Listening to classic Christmas music on a radio station that labeled the songs as “holiday traditions” certainly brought back memories of holiday traditions from the past. Some of them, in fact, are so traditional they’re in danger of being lost in the mists of time. As such, here is my top 10 list of bygone Christmas traditions.

10. Children these days have no idea what it means to find a lump of coal in their stockings. Back when we were growing up in the Dark Ages, most homes in the community had coal-burning furnaces. So to signal that a child perhaps was a bit naughty, Santa would leave some coal in the stocking that was hanging from the mantel.

9. These days Christmas trees are well manicured at nurseries before being set out for sale. I can remember looking for a tree in a lot that one could place in the corner of the home because it was rare to find a scotch pine that was perfectly cylindrical.

8. Christmas songs certainly have changed over the years. Now we have “Grandma Being Run Over by a Reindeer” and of course “Dominick the Italian Donkey,” instead of Judy Garland’s memorable “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” from the movie Meet Me in St. Louis.

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