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Source: ONE News -
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Prepare to pucker up if you're travelling through London's Heathrow Airport this festive season.
Staff have unveiled a giant sprig of mistletoe at the airport's Terminal 5 measuring 3m x 2.4m and weighing 43kg.
The structure took designers and engineers three weeks to build and includes more than 15m of steel tubing and 25 stainless steel balls.
Heathrow chief operating officer Mike Brown hoped the mistletoe would bring travellers some added Christmas cheer.
"Heathrow is very often the place where friends and lovers are reunited at Christmas, or where people start their long journeys home to loved ones," Brown said.
The custom of kissing under mistletoe is believed to have originated in Scandinavia, where the plant is seen as a symbol of peace and harmony.
With one million passengers expected to pass through Terminal 5 in December, it is hoped more than two million Christmas kisses will take place under the mistletoe in the next month.
Nearly three million passengers are expected to fly into Heathrow ahead of Christmas, with about 500,000 anticipated between December 19-24.
Giant mistletoe will also be installed in each of Heathrow's four other terminals.
Amid fears over an increase in swine flu cases during the European winter, passengers may do well to opt for a peck on the cheek, air kiss or combination.
British etiquette experts Debrett's this week issued advice on how to kiss under the mistletoe this Christmas.
Debrett's said those feeling ill should avoid Christmas parties, but if you find stealing a smooch irresistible, the most hygienic option is to briefly touch cheeks with the other person.
The guide said: "Unless you know a person intimately, a social `kiss' is actually the briefest touch of your cheek against the other person's.
"Because there is so little contact, there is a minimal transfer of germs - that's why a kiss is the healthier alternative to a hand shake."
