Citrus, a Christmas Tradition

Adam Calder
Wheatsfield Produce Manager

In this day and age, most people are accustomed to having citrus year-round; they tend not to think of it as a treat and usually not as a gift either. Five hundred years ago, that was not the case. Back then, only the wealthy could afford fresh fruit out of season as there were no refrigerated trucks to carry it great distances. A child might eagerly await a whole year for a Christmas gift of a golden globe of navel orange. A tangerine or a grapefruit was treated like an exotic delicacy. Why even in Little House on the Prairie, the little girls in that story were overjoyed when they each got an orange in their Christmas stocking. As a child, I recall receiving an orange and an apple in my own stocking, and I also recall tossing those aside quickly to get at the chocolate Santa. That was, of course, before the years granted me the wisdom to recognize fresh fruit for what it truly is. There is value in treating fresh citrus like a special gift, and I think it is time we gave citrus its due!

This year, why not carry on the old tradition of giving citrus? Pick up a handful of Satsuma mandarins and give those to someone you love. The fruit is juicy, tasty and the peel comes off as easily as unzipping a coat. Mix up an assortment of kumquats, lemons, limes and grapefruit for that special someone who loves tangy and tart fruit. Go ahead and stick a couple of navel oranges in your children’s stockings, or wow them with a blood orange so ruby red on the inside your children won’t believe their eyes! You can even make an ornament with an orange, some whole cloves and some ribbon. Take a length of ribbon long enough to wrap around the orange and form a loop or bow to hang the ornament from. After you have secured the ribbon onto the orange, you then stud the orange’s skin with whole cloves. A whole clove has a long pointy end, and that is the end you pierce into the skin of the orange. When the whole orange is covered with cloves, it is ready to hang! The orange will slowly dry out, and the scent of it and the cloves will waft around the whole room, much to the delight of all who are around to smell it!

Be sure to stop into the Wheatsfield Cooperative produce department soon and get yourself, your family and friends some delicious citrus fruit today. It always feels good to give someone fresh fruit, and most people are happy to receive it. As an added bonus, nature already wrapped that gift for you, so that’s one more thing to cross off your list!