Why are there stockings on christmas

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In fact, they were so well off that they could afford to support their father, who lived happily ever after as well. As for St. Nicholas, he was later anointed as the patron saint of children for his kind and generous deeds and serves as the inspiration for modern-day Saint Nick.

Live Science. The hanging of stockings by the fireplace is one of the most popularly observed Christmas customs. But what was the origin for this long-held tradition? While there is no single account that defines it, there are a few legends that illustrate the custom of hanging Christmas stockings. The tradition of Christmas stockings originated in the generous deeds of a nobleman named Nicholas who was born in A. Nicholas dedicated his life to following the principles of Jesus Christ, using his wealth to help impoverished and suffering people.

Then, they would ride on a white horse and a mule from house to house with gifts for the local children. Dutch children would leave wooden shoes by the fireplace filled with straw and carrots for the horse and mule.

The next morning, the snacks would be eaten and, in their place, there would be candies, nuts, and small wooden toys! Checking what Santa left in your stocking is a classic part of Christmas morning. Nicholas soon would be there. It is generally assumed, though, that the idea of Christmas stockings migrated over from Europe, just like many of the other Christmas traditions that we celebrate.

Each year, children would simply hang long socks over the mantel to be filled with nuts, fruits, candies, and small toys. Eventually, families began knitting their own Christmas stockings and customizing them with names or initials. Once that trend caught on, craft stores started selling materials and patterns for stockings, which gradually gave way to mass-produced stockings.

The traditional red stocking came into play around