Twelve Days of Christmas: Day Seven - Stockings

One specific story of Saint Nicholas began the very common tradition of hanging large stockings on our fireplaces each year. The story tells of three young women whose mother had died. Their father squandered all of his money out of depression, leaving no possibility of a dowry, and therefor little chance of marriage for his daughters.

One night, the Bishop Nicholas was passing by their house and noticed their stockings hung over the fire to dry. He dropped some coins down the chimney and they landed in the girl's socks, helping them secure their futures and beginning a very curious tradition.

Over time, this became a standard tradition for Saint Nicholas day, and eventually Christmas. Dutch children would lay their wooden shoes in front of the fireplace and Santa Claus would fill the shoes with small toys. The tradition evolved, and now people everywhere hang up their stockings in hopes that Saint Nicholas will fill them with goodies.