There are tons of traditions circling Christmas and Santa Claus around the world, some weird and some not so weird. From Krampus the Christmas Devil to the Christmas Pickle, different cultures celebrate in different ways, but why do we leave cookies & milk for Santa?

With plenty of speculation, it seems that a handful of reasons may have played a part in our cookies & milk tradition. Some say it dates back to the days of Saint Nicholas and the feast of jolly old St. Nick. Children left offerings (of food and drink) overnight for the saint and his attendants in exchange for gifts come morning.    

Others believe the tradition is tied to the great depression. During this time of need parents encouraged their children to share what little they had with others. To do this, they would leave snacks out for Santa and his reindeer.

These are just a couple of beliefs behind the cookies and milk tradition, but whatever you choose to believe, make sure you leave Santa some cookies that he’s not bound to forget.