Where does the tradition of hanging stockings come from?
But where exactly does the holiday tradition come from? According to History.com, hanging stockings comes from a legend about Saint Nicholas. In that legend, Saint Nicholas gave three poor sisters gold coins and dropped the coins down the chimney.
Why do we put stockings on the mantel at Christmas?
Tradition in Western culture threatens that a child who behaves badly during the year will receive only a piece or pile of coal. Some people even put their Christmas stocking by their bedposts so Santa Claus can fill it by the bed while they sleep. Stockings on a fireplace mantel.
Where do you Hang Your Christmas stockings?
The hanging of stockings by the fireplace is one of the most popularly observed Christmas customs. However, the fireplace is not the exclusive option–people who don’t have one hang their stockings on doorknobs, windowsills, or bedposts.
What is a Christmas stocking?
A Christmas stocking is an empty sock or sock-shaped bag that is hung on Christmas Eve so that Santa Claus (or Father Christmas) can fill it with small toys, candy, fruit, coins or other small gifts when he arrives. These small items are often referred to as stocking stuffers or stocking fillers.
What country started hanging stockings by the fireplace?
What's behind the holiday tradition of hanging hosiery on the fireplace? Christmas stockings made by a “Gentleman of German heritage,” 1950s. “The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St.
Who started tradition of hanging stockings?
According to History.com, hanging stockings comes from a legend about Saint Nicholas. In that legend, Saint Nicholas gave three poor sisters gold coins and dropped the coins down the chimney.
Why do we hang stockings on our fireplace?
According to tradition, the original Saint Nicholas put gold coins in the stockings of three poor sisters. One night, the girls left their stockings drying over the fireplace. Saint Nicholas knew the family was very poor, so he threw three bags of gold coins down the chimney. The money landed in the sisters' stockings.
Do Germans hang Christmas stockings?
No German Christmas tradition would be complete without St Nicholas. A similar figure to the renowned Santa Claus or Father Christmas. Traditionally children would receive their gifts from St. Nicholas on December the 6th, placed in their shoes kept by the bedroom door or in stockings hanging from the fireplace.
History of the Christmas Stocking
The origin of the Christmas stocking is thought to originate in the life of Saint Nicholas. While there are no written records of the origin of the Christmas Stocking, there are popular legends that attempt to tell the history of this Christmas tradition.
Pagan Possibilities
Many Christmas traditions began from a pagan tradition that was then Christianized once Christianity spread throughout Europe, i.e. Christmas Trees, Yule Logs, and Xmas.
Where did the tradition of Christmas stockings come from?
Another amusing legend that explains the tradition of Christmas stockings derives from the Dutch folklore. In the Netherlands, Santa Claus, called “Sinterklaas” in Dutch, and his fellow assistant Black Pete or “Zwarte Piet” annually dock in the harbor of a different city. When they disembark, Sinterklaas and his pal travel around ...
Who started the tradition of hanging Christmas stockings?
The tradition of hanging Christmas stockings was introduced by St. Nicholas, the patron of children. Ahhh, the coziness of relaxing by the fireplace with a cup of tea and cookies while looking at decorative Christmas stockings hanging down, reminiscing about carefree childhood memories of when being a good boy or girl during ...
What is the story of Christmas stockings?
One of the legends regarding Christmas stockings takes us to a small village where the destiny of the once wealthy merchant and his daughters changed overnight when they fell into poverty. The father was worried about the future of his children and afraid that he wouldn’t be able to provide dowries for their marriages in the future.
What did the Dutch do on the day of the arrival?
On the day of the arrival, the horse, the mule, and Sinterklaas would enjoy the children’s treats and then reward their devotion and care with small presents such as candies, ornaments, nuts in shells, miniature toys etc. When the Dutch settlers immigrated to America, they introduced Americans to many of their traditions.
Where did the stockings come from?
The tradition of Christmas stockings originated in the generous deeds of a nobleman named Nicholas who was born in 280 A.D. in Asia Minor. Nicholas dedicated his life to following the principles of Jesus Christ, using his wealth to help impoverished and suffering people.
Do you hang stockings on doorknobs?
However, the fireplace is not the exclusive option–people who don’t have one hang their stockings on doorknobs, windowsills, or bedposts.
Why are stockings hung at Christmas?
The most popular legend about why stockings are hung at Christmas goes something like this: A recently widowed man and father of three girls was having a tough time making ends meet. Even though his daughters were beautiful, he worried that their impoverished status would make it impossible for them to marry.
When were McCall's stockings made?
Stockings made from McCall’s patterns, 1976. The girls awoke in the morning, overjoyed upon discovering the bounty. Because of St. Nick’s generosity, the daughters were now eligible to wed and their father could rest easy that they wouldn’t fall into lonely despair. Whew!
What happened to St. Nicholas when he slid down the chimney?
He wanted to help but knew the man would refuse any kind of charity directly. Instead, one night, he slid down the chimney of the family’s house and filled the girls’ recently laundered stockings, which happened to be drying by the fire, with gold coins. And then he disappeared.
Where were the art stolen during the Nazi occupation?
During the Nazi occupation of France, many valuable works of art were stolen from the Jeu de Paume museum and relocated to Germany. One brave French woman kept detailed notes of the thefts
What does St Nick do at the end of the poem?
At the end of the poem, St. Nick “fill’d all the stockings; then turn’d with a jerk, /And laying his finger aside of his nose/And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.”.
Where did the Christmas stocking originate?
The tradition of the Christmas stocking is thought to originate from the life of Saint Nicholas. In some Christmas stories, the contents of the Christmas stocking are the only toys the child receives at Christmas from Santa Claus; in other stories (and in tradition), some presents are also wrapped up in wrapping paper and placed under ...
Why do people put their Christmas stockings by their bedposts?
Some people even put their Christmas stocking by their bedposts so Santa Claus can fill it by the bed while they sleep.
What is a Christmas stocking?
A Christmas stocking hung on a bedpost. A Christmas stocking is an empty sock or sock-shaped bag that is hung on Saint Nicholas Day or Christmas Eve so that Saint Nicholas (or the related figures of Santa Claus and Father Christmas) can fill it with small toys, candy, fruit, coins or other small gifts when he arrives.
What is the origin of the three gold balls?
This is also the origin of three gold balls being used as a symbol for pawnbrokers. A tradition that began in a European country originally, children simply used one of their everyday socks, but eventually special Christmas stockings were created for this purpose.