Many a times we have seen Christmas stockings as part of the decorations in the malls or there could even be some Christmas stockings adorning the fire place or walls in your house. Have you ever wondered what is the origin and tradition behind Christmas stockings?
Legend has it that the Christmas stockings story is about the very kind nobleman Saint Nicholas. There was a poor peasant who lived with his three daughters after his wife died from an illness. When the daughters reached the marriageable age, the poor peasant became worried that the daughters could not be married to good men due to their poor household condition. Back in those days the bride’s father has to offer prospective husbands a dowry. So if the father cannot afford the dowry the daughters are unlikely to get married.
Saint Nicholas got wind of their plight and he decided to help the poor peasant secretly. One late night Saint Nicholas went to the peasant’s house when they were all asleep. He saw the sisters had hung some stockings by the fireplace to dry so he filled the stockings with the gold that he had brought along with him. The next morning the peasant and his daughters discovered the gold-filled stockings and they were elated as this means that the daughters could be married off now that the father can afford their dowry.
This heartwarming story spread throughout the town and people started hanging stockings by the fireplace in the hope that Saint Nicholas will pay them a visit and leave them with some gifts.
Today, children around the world will hang Christmas stockings by their bedside or near the Christmas tree, hoping that their stockings will be filled with goodies and little gifts when they check the next morning.
