Why do you get lumps of coal for Christmas?

Have you ever wondered how the tradition of leaving lumps of coal in Christmas stockings began?

In ancient German and Dutch folklore, Saint Nicholas, also known as Sinterklaas, would leave gifts in shoes and socks left out for him by children.

RELATED: Where do Santa's reindeer come from?

Here's the story behind Santa's reindeer and how they got their names.

By the 16th century, the beast-like Krampus was created as a counterpart to St. Nick to punish naughty girls and boys - sometimes by leaving coal in their stockings!

In Italian folklore, the witch La Befana would sneak into homes to leave gifts for good children and lumps of coal for bad ones.

RELATED: Why do we kiss under mistletoe?

Here's why we kiss under mistletoe around the holidays.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, coal was commonly burned to heat homes, so when Santa Claus came to visit, it was convenient to grab a lump to leave for children on his "naughty" list.

Of course, Santa would never give children lumps of coal for Christmas... unless they asked for it!