Every single Christmas, for as long as I can remember, I've received an orange in my stocking. Or sometimes a clementine, depending on what's in the fridge. I always have a little chuckle at the tradition and, after drinking about five cups of tea and eating half the chocolate from my stocking, I eventually get around to eating it. Now I'm the one who adds an orange to my husband's stocking, and vice versa. But even after all these years, I've never even thought of why this is a tradition at all, until now. So, I dug into the history to learn more.
My research started out with my parents—the original orange-givers in my life—and contrary to what my Dad thought, the oranges were not actually "used to fill up space in the stocking to make it look fuller." They were, however, a rarity, especially in England, where my Mom—and her Mom—grew up. Oranges haven't always been the grocery store staple we know today, and when they were available, they weren't cheap, so as my Mom said, "Getting an orange in your stocking was a real treat." This wasn't just a thing in England—many articles I read noted that oranges were, at times, the only gift under the tree, especially during the Great Depression.
They're Said to Represent a Gift of Gold from Saint Nicholas
One theory behind the tradition of oranges in the stocking stems from the generosity of Saint Nicholas (also known as Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle and Old Saint Nick), who was the son of a wealthy merchant and later in life a bishop. It's said that he lived near a father and his three daughters who had fallen on hard times, so Nicholas secretively threw three bags of gold through their window, which were rumored to have landed in each of the girl's stockings that were hanging on the mantelpiece to dry. The father eventually found out who the gift giver was and was so moved he told everyone in town about Nicholas.
This was not only the origin of Santa Claus but also one reason for oranges—which represent bags of gold—in our stockings.
They Exemplify the Season of Giving
This last theory might be my favorite. Some say that the orange exemplifies the season of giving, as the orange segments can be easily shared with others—and I just love that! And it makes me think of the times I've shared an orange with someone. I'll always remember splitting an orange with my friend, Brooke, in English class senior year, which was the last period of the day before lacrosse practice. Maybe it was a placebo effect, but I swear it made me play better and was one of the reasons I became interested in how nutrition affects the body.
I also think of the countless times my mom would reach back in the car to hand me half of her orange, and the numerous dried-up orange peels we'd always find in her van. And just like there's an unwritten rule in my family that if you're making a cup of tea, you need to ask everyone else in the room if they want one too (and never finish the milk without leaving some for Mom's tea), the same can be said for sharing oranges. And those juicy little segments just make it so easy to share.
St. Nicholas traveled to the house, and tossed three sacks of gold down the chimney for each of the dowries. The gold happened to land in each of the girls' stockings which were hanging by the fire to dry. The oranges we receive today are a symbol of the gold that was left in the stockings.
The Chinese believed oranges brought joy, good luck and warded off evil. Ancient people considered orange and red fruits as magical, likely because of their vibrant colors, so it was an honor to receive one as a gift. Oranges are also known as the fruit of life in Japan.
The tradition of putting oranges or clementines into stockings is alleged to have come from this story, with the round, orange fruit symbolising the gold coins that were said to have originally been left as a gift in the stockings by St. Nick.
A man would give the orphange a box of oranges for Christmas, and a tree would be put up on Christmas Eve. Each of the children were given an orange on Christmas morning, and this was their only Christmas gift. It tells of the wonderful gift the children gave to Rose and to each other. This is a beautiful little book.
Oranges are believed to bring good luck and prosperity to the recipient. It is also believed that the round shape of the orange represents unity and completeness, while the bright color symbolizes happiness and joy. It goes without saying that if life gives you oranges, consider yourself lucky!
Saint Nicholas knew the family was very poor, so he threw three bags of gold coins down the chimney. The money landed in the sisters' stockings. Since then, children have hung up their Christmas stockings on Christmas Eve, hoping to find them filled with gifts in the morning.
A long time ago (14th – 18th century) giving a gift of an orange was a sign of being rich and powerful. Oranges were rare as there was no chilled transport, which meant they often went bad during the journey to the UK. Having a juicy perfect orange was a very special treat.
Citrus and its intimacy are not strictly romantic. It is also a perfect representation of platonic love. The poem “Oranges” by Jean Little shows how love and friendship are exemplified through sharing an orange. The poem's narrator talks about how neatly and perfectly she can peel oranges.
"In love, orange can symbolize strong attraction, fiery passion, and a deep longing for connection," Pamplona tells mindbodygreen. Orange represents creativity and possibility, with Pamplona explaining that with the color orange and love, "There is an energy of playfulness [...] and we are open to trying new things."
Traditionally stockings are filled with small and less expensive gifts like Chocolate (coins or selection boxes), sweets, Christmas themed socks, small toys like playing cards, books and more.
A Christmas stocking is an empty sock or sock-shaped bag that is hung on Saint Nicholas Day or Christmas Eve so that Saint Nicholas (or the related figures of Santa Claus and Father Christmas) can fill it with small toys, candy, fruit, coins or other small gifts when he arrives.
During times when fresh fruit was harder to come by in some areas during the winter months, a sweet apple was as welcome a treat as candy in a Christmas stocking!
They're Said to Represent a Gift of Gold from Saint Nicholas
The father eventually found out who the gift giver was and was so moved he told everyone in town about Nicholas. This was not only the origin of Santa Claus but also one reason for oranges—which represent bags of gold—in our stockings.
Christingles are made using oranges and a few other bits, as you choose. You light the candle at the end of a service to spread a magical glow around everyone. Each element of a Christingle has a special meaning and helps to tell the Christian story: The orange represents the world.
Oranges and the Christmas tradition: a long history
An ancient legend also tells of three golden balls that the Bishop of Myra, the real St Nicholas, gave to three poor maidens to use as dowries. St Nicholas is said to have saved the three women from being sold as slaves thanks to three golden oranges.
Red is the blood of Jesus Christ, and green is the evergreen tree, representing eternal life as it stays this hue throughout the winter. These two colors also represent the leaves and holly berries embodying the crown of thorns on Jesus' head on the cross.
Despite the fancy name, pomander balls are simply oranges decorated with cloves to make your home smell warm and cozy for the holidays. DIY pomander balls can be hung as ornaments, used in garlands, or arranged as a part of a festive holiday centerpiece.
Other versions of the story say that Saint Nicholas threw the three bags of gold directly into the stockings, which were hung by the fireplace to dry. This led to the custom of children hanging stockings or putting out shoes, eagerly awaiting gifts from St Nicholas.
Introduction: My name is Mrs. Angelic Larkin, I am a cute, charming, funny, determined, inexpensive, joyous, cheerful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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