The old other sock Christmas Eve strategy.

[tjh290633]

Never done that, but in my childhood the stocking held a lump of coal...

What the deuce were you expected to do with the lump of coal Terry? Contribute it to the family fire in the dining room? C.

Everybody got one. I think it was a sign of good luck. Bear in mind that I was born in a coal mining area, from a family of coal miners.

TJH

[UncleEbenezer]

Never done that, but in my childhood the stocking held a lump of coal...

What the deuce were you expected to do with the lump of coal Terry? Contribute it to the family fire in the dining room? C.

Everybody got one. I think it was a sign of good luck. Bear in mind that I was born in a coal mining area, from a family of coal miners.

TJH

So your local coalture was being incoalcated in you.

[tjh290633]

What the deuce were you expected to do with the lump of coal Terry? Contribute it to the family fire in the dining room? C.

Everybody got one. I think it was a sign of good luck. Bear in mind that I was born in a coal mining area, from a family of coal miners.

TJH

So your local coalture was being incoalcated in you.

As the grandson of a Freeminer, you could say that I was born with it.

TJH

[stewamax]

Hmm... when I lived north of the border, the lump of coal was carried when first footing on New Year's Eve. The carrier was by tradition male and dark- (ideally black-) haired, and the coal symbolised the blackness that was supposed to bring luck in the coming year. He also carried salt.
If he had several first footings to make he normally ended up four sheets to the wind and utterly pie-eyed from the very large celebratory drams given at each stop.