Why do black people give out fruit bags at Christmas?

The origin of the Christmas fruit bag tradition.

This is two-minute black history, what you didn't learn in school.

Ever got in a stocking or a bag with an apple, an orange, some walnuts, a candy cane,

or some variation of this at Christmas.

There's more to this black holiday tradition than just a nice holiday snack.

And here's how it all got started.

For as long as anyone can remember, Christmas treat bags with fruit have been as staple

in countless black households.

But how did they come about?

These bags first made an appearance during the Great Depression, when black families

were suffering from extreme poverty.

But there's more to the story.

The second part is the rise of the black church.

Time after time, black congregations came together to support and help one another whenever

we experienced white terrorism and discrimination.

During Christmas, treat bags were given to all families after church services to supplement

weaker diets.

The third part, the bags actually are part of the St. Nicholas Fable.

According to the story, St. Nicholas was a wealthy man who served others.

When he found that a man was too poor to give his daughters an appropriate marriage dowry,

he dropped gold coins through the window.

...