Christmas Stocking History - The Tradition Continues Around the World

Christmas Stocking History
The Tradition Continues Around the World

There are several legends about the Christmas Stocking. According to one legend, there was a kindly nobleman whose wife had died leaving the man and his three daughters in despair. The man lost his fortune and the family had to move into a small cottage. This left the daughters with no dowries and without this they could not marry. Upon hearing of the girls need, Saint Nicholas rode his horse over to the nobleman house on Christmas Eve and threw three pouches of gold coins down the chimney where they fell into the young girls stockings that had been hung by the hung up to dry. The next morning the daughters awoke to find their stockings contained enough gold for them to get married. After seeing his daughters married, the nobleman lived a long and happy life. Because of his kindness at Christmas, we remember Saint Nicholas and the stocking tradition.

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Another version, is that the practice of hanging stockings started during the 16th century in Holland. The children would leave their wooden clogs outside filled with straw for the reindeer and in return Sintirklass would leave them treats. The clogs were later replaced with stockings and Saint Nicholas became known as Santa Claus. Many believe that the Dutch are the ones who introduced the tradition of the Christmas stocking to America.

In America, the traditional Christmas stocking dates back to the late 19th century. The first time Christmas stockings being hung by the chimney were mentioned was by the writer, George Webster, in his story about a visit from Santa Claus and through the pictures of illustrator, Thomas Nast. But for most of us it is the image brought to us by Clement Moore, in his poem "Twas the Night Before Christmas" that we remember the best.

So whatever the legend, children around the world continue the tradition of hanging Christmas stockings on Christmas Eve and there is nothing as magical as finding a stocking filled with gifts on Christmas morning.

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