Christmas Stockings

This year, as Christmas Eve falls on Sunday, I have had two services to plan for Christmas Eve day and evening.  We also were able to have a community chorus sing a cantata, in which I participated so there were practices weekly and two performances.  Consequently, I have put little effort towards the usual baking, decorating, gift purchasing and sending, holiday greeting letter and cards.  We no longer have the huge tree that often graced our multi-story living room on the farm.  We have a tiny little artificial tree that sits on a table, which I have become very fond of. It is well-suited to this smaller space.  But I suddenly realized this week that we had never hung Christmas stockings this year.  Although we no longer have a fire place, we do have a book case that works well from which to hang stockings.

I don’t recall much about Christmas stockings growing up.  I do remember that at some point I decorated a furry stocking with my name in glitter.  But we didn’t have a fireplace or any ideal place for stockings in our home so it wasn’t a practiced tradition in our home.    When Terry and I had children at home, we routinely hung stockings for everyone from the fireplace mantle.  I loved finding little things to put in them.  I miss that tradition.  Thus this weekend I will dig out the stockings and hang one for Terry and for me. 

I read that the tradition apparently stems from a legend about a very poor man who anticipated his daughters would have few suitors because he had no dowry for either of them.  The charitable St. Nicholas was in the village and heard of their plight.  That night he went down the chimney and left gold coins in their stockings that were hanging by the fireplace to dry. (Presumably the result was they married well!)

 May we be bearers of hope, the “wait staff” of Hope’s Café for each other and all those we encounter.  Shalom, Kate 

Hope’s Café Bonus:  You can skip the fireplace.  Get an old headboard.  Add knobs and you have a family Christmas stocking holder. 😊 Wishing all a lovely holiday season with the people and traditions you love most.