South Korea Cracks Down
Who doesn’t love finding a Christmas stocking filled with a variety of wonderful trinkets on Christmas morning with their name on it?
The tradition of hanging an empty sock on the mantel on Christmas Eve began in Germany hundreds of years ago. It is believed that the origin of the Christmas stocking started after a wealthy businessman by the name of St. Nicholas threw three bags of gold down the chimney of a broken and desperate nobleman who had no dowry to allow his three young daughters to wed. The money fell into the drying stockings of each girl, giving them the money needed to wed their beloveds. Since then , people have used the inspiring story to surprise those they love with small gifts tucked within their own socks on Christmas morning.
One traditional practice in Europe is to reserve the stocking for five gifts that stimulate each of the five senses, such as:
- Something sweet to eat, like fruit or candy.
- A toy or other item that makes a noise (this can even include nuts to crack).
- An item that is visually pleasing in any way like jewelry, cuff-links or a coloring book.
- Something that has tactile appeal such as modeling clay, or a soft toy.
- Any item with a distinctive scent such as bubble-bath, cologne, perfume, etc.
In some cultures, the Christmas stocking contains the only gifts family members receive. Although usually reserved for the children of the house, many American households have adopted the practice of stuffing stockings as a way for the entire family - including pets — to join in the festivities. While Christmas stockings were originally just regular socks hung on the mantel to dry, today’s holiday version includes a variety of styles, sizes and fabrics. Homemade stockings seem to be most popular, with individual family member’s names embroidered across the top. Made of any type of colored material the user may prefer, the most popular style remains a fuzzy red stocking with white fluffy trim.
Want to stuff the perfect stocking this year? Here are a few simple tips:
-Consider the recipient’s hobbies. Small hobby items are always popular. For instance a quilter may enjoy new sewing needles, decorative thimbles or fat quarters; fishermen might enjoy some new lures or specialty bait items; while children always enjoy small toys, candy or card games.
-Think small. Stockings are smaller than you might think. While you may be able to fill it with one or two larger items, it’s a lot more fun to pull out a bunch of smaller things throughout the morning.
-Include something unusual or special only to the recipient. Maybe your mom loves a certain type of perfume, or your Dad adores a unique cigar. Include at least one extra special item that they wouldn’t expect in their stocking this year.
-Have fun. Filling (and receiving) a Christmas stocking is meant to be fun. Don’t think too hard about the perfect stocking stuffer gifts. Instead opt for the quirky, the unusual and the unique. Have fun scouring the novelty shop for unusual items that your recipient might enjoy.
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This post was written by: Joe Nolan
Tags: lori fields, Myspace, south korea