The kissing ball originated in the Middle Ages, when vines were wrapped into a circular shape and a small figurine of Jesus was placed within. Later, the vine base was replaced by a raw potato or apple. Somehow this Christmas-theme decoration evolved during the Victorian era to symbolize romance. I’ve always thought that Victorians were prudish, but they introduced hanging of a kissing ball in doorways as an invitation to smooch. Eventually balls of mixed greens were replaced by sprigs of mistletoe. Modern music by Kelly Clarkson or Justin Bieber keeps the tradition alive, albeit in a version vastly different than the original.

Mistletoe has been a part of my holiday decorating until a few years ago, when security guards at the local shopping mall suggested I stop harvesting from the mistletoe-laden (and unhealthy) trees in their parking lot islands. Rather than using artificial or preserved greenery and a Styrofoam base, I decided to revert to the historic form – a potato – and fresh boxwood sprigs. The moisture in a potato will keep cut branches moist for weeks. Unlike artificial foam, the all-natural form is biodegradable and can be tossed onto the compost pile after the holidays.

This is an easy project, even if you are not crafty. If you ever played the Mr. Potato Head game as a child, this will feel familiar. Here is my method.

Gather components: Hand clippers, ribbon, small round potatoes, greenery. Smaller potatoes are better than large ones. They do not need to be perfectly round, since adjustments are easily made in the lengths of cut greenery. Many types of greenery can be used, but the smaller the leaf the neater the finished product. Boxwood was my choice.

For the first ball I assembled, I found the boxwood stems were too soft to easily penetrate a raw potato, so I used an icepick to pre-make holes. For subsequent assembly, I microwaved the potato base for one minute, which was just enough to soften the skin without cooking the potato.

The assembly process is best done outdoors to reduce cleanup. Cut boxwood stems about two inches long. Strip the leaves off one inch of the cut end so it will insert easily into the potato base. Either prune just the tips of branches or cut a single long stem into several sections. The raw ends will not be noticeable once assembly is complete. If the sight of a raw stem tip bothers you, touch the light-colored cut end with a black Sharpie marker and the cut will become invisible.

Insert stems into the potato, spacing them close, until the base is covered. Adjust the amount of stem inserted to maintain a round shape. Leave a small space uncovered for insertion of a decorative ribbon and wire for hanging. I experimented with adding a decorative ribbon as the first step and then as the last step, and found that I preferred the latter.

If available, a florist pin (looks like a long staple) is a great way to attach ribbon. I did not have florist pins, so I used cable staples instead. Metal paper clips could substitute in a pinch.