Letter, from Bournemouth, Dorset, in the Express, 11 November 1996:
Ban mistletoe
Now that Christmas is approaching, I sincerely hope that Britain’s shops and stores decide to act responsibly by choosing not to sell mistletoe [Viscum album].
Bearing in mind the current AIDS epidemic, it is highly irresponsible for anyone to sell merchandise that encourages people to act in a debauched and immoral fashion. The tradition of kissing beneath the mistletoe is not simply an innocent act and often encourages intoxicated folk to indulge in casual sex.
Britain should ban the sale of mistletoe, leading to a return of decent Christian values to society.

Image: Predator waiting beneath mistletoe, c. 1898.