My Thoughts on Oranges and Lumps of Coal

There are a few things at Christmas time that many of us joke about, and "oranges in the bottom of your stocking" and "getting a lump of coal" are two topics of conversation that seem to come up more often than not. But were they always thought of as "bad" during Christmas? Not always!....
Oranges In Your Stocking:During The Great Depression, and times of war during the 1930s and 1940s, fruit and other "delicacies" were hard to come by. When parents wanted to give their children an extra special treat, an orange was that one special surprise the kids were excited to find. Because the children of the 30s wanted to share the joy they felt when finding that sweet and juicy orange in the bottom of their stocking on Christmas morning, that is something they passed on for their kids, and their kids are now doing it for their kids, all due to tradition. 
Lump of Coal:As far as a "lump of coal" goes, this was not always a bad thing, but a "resourceful" gift. Before the days of furnaces and heated homes, heating up coal and putting a lump of it underneath your bed at night is what kept you warm in the cold winter months. Receiving a lump of coal for Christmas is similar to children today receiving socks or underwear. Who knows; in fifty or one hundred years from now, maybe parents will be saying to their children "You better be good, or all you are going to get for Christmas is a pair of socks" instead of "a lump of coal"! 
Next time you receive an orange in the bottom of your stocking, or a lump of coal, know that you weren't "bad" all year, but that somebody loves you enough to get you "something that will bring you joy" or "something that will keep you warm"!