Why Do We Have Stockings At Christmas Time?

It’s the holiday season, which means it’s time to hang Christmas stockings.

But where exactly does the holiday tradition come from? According to History.com, hanging stockings comes from a legend about Saint Nicholas.

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In that legend, Saint Nicholas gave three poor sisters gold coins and dropped the coins down the chimney. One of the coins went into a pair of shoes that were left on the hearth, while another coin went into a pair of socks that were hanging by the fire to dry, the site states.

Because of that legend, on Christmas Eve, children in Scandinavia leave their shoes on the hearth, while children in the U.S. and the U.K. leave their stockings on their bedpost or near the fireplace in the hopes that the stockings and shoes will be filled with treats, History.com reported.

Today, stockings are often filled with candy, treats and small toys.