is said that the fatal oak was cut down a short time before.

As many of you know, our family is big into our Scottish/Celtic heritage. We are members of Clan Hay as well as other Scottish societies. We enjoy attending several annual Scottish Festivals and events throughout the year, but we hadn't started any of our own traditions. We knew the official plant of Clan Hay was the mistletoe, but after reading the above story we decided to make our own family ritual from it. Instead of Halloween, we chose to go out and cut our mistletoe down on the first day of winter.

P reading the story of the Hay and the mistletoe.

The mistletoe hanging in an aik tree on our property.

P cutting the mistletoe with his dirk.

Posing for me with the dirk and the mistletoe.....as you can see he's so happy I have my camera! :)

The beautiful mistletoe, berries and all.

I found some ribbon at wally-world that is very close to the actual hay tartan (pattern). It made a perfect bow to decorate and hang my mistletoe with.

Papaw and D came over for the first annual cutting of the mistletoe and we plan to continue our new tradition for many years to come.