What Does it Mean to Get a Lump of Coal in Your Stocking? | Christmas Central (2024)

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What Does it Mean to Get a Lump of Coal in Your Stocking? | Christmas Central? ›

Italian children know La Befana, the “Christmas witch,” leaves toys and candy for good children, while bad children get lumps of coal. Misbehaving Dutch and German children are warned of the Krampus, a scary sort of “anti Santa” who leaves coal for Christmas instead of presents.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, coal was commonly burned to heat homes, so when Santa Claus came to visit, it was convenient to grab a lump to leave for children on his "naughty" list. Of course, Santa would never give children lumps of coal for Christmas...

Back then, children who didn't behave might have found their Christmas stockings filled with stones, sticks and even cold potatoes, instead of coal. While getting a lump of coal for Christmas is common American lore, the notion of leaving undesirable gifts for undeserving children is multicultural.

She flies around on her broomstick, searching all the houses and leaves gifts for the children. She enters through the chimney and leaves treats for well-behaved children but reaches into the fireplace to give a lump of coal to the naughty children. The coal will remind them to behave better in the next year.

Children would put their clogs by the fireplace on Christmas Eve and the good kids would get them filled with candy or small toys but the bad kids would have their clogs filled with coal. In Victorian England, Santa would only give coal to poor kids as a form of punishment for the bad deeds that made their family poor.

Misbehaving Dutch and German children are warned of the Krampus, a scary sort of “anti Santa” who leaves coal for Christmas instead of presents. Traditionally, naughty American children sometimes received stones, sticks or even cold potatoes in their Christmas stockings.

The lump of coal tells the man about his problem, and the man gets an idea. He suggests he put the lump of coal in Jasper (his bratty son)'s stocking. The son finds it and is ecstatic; he has wanted to make art with coal. So he makes portraits and he and the lump of coal become rich.

noun. : bituminous coal in the large lumps remaining after a single screening that is often designated by the size of the mesh over which it passes and by which the minimum size lump is determined.

At Christmas children hang up stockings to receive presents from Santa Claus, and a lump of coal is according to tradition what he leaves for naughty children.

It is first crushed and then sized to about “3/4 inch” (Ideal size for gasifying lignite). As a “coalminers” kid, the expression “lump” coal referred to coal that had gone through the crusher to “football size” for use in front-loaded stoves instead of furnaces that required coal sized through the 'tipple”.

Who gets a lump of coal? ›

By the 16th century, the beast-like Krampus was created as a counterpart to St. Nick to punish naughty girls and boys - sometimes by leaving coal in their stockings! In Italian folklore, the witch La Befana would sneak into homes to leave gifts for good children and lumps of coal for bad ones.

Dating back to the 9^th century, tradition states that in order to bring luck in the coming year the first visitor of the new year should be a tall, dark-haired man bringing gifts of salt, shortbread, whiskey and coal. Gifts of coal during wintertime ensure that you hearth will always be lit and your house warm.

Giving naughty children coal for Christmas could damage their mental health and the environment, it has been warned. It is a Christmas tradition for children to get presents and oranges in their stockings, while those who have been badly behaved may end up with a lump of coal.

Santa Claus' phone number

Father Christmas can be reached at 605-313-4000, his official hotline. Those wishing to call Santa can also visit FreeConferenceCall.com/Santa-Hotline to call the Santa Hotline through the official website.

Santa does not give pets as gifts. It would be very irresponsible as not everyone would take care of them.

If you think, judging by that white beard and hair, Kris Kringle might be around 70 or 80, the truth is he's far, far older. According to History.com, the monk who over time would evolve into Santa Claus was born in what is now modern-day Turkey in 280 A.D., making him a whopping 1,741 years old!

In the Bible, coal is often used symbolically to represent transformation, strength, and overcoming obstacles. It is mentioned in Isaiah 6:6-7, where a live coal is used to cleanse the prophet Isaiah's unclean lips, symbolizing the transformation and purification of his soul.

Finding a piece of coal on the ground is supposed to be lucky. Pick it up, spit on it and throw it over your left shoulder as you make a wish.