Cookies, Milk, and the Festive Gift of Lactose Tolerance

It’s the night before Christmas, and the air is buzzing with festive cheer. Stockings are hung by the fire, presents sit wrapped under the twinkling tree, and - of course - a plate of cookies and a glass of milk await Father Christmas (and if you’re anything like my family, you can’t forget a couple of carrots for Rudolph and his hardworking team). This beloved tradition feels as timeless as the season itself, but have you ever stopped to wonder why milk became Santa’s drink of choice?

The answer lies in an ancient gift of a different time - one written in the DNA of our European ancestors. The ability to digest milk, known as lactose tolerance, is a genetic adaptation that transformed human diets and, yes, even made its way into our festive celebrations.

So, as you prepare to leave out that glass of milk for Father Christmas, let’s unwrap the surprising history and science behind this Christmas classic.

Father Christmas and the Magic of Milk

For centuries, Christmas has been a season of giving, and leaving food and drink for Father Christmas is one of the most common traditions. But why milk? The answer ties into Europe’s history, agriculture, and even human evolution.

Thousands of years ago, most adults couldn’t digest milk. The enzyme lactase, needed to break down lactose, naturally stops being produced after childhood in most mammals, and this was the same for humans. But around 7,500 years ago, some of our European ancestors received an incredible genetic gift. A mutation in their DNA allowed them to produce lactase throughout their lives - a trait called lactase persistence.

This adaptation spread quickly, especially in northern Europe, where dairy farming thrived. Milk became a vital winter staple, offering a nutritious, calorie-packed food source during the darkest, coldest months - a time we now associate with Christmas. Fast forward to the modern era, and milk had cemented its place as a symbol of comfort and nourishment, making it the perfect offering for Santa Claus.

A Christmas Tradition Rooted in History

The tradition of leaving out milk and cookies for Father Christmas is thought to have evolved from ancient winter solstice rituals, particularly those of Norse mythology. Long before stockings were hung by the fire with care, Norse children would leave food - often hay or carrots - for Odin’s eight-legged horse Sleipnir. In return, Odin was believed to reward them with small gifts, a practice that many historians see as one of the earliest inspirations for Santa Claus.

Odin, often depicted as a bearded, cloaked wanderer, bears a striking resemblance to the modern Father Christmas. During Yule, the Norse festival marking the winter solstice, Odin was said to ride Sleipnir across the sky, delivering blessings and observing the deeds of mankind. This imagery later blended with Christian traditions to create the Santa that we know today,

This ancient gift-giving ritual is more than just a charming tale - it’s a connection to the Viking Age and the enduring legacy of Norse culture. If you have the Living DNA Viking upgrade, you might even have discovered your own genetic link to the ancient roots of Father Christmas.

As time passed, this practice evolved, and by the time of Queen Victoria, English families would set out a glass of sherry or ale for Father Christmas and food for his reindeer. By the 20th century, as refrigerators entered households meaning that milk could be kept fresh for longer, it replaced heavier drinks like milk, becoming a much more child friendly tradition!

Lactose Tolerance: A genetic Christmas Miracle

Lactose tolerance isn’t universal. In fact, around 65% of the world’s population is lactose intolerant, losing the ability to process milk after childhood. But in northern and central Europe - where Father Christmas reportedly lives - up to 90% of people carry the gene for lactose persistence. In other parts of the world, such as East Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, lactose intolerance remains the norm.

So, whether you leave Father Christmas a glass of creamy milk, a plant-based alternative, or something else entirely, you’re participating in a tradition that celebrates survival, evolution, and the season of giving.