Christmas Stocking Traditions

Photo: Janlynn Cross Stitch Kit, 18-Inch by 10-Inch, Christmas Morning Stocking

We all taught the same story to our kids: they have to hang their Christmas stocking on the fireplace mantel so that Santa Claus can fill them with sweets and toys on Christmas Eve.

This is a tradition that started long ago and continues up to these days, except for the hanging of Christmas stockings on the fireplace mantel. Indeed and, more particularly because many house don't have a fireplace any more, people hang Christmas stockings anywhere in the house.

A common belief is that the Christmas stockings of children who have been good and behaved well during an entire year, will be filled with gifts and candies. But have you ever seen a child who hasn't been good an entire year?

Photo: Set of 4 Assorted Elegant Holiday Harlequin Christmas Stockings 18"

Yes, there's a legend behind the Christmas stocking tradition and, like all legends, it is a story which has a happy ending. But there's more... If you thought that Santa Claus was the first to fill Christmas stockings with treats and gifts, you were mistaken. Here's the story.

There was once a kind nobleman whose wife died because of an illness and was left behind with three daughters. The family moved to live in a peasant's cottage after loosing all their money.

As the daughters were in the right time to get married, their father was once again faced with a problem on where and how to get dowries for the families of his three daughters new husbands.

One night after the daughters were done in washing their clothes, they hung their stockings over the fireplace to dry. That same night Saint Nicholas stopped by in the nobleman's house, he knows about the nobleman's worries. He peeked through the window and noticed the stockings hung over the fireplace, an idea struck Saint Nicholas. He took three small bags full of gold from his pouch and threw one by one down the chimney, the small bags landed on each stocking on the fireplace.

The next morning, the daughters found the small bags full with gold in their stockings. The nobleman was able to see his three daughters marry and he lived a happy and long life.

Photo: Jim Shore Heartwood Creek Holy Family Christmas Stocking Holder, 5-1/2-Inch

Besides the traditional use, Christmas decorating often involve the use of Christmas stockings as they bring a very special touch to the Christmas decor of a home.

Christmas stockings evolved through the years and we can find a lot of different ones on the market: different styles, different colors, different sizes. The range of Christmas stocking designs is very large and you can get almost whatever style of stocking: personalized with your name, featuring Christmas and/or Nativity scenes, inspired by Disney movies, dedicated to your favorite sport team and there are even Christmas stockings especially for pets!

For those who don't want to purchase ready-made Christmas stockings and want to hang one of their kind Christmas stockings on the fireplace mantel, they can even make them themselves, having to just make a search on Google for free Christmas stocking patterns. As a matter of fact, Christmas stockings are a highly successful market!

With the secularization of our society, Christmas became more than a religious holiday. However, basically it is a Christian festivity. Revive the actual meaning of Christmas with religious stockings.

Create wonderful memories for your children. Your first baby's first Christmas stocking, your toddler's favorite TV show, your teen's favorite movie star or hero... These stockings will create sweet Christmas memories for years to come.

If you prefer not put the accent on the religious side of Christmas, you might want to use these original Christmas stockings that will bring a lot of fun to the home and your Christmas Day. There is a wide range of unusual Christmas stocking designs for you to choose from, here are a few ones.

Create your own Christmas traditions and get personalized Christmas stockings for the whole family. When adults, the children will take their own stocking with them and continue the traditions that started in their early childhood.

Is there a sport amateur in your family? Football, baseball or any other sport? Hang their favorite sport team Christmas stocking to the fireplace, they'll be grateful you did.

Whether you want to fill them yourself with their favorite food and toys or prefer to get them ready-made, don't forget to hang your pet Christmas Stockings to the fireplace!