Dec. 14, 2025: And the Stockings Were Hung....

I love decorating for Christmas!  With dozens of bins filled with decorations and multiple trees to decorate with thousands of ornaments, by the time I am done, every nook and cranny of my house is decked out in holiday cheer.

Decorating is a full day ordeal for me. Yes, the older I have gotten, the longer it seems to take, but it is a labor of love.  Putting out beloved pieces or reflecting on the origin of each ornament is like a reunion with a life-long friend. The familiarity of these decorations provides comfort in a changing and challenging world. The constancy of these decorations grounds me in tradition and family.

However, one of the Christmas displays that changes from year to year is the stockings.

Whatever the origin of this tradition, filling stockings is one of my most favorite traditions.  They are always hung on the main bookshelf in my main living area. Yes, I have a fireplace, but I much prefer seeing them on the bookshelves. That never changes.  The number of stockings I hang every year though, does change. It all depends on who will be with us during the holidays that year.

Of course, I have the constants- my husband, my dad and step-mom, my daughter and son-in-law, and my granddaughters.  But each year there are others who may be joining us. Siblings, cousins, nieces, beloved friends. Naturally, they must also have a stocking. 

The stockings are never thrown away, so my bin of stockings is chock-full. The monograms or names remind me of whose stocking it is, or who it could belong to this year.

No matter who is with us on Christmas morning, they will have a stocking to unpack. Filled with little treasures, goodies, ornaments, soaps, scarves, trinkets, and sweets. Things I collect all year long, sometimes with a specific person in mind, sometimes knowing I will find the perfect someone for it when the time comes.

May your stockings be filled with all that brings you joy!