One of my granddaughters recently reminded me that she expects a Christmas stocking this year.
“Unlike believing in Santa, you’re never too old for a Christmas stocking!” she asserted. Her eyes glistened with expectation as her cheeks rose and her smile widened.
Doesn’t the naughty list apply to Christmas stockings regardless of age? You’re never too old to receive coal in your stocking, right?
No, I didn’t pose these questions to my granddaughter. Besides, I don’t know where to buy the coal.
Hmm, a Christmas stocking stuffed with lumps of coal, what a great gag gift—maybe for another time!
Our Christmas tradition includes stuffed Christmas stockings dangling from stocking holders on the shelf above the fireplace.
According to the myths referenced, the American Christmas stocking tradition began long ago. Eons before then, when parents knew nothing about the cheer of Christmas stockings, they had fireplaces to keep them warm, light their homes, and for cooking.
Oh! The fireplace was also used to dry wet clothing, which included wet stockings.
The wet stockings were hung by the chimney with care with no hopes of Saint Nicholas coming there.
On Christmas Eve, the children lay warmly asleep in their beds with no visions of pudding or stuffed stockings in their heads.
One day, a stocking mishap occurred accidentally or inadvertently!
This incident marked the inspiration or beginning of the Christmas stocking-hanging tradition. If this incident had not taken place, Clement Clark Moore would not have written, “The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas would soon be there, ” in his famous poem, The Night Before Christmas. The poem is also referred to as A Visit from St. Nicholas and Twas the Night Before Christmas.
Moore wrote The Night Before Christmas in 1823, centuries after the Saint Nicholas stocking incident.
Below is the stocking mishap that became a Christmas tradition according to NBCNEWYORK.Com
“Legend has it that a 4th-century nobleman was a widower with three daughters and could not afford their dowries. Hearing of this father’s dilemma, Saint Nicholas secretly tossed three gold spheres down the man’s chimney because he knew the man would not accept any charity. The gold spheres ended up in the daughters’ stockings, which were hanging above the fireplace to dry.”
Does the story sound believable or magical?
So what if the Christian stocking tradition is founded on a myth or folklore?
A myth is a narrative or story that is widely held and told as if it is factual.
Today, the Christmas stocking tradition is still going strong!
What are some of your stocking stuffers?
My stuffers include gum, candy, hair accessories, jewelry, lip balm, mini notepads, hand lotion, and other items for my granddaughters.
Happy stocking shopping and hanging!
I hope you are happy and well.