Why Stockings?

Ever wondered how it all got started?

I was thinking the other night how when we were little in Scotland we used to use our dad's football referee socks to hang at Christmas time as stockings. We knew they were he biggest socks in the house and my sister and I used to spend ages trying to stretch them so that Santa could cram in more loot.

My sister would take one end and I'd take the other and we'd stretch my dad's old stinky black and white striped referee socks until no even SANTA would recognise them.

We figured we were being dead clever! Heehee

So I hear you still asking the question....

Hanging stockings over the chimney is an essential part of our Christmas tradition and these oversized stockings are reserved for smaller gifts like sweeties, action figures and small gag gifts.

One of the stories, it turns out, involves St Nicholas (aka SANTA aka Father Christmas , whichever you do at your home) who was passing by the homes of maidens too poor to afford a dowry - money that a bride gives to her groom for their wedding. The bishop would throw gold coins down the chimneys of these maidens, where they would fall into stockings, which were hung over the fire to dry.

So now you know....