And the stockings were hung . . .

Stockings were hung by the front door when I was growing up.  We did not have a fireplace or mantel.  My brothers and I carefully hung them right where Santa would enter the house and placed a piece of cake, some cookies, and a glass of milk for him.  Santa's gifts to us were placed under the tree without wrappings.  One big one for the three of us and several small individual ones.  The stockings were checked last.  They were filled with nuts, kumquats, tangerines, peppermint barber poles, and tiny toys.

My father always told of hanging up his socks for Santa.  He passed away back in the early 70's.  

This is why these are special stockings for me to hang each year.  There are four blue wool socks my father wore when hunting.  I hang them on the living room mantel each year with an angel wreath.

 I am sure this was a special stocking for Mary (her name is embroidered on the back). 

Why would someone get rid of this?  Well, Mary's stocking is treasured in this home.

Here are the three stockings Chucks and I exchanged in college.  You will notice he has two.  He did not realize he was supposed to save his stocking for the following year.  All three hand-decorated by my roommates and me.

Chucks also did not know small presents went in the stocking.  The first year I received a very nice watch!



 He received extra sets of keys for his dorm room and van because he was always losing them!

I hang Mary's stocking with our old ones on the pie safe by the den tree.  We do not put gifts in them, but the special notes we wrote way back when are still in the stockings.

I did not take a picture of the pets' stockings because when I bring them out, the cats and Willie know there are treats involved.  I forgot we did not have Scout last year so he does not have a stocking yet.  

As Chucks and I open our presents on Christmas morning, we bribed the cats and dogs with treats to stay away!

These stockings were a gift from a student one year.  Mine is the one with trees and Chucks is the one with Merry Christmas (to remind him not to be a Scrooge!)

The little vintage one is probably from the 1950's and was a thrift store find.  It hangs with the long ones just to look pretty.

These hang on the wall next to the mantel. The mantel is reserved for other things - you will see!

 I put mostly soft and unbreakable ornaments around the bottom of the trees because Willie is wiggly with a long tail that wags constantly.  A friend found this vintage look-alike for me to hang on the tree.

These two stockings hang opposite my father's socks on the living room mantel.  If we have guests to spend the night, Santa tucks in a special gift or two.

A fellow antique lover made these from cutter quilts years ago.

So, are there special traditions in your family about the stockings?  Do they hang in special places?

Make sure to tuck in some nuts and a kumquat or two!

See y'all!

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