December 8, 2011
Symbol of Christmas:
Stockings
It used to be almost like a ritual, on Christmas Eve, we would all take turns hanging our stocking above the fire place. Too bad I don't have a picture of me in my jammies hanging up my stocking. There's probably one at my parents' house but as far as I'm concerned, it can stay there. I looked pretty dorky in my youth. Anyway, it was always so fun to see what we got in our stocking the next morning. Mostly it was candy and nuts, but there were always some other little treasures on top. Its a fun tradition, but where did it come from?
One legend says that there was once a man who had three daughters. But he was poor and couldn't afford a dowry for his daughters to get married. Saint Nicholas, when he heard of their predicament, wanted to anonymously help out the family. He went to their house at night and saw that the girls had hung their socks to dry by the fireplace so he dropped some gold coins down the chimney into each sock. Now the girls could get married and live happily ever after. The story spread and children began to hang their socks by the fireplace in hopes that Saint Nicholas would leave something for them too. An orange in the toe of the sock would eventually come to represent the gold coins.
Another possible origin traces the tradition back to the the winter Yule festival. During the Yule festival, children would place their boots, filled with carrots, straw or sugar near the chimney for the Norse God Odin's flying horse. In exchange for this kindness, the god would then reward the kids by leaving gifts or candy. This practice later became associated with St. Nick.
Either way, it seems the tradition came about because of someone showing kindness toward someone else. Isn't that what Christmas is about? I think this fits in with my post about Santa Claus from yesterday. The stocking at Christmas, along with Santa Claus, reminds us to be charitable towards those around us, whether it is doing something nice for someone like giving them a plate of goodies, or really helping someone in need. We never know how we may bless the lives of others, but we can be instruments in God's hands if we are willing to let Him use us. As we commemorate the birth of Christ, I hope we can honor Him by finding ways to enrich and bless the lives of those around us.
One legend says that there was once a man who had three daughters. But he was poor and couldn't afford a dowry for his daughters to get married. Saint Nicholas, when he heard of their predicament, wanted to anonymously help out the family. He went to their house at night and saw that the girls had hung their socks to dry by the fireplace so he dropped some gold coins down the chimney into each sock. Now the girls could get married and live happily ever after. The story spread and children began to hang their socks by the fireplace in hopes that Saint Nicholas would leave something for them too. An orange in the toe of the sock would eventually come to represent the gold coins.
Another possible origin traces the tradition back to the the winter Yule festival. During the Yule festival, children would place their boots, filled with carrots, straw or sugar near the chimney for the Norse God Odin's flying horse. In exchange for this kindness, the god would then reward the kids by leaving gifts or candy. This practice later became associated with St. Nick.
Either way, it seems the tradition came about because of someone showing kindness toward someone else. Isn't that what Christmas is about? I think this fits in with my post about Santa Claus from yesterday. The stocking at Christmas, along with Santa Claus, reminds us to be charitable towards those around us, whether it is doing something nice for someone like giving them a plate of goodies, or really helping someone in need. We never know how we may bless the lives of others, but we can be instruments in God's hands if we are willing to let Him use us. As we commemorate the birth of Christ, I hope we can honor Him by finding ways to enrich and bless the lives of those around us.
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