Yuletide Apples & Oranges A once common gift for Yuletide were the fruits Apples and Oranges, with the Apples long predating the Oranges. They were a common gift or reward from Sinterklaas, and are often associated with a later legend of Saint Nicholas and the three golden balls he tossed into a family's home to avoid them putting their daughters to work as whores. Though it also serves as a solar symbol, as many use the Orange slice ornaments for a solar wheel. Apples also double as a symbol of the tree of life and barren apple trees were sometimes used in place of the common pine trees for communal Yuletide trees. The Oranges arose due to both being a luxury early on having to be imported or grown in Florida where it's solar symbolism was only heightened by "The Sunshine State". Santa Claus then began delivering them to peoples stockings. Whether sweet treat, Symbol of life or of the sun. I know some apples and some citrus are a welcome addition to the Yuletide season and the custom of Wassailing.-TLK