The extra large Christmas stockings are 60 inches long, including the two hanger loops. The extra large Christmas stockings are 60 inches long, including the two hanger loops. There is a 3 inch hanger loop on either side of the stocking. The extra large Christmas tree stockings have a 9.5 inch white cuff that is perfect for personalizing and decorating. The large personalized Christmas tree stockings are 17 inches wide. The body of the large stockings are red plush. Select this link to view our Christmas stockings.
History of the Christmas Stocking:
A Christmas stocking is an empty sock or sock-shaped bag that children in the United States and some other cultures hang on Christmas Eve so that Santa can fill it with small toys, candy, fruit, coins, or other small gifts when he arrives. These small items are often referred to as stocking stuffers. Tradition says that a child who behaves badly during the year will receive only a piece of coal. By tradition, the stocking is hung on the fireplace, but, since modern homes often do not have a fireplace, it is hung in almost any location when no fireplace is available, under the assumption that Santa can find it wherever it is.
Originally, children simply used one of their everyday socks, but eventually special Christmas stockings were created for this purpose. Today, stores carry a tremendous variety of styles and sizes of Christmas stockings, from small and conservative, to long and stretchy, to gigantic.
Many families create their own Christmas stockings with each family member's name applied to the stocking so that Santa won’t be confused about which stocking belongs to whom.
Some say the Dutch introduced the Christmas stocking to America. It was told that during the 16th Century, children in Holland would leave their clogs by the hearth filled with straw for the reindeer. A treat for Santa was left in the house near the fire. In return "Sinterclass" would leave the children treats. Later the clogs would become stockings, and the Saint would become Santa Claus.
Many believe there was once a kind nobleman whose wife had died of an illness leaving the man and his three daughters in despair. After losing all his money in useless and bad inventions, the nobleman and his daughters had to move into a peasant's cottage. When it came time for the daughters to marry, the father became even more depressed as his daughters could not marry without dowries.
One night after the daughters had washed out their clothing, they hung their stockings over the fireplace to dry. That night Saint Nicholas, knowing the despair of the father, stopped by the nobleman's house after the family had gone to bed. He peeked in the window and saw the daughters' stockings hanging by the fire.
Inspiration struck Saint Nicholas, and he took three small bags of gold from his pouch and threw them carefully, one by one, down the chimney into the stockings. The next morning when the daughters awoke, they found their stockings contained enough gold for them to get married. The nobleman was able to see his three daughters marry, and he lived a long and happy life.
No matter the origin of the custom, families the world over continue to practice some act associated with the tradition of the Christmas stocking. In Puerto Rico, children put flowers and greens in small boxes and place them under their beds for the camels of the Three Kings; Italian children leave their shoes out the night before Epiphany, January 5, for La Befana the good witch; and in France, the children place their shoes by the fireplace, a tradition dating back to when children wore wooden peasant shoes. Select this link to view our Christmas tree skirt.
Christmas Ham: Part of an old Scandinavian tradition of feasting where the Wild Boar was the main course. As the Wild Boar died out, tradition substituted domestic pig for the main course, now the modern Christmas celebration uses a simple ham.
The Christmas card: The practice of sending Christmas greeting cards to friends was initiated by Sir Henry Cole in England, in 1843. The first card was designed by J.C.Horsley and 1000 copies were sold in London. An English artist, William Egley, produced a popular card in 1849. From the beginning the themes have been as varied as the Christmas customs worldwide. Select this link to view our artificial prelit christmas trees.