What's the Christmas stocking tradition?

[Anonymous]

I grew up poor so our stockings contained fruit, nuts and a few chocolates--things we didn't normally have in the house. They were great treats and I love using a nutcracker and pick to get all of nut meat out of the shells. My kids get small items like chapstick, nail kits, small toys, games or puzzles. I wish I would have carried on with the fruit and nut stockings, but to my kids this would not be at all special as it was to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised this hasn't been asked yet, but how do you celebrate Christmas but know nothing about stockings? Did you come from a different country that had absolutely no stocking-tradition?

NP. I lived in several countries in Europe who do not have stockings but are very much Christian. Not that unusual.

[Anonymous]

..."This led to the custom of children hanging stockings or putting out shoes, eagerly awaiting gifts from Saint Nicholas." (wiki). We put shoes on window sills and receive mostly chocolates for about a week before Christmas.

[Anonymous]

In our family, everyone hangs a stocking on Christmas Eve. The stockings are filled with small wrapped gifts - either small toys or practical items like mini-tool sets, lip balm, etc. There's usually some small candy item and a mandarin orange or two. Stockings are opened first after pictures of kids around the tree. This is usually the time all the adults are settling in with coffee. We then do a few rounds of gift opening (everyone takes a turn), followed by a hearty breakfast.

[Anonymous]

In our family, stockings are filled by Santa with small gifts and treats and are opened on Christmas morning. We open gifts from family on Christmas Eve. We don't wrap Santa gifts and stocking stuff, but my SIL's family does.