Advent Calendar - Christmas Stockings

My sister and I on Christmas morning 1974
with our stockings made by Mom

When I was little, my mom made my sister and I matching red stockings of felt.  She still hangs them up on her mantle at Christmas time, along with her own stocking and my Dad's.  They were made with love, and are real heirlooms.  I'm glad she still hangs them all up, even though Dad passed away many years ago.

When I was married, I made my husband a stocking out of felt and crewel embroidery with his name on it.  He surprised me by making one with my name on it the following year.  Well, not too much of a surprise since I had to show him the stitches, but surprising that he insisted on doing it!  Of course, when my daughter came along, she got one, too. And the cats (but theirs never had any embroidery). 

Many Christmases we weren't home to celebrate, but we went to visit my husband's family in Spain, or to their house in Puerto Rico.  In Spain, we never had a Christmas tree, and we only had a tree once in Puerto Rico.  However, we always brought our Christmas stockings.  I used to roll them up and carry them in my pocketbook so they wouldn't be lost.  They are our heirlooms now!   I can celebrate Christmas without a tree, but a stocking can be brought anywhere and filled with local goodies.   On Christmas morning we can still have our tradtions, no matter where we are in the world.

2003, Our family stockings, including the cats' stockings,
on our mantel in New Hampshire.  

----------------
Copyright 2010, Heather Wilkinson Rojo