There are many Christmas traditions that people celebrate. Roasting chestnuts is one of them, eh? But what about the whole idea of getting an orange in your holiday stocking ? Did you grow up with that one?
Have you ever thought about where the idea came from? Well, don’t worry, I’m going to tell you, and it’s quite a nice story.
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So I have to admit, I didn’t grow up with the idea of putting oranges in Christmas stockings.
This was something I discovered when I came to North America. And I never put too much thought into it until now.
But since I’m a bit of a history buff, I wanted to know the story behind it.
And it goes something like that. Apparently, before St. Nicholas, or Santa as we affectionately know him, was a Saint, he was a bishop.
On one of his trips, St. Nicholas rode through a town where a man had three beautiful daughters.
Unfortunately, the man was poor and couldn’t afford a dowry for any of them. That meant none of his daughters would be able to marry.
Bishop Nicholas felt bad for the man and did something pretty amazing.
He tossed three sacks of gold through the window or chimney, and one of them landed in a stocking that was hanging. In the morning, the gold turned into a ball.
Here’s how the story changes.
The oranges people started giving out were actually a gesture of good fortune, similar to the gold St. Nicholas donated. Oh wow! I had no idea about that. Isn’t that such a cool story or what?
The orange is a symbol of that gold ball.
It’s also an important reminder to care for those in need. Hmm, I really like the idea of that. In Polish culture, we also have a Christmas tradition similar to that.
We always leave an empty chair and plate at the table on Christmas Eve.
I bet you’re wondering why? Well, it’s to welcome any unwanted guest that might arrive. It symbolizes that there is always food to share with anybody who might need it.
What do you think of that?
I think it’s such a sweet tradition, and it always makes me feel great when we do that at home. After all, Christmas is that time of the year that we should open our hearts to other people, no?
What is your take on Christmas traditions?
Do you like to uphold them or not? Are there any special ones in your household you look forward to every year?
I’d love to hear about it, so share it with all of us below. I bet there are some amazing ones people follow all over the world.
