Saint Nicholas begged him not to tell anyone, but the father did, and the Saint Nicholas’ actions become widely known. 2020 Bustle Digital Group. Sure, the prospect of more presents is reason enough, but the tradition of hanging stockings goes back hundreds of years, through different cultures. These traditions of hanging stockings and leaving out boots traveled to the U.S. with the European immigrants of the 18th and 19th century. The question of why we hang stockings at Christmas never even crossed my mind, though, because to me, the fancy sock merely signified extra presents. There are actually no written records regarding the origin of the tradition of hanging Christmas stockings, there are only folk legends. In all versions of the tale, the girls are able to marry and take care of their father with the surplus of gold, living happily ever after. Many parts of the Christmas tree can actually be eaten, with the needles being a good source of Vitamin C. Jingle Bells was the first song broadcast from space when Gemini 6 astronauts Tom Stafford and Wally Schirra sang it on December 16, 1965. St. Nicholas knew that this man would never accept charity face to face, so instead he sneakily threw some gold coins down the family’s chimney. The Smallflower blog is for ideas and information that can help you feel better, look better, and smell better. The question of why we hang stockings at Christmas never even crossed my mind, though, because to me, the fancy sock merely signified extra presents. Some of the gold accidentally fell down the chimney and fell into their stockings that were hanging near the chimney to dry. St. Nicholas, a former monk, was roaming the village when he learned of the family's unfortunate situation. Some of the gold accidentally fell down the chimney and fell into their stockings that were hanging near the chimney to dry. As a child, I loved hanging my Christmas stocking almost as much as I enjoyed decorating the tree or baking cookies for Santa. The first written acknowledgement of American Christmas stockings comes from a poem written in 1823 that ends with St. Nick having “fill’d all the stockings; then turn’d with a jerk,/And laying his finger aside of his nose/And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.” The tradition stuck, and in America we still hang those stockings as a festive testament to the Yuletide season. What is the difference between maize and corn? It's about total well-being and confidence. The word Noel derives from the French expression “Les bonnes Nouvelles” or “the good news”. But why do we hang stockings anyway, and how did the tradition start? Every year, you hang them on the mantle or by the tree, but do you ever stop to think about why? Some versions state that the monk left three gold balls in each stocking, which is one of the reasons oranges, tangerines, and other citrus fruit are traditionally used as stocking stuffers. So the shoe precedes the stocking." Sometimes oranges are used to represent the coins, since they share a similar hue. As Scandinavia  transitioned to Christianity, Odin was replaced with St. Nicholas. Odin rode a magical eight-legged flying horse named Sleipnir. "Nuns spread the notion of a magical night visitor, who comes and leaves gifts for children," explained Gerry Bowler, a professor of history at the University of Manitoba, in a video created for the university's YouTube channel in 2010. All rights reserved. It’s said that there was a man who lived in St. Nick’s village who couldn’t afford dowries for his three daughters, meaning that they couldn’t marry. The shoe would be filled with gifts and candy as a reward for their kindness. I always find the real story behind nursery rhymes and traditions quite interesting. The king of the Norse gods, Odin was said to travel around the land at the end of the year, looking for brave warriors who could join him in Valhalla. According to legend, the father of the three daughters caught St. Nicholas leaving gifts one night. Hanging stockings over the chimney is an integral part of Christmas, and these oversized stockings are reserved for smaller gifts like candy and action figures. He knew the widower to be too proud to accept charity, so St. Nick dropped gold coins down the chimney which happened to land in the daughters' stockings, which had been drying by the fire. The tale goes like this: Once there was a poor widower with three daughters. Below are a couple of categories of products that make the perfect little addition to your festive foot-coverings. According to tradition, the original Saint Nicholas (A.K.A Sinter Klaus, Santa Clause) secretly left bags of gold for three poor girls near their chimney. Why are there swirling red, white, and blue poles outside of barbershops? (Not a very merry Christmas.). Whichever stocking set-up you prefer, there’s one more related factoid that’ll impress guests during your holiday party. Searching for some little gifts to fill stockings of your own this year? In the morning, the children would wake to find little presents, presumably left behind by Odin. In parts of Northern Europe and Scandinavia, it is believed that during the Winter Solstice, children would place a boot or clog filled with carrots, sugar, and straw at the hearth for the Norse God Odin's flying horse, Sleipnir. St. Nicholas. There’s one for you, one for each person in the house, and maybe even one for the pets. The poem "A Visit From St. Nicholas," published nearly 200 years ago in 1823, clearly describes the importance of stockings: "The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,/In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there. Don’t worry, when Christmas Eve arrives, Santa Claus will find them anyway! Why are there so many fires in California? However, the fireplace is not the exclusive option–people who don’t have one hang their stockings on doorknobs, windowsills, or bedposts. The widower was fearful that without a dowry, his daughters would be unable to marry, possibly ending up penniless. The word Christmas comes from the Old English “Cristes maesse” meaning “Christ’s Mass”. Despite the tale of three wise men paying homage to baby Jesus, the Bible never gives a number.

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