In 18th-century America, oranges were so rare and expensive that they were considered a luxury Christmas gift reserved for the wealthy.

In the 1700s and early 1800s, citrus fruits like oranges were highly perishable and difficult to transport over long distances. Most oranges reaching the American colonies were shipped from the West Indies or Mediterranean ports in wooden crates. Because of the slow speed of sailing ships and the lack of climate control, many fruits rotted before reaching their destination, driving prices to levels only the wealthy could afford.The tradition of placing an orange in a Christmas stocking is often linked to the legend of Saint Nicholas. According to folklore, he dropped three bags of gold down a chimney to help a poor family, and the gold supposedly landed in stockings drying by the fire. The bright, round orange served as a symbolic and edible representation of those gold spheres for families who could not afford actual jewelry or coins.The accessibility of oranges changed dramatically following the American Civil War. In the 1880s, the development of the refrigerated railcar, known as the "reefer," allowed growers in Florida and California to ship fresh produce across the country without spoilage. By 1894, Florida was producing over 5 million boxes of oranges annually, transforming the fruit from a rare holiday luxury to an affordable staple of the American diet.Promotional campaigns by groups like the California Fruit Growers Exchange, which trademarked the name Sunkist in 1908, further established the orange's place in American households. These marketing efforts, combined with improved irrigation and the expansion of the transcontinental railroad, ensured that by the early 20th century, the "Christmas orange" had become a nostalgic tradition rather than a financial necessity.