When Gerren Price told his then-girlfriend he was taking her to the National Mistletoe, she was skeptical. She had heard of their other plans: the DowntownDC Holiday Market, the U.S. Botanic Garden’s holiday display — but the National Mistletoe?
She was right to be suspicious. Because it didn’t exist.
But Price led her to the D.C. War Memorial on the National Mall, plucked a sprig of mistletoe off the ground, held it above their heads and declared it the National Mistletoe before kissing her. Then, he dropped to one knee and asked her to marry him.
As family members looked on and a violinist played, she said yes.
Twelve years and two daughters later, the couple became the first to share a kiss under the official National Mistletoe — a 600-pound, 10-foot-wide steel sphere suspended 30 feet in the air, covered in greenery and adorned with red ribbons and a jingle bell. The public art installation at Anthem Row was dreamed up by Price, who now serves as CEO of the DowntownDC Business Improvement District.
On Saturday, Price hopes to share the mistletoe magic that sparked his marriage with at least 480 other couples. The DowntownDC BID is hosting the National Kiss Under the National Mistletoe, an official attempt to break the Guinness World Record for couples kissing under mistletoe.
The current world record belongs to brewing company Anheuser-Busch, which gathered 480 kissing partners in St. Louis at its 2019 Brewery Lights celebration. D.C. seems well on its way to claiming the title — more than 5,000 couples had signed up before registration closed at midnight Wednesday.
But a few conditions must be met in order for the kisses to count: they must all occur simultaneously inside the “Kiss Zone” and last for at least 7 seconds. Each couple will receive their own mini-mistletoe to hold above their heads while they kiss. A Guinness World Record official will be on site to certify the attempt.
Spots inside the “Kiss Zone” are first come, first serve, according to the DowntownDC BID website, which instructs participants to arrive early as each couple needs to check in.
While the kiss is scheduled for 5 p.m., the event begins at 3 p.m. After couples check in, they can snap pictures in photo booths and listen to live jazz music by the Ellington Carthan Quartet featuring singer Valentina Maria. Food and drink from City Tap House and Root & Vine will be available for purchase.
For those not partaking in the big smooch, the National Mistletoe will remain on display through January 31. This marks the second year of the public art installation, funded by the District’s Streets for People grant and designed by D.C.-based artist My Ly. When the large metal structure at Anthem Row isn’t displaying a 600-pound ball of greenery, it’s hoisting other seasonal public art. Previous displays include a giant red lantern to celebrate the Lunar New Year, a Japanese daruma doll covered in pink blooms to celebrate the National Cherry Blossom Festival, and over the summer, a rainbow prism to honor World Pride.
Price, a D.C. native, said the city felt heavier this year than he could ever recall. He hopes the art installations call attention to moments worth celebrating, in a year where he acknowledged many residents may have had little to celebrate.
“I know this year many people have felt unstable and afraid,” Price said. “I’m committed to being very intentional about creating moments where people can feel community, togetherness and joy.”
The National Mistletoe that Price made up over a decade earlier may become the site of a world record on Saturday. But regardless, it’s already become a part of at least one other love story: a couple reached out to tell Price that it’s where they got engaged.
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