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The tradition of hanging stockings has been practiced for decades. There are more than one theory as to why people put up Christmas stockings. Here are two legends surrounding the history and origin of the Christmas stocking.
As the Dutch tell the story, the tradition of Christmas stocking was introduced into America by the Dutch. It is said that in the 16th Century, the children in Holland kept their clogs, filled with straw, by the hearth for the reindeer. At the same time, they placed a treat for 'Sinterclass' (Santa Claus) near the fireplace in the house. As a return gift, the Sinterclass used to leave some gifts for the children. With time, the clogs became stockings and Sinterclass became Santa Claus.
Another Christmas stocking legend is a nobleman and his wife had three daughters and they were all living quite happily. One day, the wife came down with a fatal illness, which led to her untimely death. Devastated, the nobleman lost all his wealth and property. Soon he was left with no money, and had to move into a peasant's cottage with his daughters. As the time came for the daughters to get married, the father could not afford to give any dowry.
As time passed, the father started getting very worried about getting his daughters married. One day, St. Nicholas of Myra happened to pass through the nobleman's village and heard the villagers discussing what the father was going through. St Nicholas knew that the father would be too proud to accept money from him. He decided to wait till dark and then, went to the nobleman's house and threw three bags of gold coins down the chimney.
The same evening, the daughters of the nobleman had washed their clothes and had hung their stockings by the fireplace. The bag of gold coins dropped into the stockings, one bag for each daughter. When the family members woke up in the morning, they found the money in their stockings. The father utilized the money for marrying away his daughters, each with a generous dowry. Soon the villagers came to know of St. Nicholas' generosity and started hanging their stockings by the fireplace.
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What do holland people use a stockings?
They usually put up shoes
What do children hang up for santa to put the toys in?
Stockings. For Santa to put their presents in.
What kind of fruit do people put in there stockings in Canadian prairies?
i have no clue what kinda fruit is in the stockings
Why do you put oranges in stockings?
People put oranges in stockings because during the Depression they couldn't afford any gifts except an orange.
What does Americans do to celebrate Christmas?
Americans put a Christmas tree up and put stockings up and put gifts under the tree
Where do people put out shoes instead of stockings?
i think it is in mexico or spain
What do holland do instead of hang up stockings?
Put out their shoes, clogs.
What things do families put on the table for Santa?
People will leave stockings if they don't want to put them by their fire place and people will but milk and cookies.
What do kids in Denmark put out as stockings?
Well, stockings, obviously.
Why do you hang stockings up at Christmas?
So old St. Nick can put presents in it for the children.
What did the french use before stockings?
Before stockings, the French used leg coverings called garters or hose. Garters were bands worn around the leg to hold up socks or stockings, while hose were close-fitting garments covering the leg from foot to waist, usually worn by men. The evolution of fashion eventually led to the adoption of stockings as leg coverings in French attire.
Why do you use stockings for Christmas?
There is a story that St Nicholas put in gold coins in stockings that were hung in a house for drying, of a man that was poor. The stockings were for his three daughters, and they woke up with a gold coin in each stocking, and they happily married.
