Once upon a time... The story of the Christmas Orange
Clementines, satsumas, Navel oranges, mistletoe, fabulous big juicy comice pears and of course sprouts... these always remind me of Christmas at Starlings... growing up as a greengrocer and florists daughter Christmas was an incredibly busy time . The Christmas Hymns playing from dads large speaker was the background music accompanying the flurry of activity in our shop from fruit baskets to holly wreaths, endless deliveries of fresh produce and dads freshly cooked beet adding warmth to those chilly mornings. Our fruit basket range has grown over the years as we have expanded to meet customer demand and now deliver these beautiful, healthy gifts across the UK. Our choice of fruit baskets includes a range with Gnaw chocolates, Chocolates for Chocoholics, Norfolk honey, Candies Chutney, Norfolk apple juice and Essence conserves. We can also offer a bespoke vegan fruit basket, so fruit gifts to share with loved ones and family across the UK.
Decades later and still joyfully in the family business I can finally appreciate how exhausted my mum and dad must have been on Christmas morning and Santa had just finished his last batch of fruit baskets, by the time he managed to leave my Christmas stocking with the ubiquitous orange and clementine at the foot of my bed ..
I thought you might like to see some the stories behind the oranges in a Christmas stocking.
1. St Nicholas, a rich bishop in 4th century Turkey
St Nicholas devoted his life to helping others. He learned of a shopkeeper who was poor and unable to find dowries for his 3 daughters so they might marry, therefore securing their future when he was no longer around. St Nicholas wishing to help him, decided in secret to toss 3 bags of gold down their chimney, these rather fortuitously landed in their stockings which were drying by the fire.
The family awoke the next morning overjoyed at the anonymous generosity; the daughters could pay their dowries and wed ensuring their father peace, knowing they would be taken care of when he was no longer around.
Today this tradition continues with Children hanging their stockings by their beds and the oranges represent the gold balls from all those years ago.
2. Oranges were an expensive luxury
Despite the availability of oranges and the the price becoming less expensive in the late 19th century, these were still considered a luxury for the wealthy and elite. So Christmas was a time oranges were seen as a treat for poorer families and would be part of a Christmas feast.
3. Oranges symbolize the Season of giving.
As we saw in the story of St Nicholas the giving of oranges ( balls of gold ) in stockings serve as a reminder to care for others who are in need and less fortunate than you. As the orange separates into segments it is easy to share...
