Oranges at Christmastime

When I was in elementary school at Willshire, probably during the first three or four grades, just before Christmas Santa would visit the school and give each a student a gift, a little brown paper bag with an orange in it. There may have also been an apple and a candy cane in the bag, but I distinctly remember the orange.

Oranges

It was a real treat. I was excited to get the gift from Santa, even if it was only an orange. A gift is a gift and oranges are a sweet, tasty fruit treat.

Last week I featured some letters to Santa that were written in 1917. Most of the children at that time asked for fruit and candy. When they asked for fruit, they were likely asking for oranges.

Oranges have long been a popular Christmas gift, often put in a Christmas stocking. In some areas and at certain times, like during the Great Depression, oranges were a rare, special treat that may have been the only gifts under the Christmas tree.

There is an old tale behind the tradition of oranges as Christmas gifts.

Saint Nicholas, aka Santa Claus, was the son of a wealthy merchant who later became a bishop. He lived near a man with three daughters. When the man fell on hard times, Saint Nicholas secretly threw three bags of gold through his window. A bag of gold landed in each daughter’s stocking, stockings that were hanging on the mantle to dry. People eventually learned the identity of the gift giver, called him Saint Nicholas, and oranges came to represent the bags of gold he gave. An orange placed in the toe of the stocking was used to represent good fortune for the recipient.  

Oranges also symbolize giving and sharing during the holiday season because the orange segments can easily be shared with others.

Oranges

Yes, oranges are a symbol of Christmas, a common item included in holiday fruit baskets, and a popular winter fruit.