Why Were Oranges Put Into Christmas Stockings?
Question #2 ... Answered!
Ya know, I never even heard of this until last year...but since then I've heard it referenced many times. I never received an orange in my stocking as a child. Why was this a tradition back in the day?
Ya know, I never even heard of this until last year...but since then I've heard it referenced many times. I never received an orange in my stocking as a child. Why was this a tradition back in the day?
posted by millennium hippies at 8:32 AM
6 Comments:
Well, I've found a few things wandering on the web. Maybe someone will come along to clarify:
http://www.ourbrowncounty.com/1203s6.htm
In my childhood years in the Great Depression, getting an orange for Christmas was special. Our local stores had citrus fruit only at Christmas time. Apples were always plentiful, and therefore nothing special, yet appreciated.
http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=78
The gold Nicholas threw to provide the dowry money is often shown as gold balls. These are symbolized by oranges or even apples. So the orange in the toe of the stocking is a reminder of Nicholas' gift.
All of the stories I'm finding have to do with days when "poor" kids' parents couldn't afford toys for the stockings, so they got fresh fruit, which was a delicacy at the time, and became a tradition to remind us of how lucky we are to be able to take things like that for granted.
This is alot of fun, btw!
I don't know the official answer, but I will tell you why my parents did it. 1) It's hard to fill a stocking with toys that aren't junk. so the orange and a little bag of nuts took up a good deal of space. 2)I loved fruit, my mom had a tiny grocery budget, so fresh fruit really was a special treat to us.
Thank you ladies! This is awesome! Samantha since you were the first to reply with an official answer, you will be added to the Brainiac list.
Julia...I try to fill the kids stockings with healthy treats as well! :) It's good filler!
I don't know...but I love your site! :)
My mommy gives me and my siblings oranges in our stockings every year!!! yay! i love getting those "golden balls"!!!!!!!
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