December 18th - The Stockings

Today's prompt for Blogmas 2014 is "Stocking Stuffers for the Family; Ideas".  There are a variety of links on Pinterest that give ideas: for boys; for girls; for men; for women; for anyone!  Just put in the words Christmas Stockings and you will have a lot to choose from!

The Stockings were hung...

When I was growing up, our stockings usually would have fruit and nuts or candy, and maybe a small gift or two.  I'm not really sure what it would be...but, stockings were opened first!  And, since my parents and grandparents would stay up late Christmas Eve to finish the tree and putting presents under it...their socks (they used their own socks instead of "regular" stockings) would have some of the fruit and nuts or candy - maybe the wrappers, too!  But, they would always hold an empty can or bottle, or two!  I don't recall exactly what kind of drink it would be; my parents would have a beer once in a while, but were not drinkers!

With my children, we would fill their stockings with smaller gifts - like toy cars (Hot Wheels!), or a new toothbrush, or hair supplies (barrettes, headbands, etc.) or nail polish and small perfumes.  My "children" follow that tradition, too, with their own children.

The stockings - THEN and NOW - were similar to these, but with our names in glitter across the top:

The stockings hung at our house

Christmas 2007

Stockings have become fancier through the years!  Some are handmade; some are store bought; some frilly or soft or satiny - all meant to be hung and ready to hold those little treasures we find to fill them with.

Browsing Pinterest for pictures of stockings, it was difficult to find any of the old "traditional" ones - like the ones we had from 2007!  Here are a few of the hand made ones I liked:

And, of course, we can't forget the Disney stockings for those little (and big!) Disney lovers!

A couple of the handmade stockings that I especially liked were the two below, one using an old sweater and one using and old or out-grown pair of jeans:

http://anextraordinaryday.net/from-sweater-to-christmas-stocking-in-12-easy-steps/

http://nebraskaviews.blogspot.com/2010/11/christmas-stocking-fun.html

Whatever type of "stocking" you hang this year, hoping yours is full of fun things!!

Connecting with others for Blogmas 2014!