Santa will be coming to town shortly! But before he does he will be checking his list twice to see who has been naughty and who has been nice! As the aged old story goes, those that find themselves on the naughty list may well find a lump of coal in their stocking come Christmas morning. It is a well-known tale all around the world. But where does this time-honoured tradition for parents to get their children to behave by gifting them a lump of coal at Christmas come from?
The story has many origins and varies slightly between different cultures. However most have in common the association with the fireplace and leaving gifts for children.
Italy
One of the many origin stories begins in Italy, where they believe in La Befana (a witch who delivers presents). As the story goes, when Jesus was born, La Befana saw a bright star in the sky and gathered some toys and other presents to give to the baby Jesus, but she couldn't find the stable. Every year, she roams the land looking for Jesus and leaves toys for good children and coal for bad ones.
Holland
Some believe the lumps of coal story began in Holland in the 16th Century. Children would put their clogs by the fireplace, long before stockings were used. When a child was bad, they got a lump of coal in their clogs, but if they were good they received small toys, cookies or candy.
England
Many people believe the lump of coal legend began in the 19th century in England. Most homes were heated by coal and it wasn’t unusual to keep a pan of hot coals under the bed at night. This would help warm up the room on cold winter nights. Rich families would be able to afford toys but poorer families would get coal. This was punishment for their family’s bad deeds and people believed that God had made them poor and the coal represented this belief.
The most common tale is the one about a nobleman who needed money so his three daughters could get married and start their lives with their new husbands. But he was poor and had no money. St. Nicholas visited his home and put money in stockings that hung out to dry by the fireplace. After news spread about this miracle, everyone left stockings out for Saint Nicholas. When he visited, he would give them gifts but when he visited houses belonging to bad people, he would leave lumps of coal in their stockings.
These days many families actually give bags of coal as real gifts to loved ones for heating their homes. Nothing beats the feel of a roaring fire especially at Christmas time.
If you’re stocking up on coal this Christmas or looking for solid fuel to give as a gift, go to www.solidfuelhub.co.uk