Interesting Origins of Our Favorite Christmas Traditions

Leaving Milk and Cookies for Santa

Them: Why would you leave a snack for a home intruder?

You: You’d never imagine that when we simply place a cookie or two on a plate with a glass of milk, that this is actually participating in a tradition from ancient Norse mythology. During Yule season, children would leave out food at night for a different white-bearded guy, Odin, in hopes that he would return the favor and leave them a gift.

Leaving Milk and Cookies for Santa

This custom started during the Great Depression, and parents used idt as a way to teach their kids that even if money was tight they still needed to be gracious to others.