![]() ![]() This claim is doubtful as there are no records of stocking filling practices related to Odin until there is a merging of St. This practice, she claims, survived in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands after the adoption of Christianity and became associated with Saint Nicholas as a result of the process of Christianization. Odin would reward those children for their kindness by replacing Sleipnir's food with gifts or candy. According to Phyllis Siefker, children would place their boots, filled with carrots, straw, or sugar, near the chimney for Odin's flying horse, Sleipnir, to eat. Īn unsubstantiated claim is that the Christmas stocking custom derived from the Germanic/Scandinavian figure Odin. These stockings are traditionally used on Saint Nicholas Day although in the early 1800s, they also came to be used on Christmas Eve. Ī tradition that began in a European country originally, children simply used one of their everyday socks, but eventually special Christmas stockings were created for this purpose. This is also the origin of three gold balls being used as a symbol for pawnbrokers. That is why three gold balls, sometimes represented as oranges, are one of the symbols for St. Sometimes the story is told with gold balls instead of bags of gold. This led to the custom of children hanging stockings or putting out shoes, eagerly awaiting gifts from Saint Nicholas. Other versions of the story say that Saint Nicholas threw the three bags of gold directly into the stockings which were hung by the fireplace to dry. The girls were saved from their sad fate. When the girls and their father woke up the next morning they found the bags of gold and were, of course, overjoyed. When he left the house after dark he threw three bags of gold through an open window, one landed in a stocking. Nicholas wanted to help, but knew that the old man wouldn't accept charity, so he decided to help in secret. Nicholas was staying with a poor family and heard that the father was planning to sell his three daughters into prostitution to save them all from starvation. One such legend has several variations, but the following is a good example: St. While there are no written records of the origin of the Christmas Stocking, there are popular legends that attempt to tell the history of this Christmas tradition. The origin of the Christmas stocking is thought to originate in the life of Saint Nicholas. Some people even put their Christmas stocking by their bedposts so Santa Claus can fill it by the bed while they sleep. Tradition in Western culture threatens that a child who behaves badly during the year will receive only a piece or pile of coal. ![]() In some Christmas stories, the contents of the Christmas stocking are the only toys the child receives at Christmas from Santa Claus in other stories (and in tradition), some presents are also wrapped up in wrapping paper and placed under the Christmas tree. The tradition of the Christmas stocking is thought to originate from the life of Saint Nicholas. These small items are often referred to as stocking stuffers or stocking fillers. A Christmas stocking is an empty sock or sock-shaped bag that is hung on Saint Nicholas Day or Christmas Eve so that Saint Nicholas (or the related figures of Santa Claus and Father Christmas) can fill it with small toys, candy, fruit, coins or other small gifts when he arrives. ![]()
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