Stockings have been hung over fireplaces for hundreds of years.
Today, Christmas decor includes a tree, ornaments, wreaths, lights and stockings hung by the chimney. Each part of Christmas has a different history, including how the Christmas stocking earned it's place over the fireplace.
Dutch Children and Wooden Shoes
Christmas stockings were originally wooden shoes that 16th-century Dutch children would leave by the fireplace in the home. Each pair of shoes would be filled with straw as a gift for the reindeer.
From Wooden Shoes to Stockings
Over the course of time, wooden shoes were swapped out for stockings that hung over the fireplace, rather than sat next to the fireplace. These stockings were combined with a treat for Santa Claus, which was also placed near the fireplace. This treat would entice Santa to leave small gifts in the children's stockings.
Alternate Theories
Though the Dutch theory is the most widely accepted, there is also a second theory about St. Nicholas. The three daughters of a nobleman had washed and hung their stockings over the fireplace, where St. Nicholas had dropped three bags of gold coins down the chimney, one for each pair of stockings. From then on, the rest of the villagers hoped to also be blessed by St. Nicholas' generosity and began hanging their stockings by the fireplace as well.
Related Posts:
Christmas Stockings
About Christmas StockingsEach year over 400 million people around the world celebrate the holiday of Christmas. One of the traditions that is followed by many different cultures is the hanging of...
Celebrate A Dutch Christmas
In Holland, Sinterklaas (or Santa Clause) arrives by ship with gifts for the children. Those who have been good will receive chocolate and other gifts in their shoes, while those who have been bad...
Clean Shoe Odor
Remove odor from shoesFoot odor can transfer to the insides of your shoes, even if you always wear socks with the shoes. Odors can also develop inside of your shoes if the shoes get filled with wa...
