Celebrate Citrus

December 7, 2023

MyMagazine Staff

Citrus is a holiday season star, but have you ever wondered why? Let’s peel back the layers on these bright, vibrant fruits and all the festive ways they can be enjoyed.

Decorating Darlings

Dried citrus decorations are all over social media feeds and for good reason: they’re gorgeous, festive and super simple to make. Slice a mix of oranges, grapefruits and clementines — you’ll want to aim for about ¼-inch thickness — and pop out any seeds. Set slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 200°F for 2–4 hours, flipping every 30 minutes. Once they’re finished, you can thread them onto twine to create a garland, add them to a wreath or even make sweet-scented ornaments.

Old-Fashioned Stocking Stuffers

In some families, it’s a tradition to wake up to an orange tucked inside your stocking alongside candies and other small trinkets. There are a few theories as to when or where this holiday tradition began. For families up north, citrus fruits were once considered luxuries and made delightful Christmas treats. Another theory suggests that oranges represent the orange color of the sacks of gold once left behind by Saint Nicholas. A third theory is that this tradition began during the Great Depression when receiving an orange would be an unexpected treat.

Can’t-Miss Citrus Recipes

A squeeze of citrus juice or a sprinkling of zest adds brightness to all sorts of yuletide drinks and dishes. We’ve rounded up some of our favorites here.