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Christmas stocking tradition steeped in history One of the most beloved symbols of generosity at holidaytime is the Chnst- stocking its origins in ageold legend to the present day the stocking continues to have an important place in the tradition of While no one can say for certain many people believe that the custom of stuffing Christmas stockings began with an act of Saint Nicholas the original Santa Claus A bishop in Asu Minor in the fourth century AD Saint Nicholas is credited with many acts of kindness and generos ity acts by and large performed at night and in secret Among these was the provision of dowries to three sisters who because of their poverty were unable to wed lb neb each of these young ladies in turn Saint Nicholas dropped a bag of sold down the chimney of their home on three separate occasions The bigs fell Into their stockings which were hung out to dry an accident of fate which wis the starting point for a longlasting custom Bight centuries later the custom of giving presents in the name of Saint Ni cholas came into being when French nun began giving gifts to the children of poof families on December the Eve of Saint Nicholas Day These- gifts left secretly for the chil dren to enjoy comptised the sorts of tresis such as nuts and exotic fruits that during the rest of the year were beyond their means The custom of giving presents these on Saint Nicholas Eve spread and took hold particularly in Belgium and the Netherlands There children traditionally left out their wooden shoes filled with carrots and hay for Saint Nicholas horses be fore they went to bed on Saint Nicholas Eve When they awoke in the morning they hoped to find their shoes filled not with fodder for horses but with small toys and sweets Children in other countries also left out shoes not stockings to be filled In rural Prance Christmas Eve is the big day the Basque region of Spam in the shadow of the Pyrenees the children wait till the Eve of Three Kings Day to set their shoes on the windowsiil in hopes thai the traveling Magi will leave them a gift Saint Nicholas too a traveler in a more figurative sense for it is be who by the early years of the 19th century had crossed the Atlantic Ocean to America becoming Santa Claus along the way Mention is made of Santa Clous in a newspaper article as early as 1773 and by when the New York Historical Society organized a Celebration of the Festival of Saint Nicholas not only Santa Claus but the stockings he traditionally filled had become commonplace It must be remembered of course that New York once New Amsterdam boasts Dutch roots However it was not a Dutchman but a man of Scottish ances try Washington Irving who really brought Santa Claus and his Christmas stockings to the attention of the Amer ican In his History of New York written un der the pen name of Knicker bocker Irving mentions not only Santas habit of drawing forth magnificent presents and dropping them down the chimneys of his favorites but also how stockings hung on Christinas Eve are found in the morning mysteriously THE CHRISTMAS TREE lb center of merriment In home everywhere In this 1S58 iUucuation tram Harper Weekly Its decked with ornament aa children of all ages gather about Joyfully Oliver saves Christmas A boy and a girl named Gage and Cree lived in the North Pole near Santaland but they did not know it As they were riding they came across Santaland They met Mr and Mrs their reindeer and the elves They especially liked the one named Oliver Gage and Cree were told they could live in Santaland until Christmas Eve They helped make the presents for the children since Christmas was just a few days away Oliver discovered a new toy in Santas workshop Santa did not like the toy because it looked like it might hurt the children Oliver was insulted so he ed to go to the big city of Toronto He found a toy company named Guns Us to manufacture the toy The toy sold well and makes Oliver very rich However Santa missed Oliver and wanted him to come back to SanUand and so Santa set off to get Oliver When he arrived in Toronto no one believed that hes Santa because he was not his Santa suit When Santa finds Oliver he does not want to leave Toronto because he has made so much money Santa returned to San without Oliver The night before Christmas everybody in Santaland was worried because they needed Oliver to help Santa Oliver was the only elf that Santa trusted Gage and Cree went to Toronto and begged Oliver to come back because if he didn t no kids would get presents So Oliver came back and Christmas was saved B Natalie Tuitman and Shannon SELECTED MERCHANDISE OPEN 900 AM DEC 27th90 70 MAIN ST S DOWNTOWN GEORGETOWN 8732452 filled It was left to Clement Clarke Moore diffident author Visa from Saint Ni cholas to round out the picture drawing a portrait of Santa Claus which has re mained with us now for over ISO yean and confirming m the annals of Christ mas the tradition of putting out stockings for Saint Nicholas to fill Today Christmas stockings are still hung by the chimney with care though they are more likely to be bought or made for the purpose than simply ones everyday homespun hose Also they are usually filled with gifts more exotic or sophisticated than the oranges apples and shiny coins or even the lumps of coal the customary reward of a child who has misbehaved And not children but mom dad even Rover and Mittens are likely to have one making filling the familys stockings an increasing chal lenge to creativity Small toys are likely to appeal to ev eryone young and old alike The family chef may enjoy a few new culinary gad gets and the family gardener some pack ets of seeds or a new trowel New tools will appeal to the handyman while strips and mice are sure to tickle the fancy of fourlegged friends Encourage reading by stuffing each stocking with a suitable book and a bookmark chosen especially for each member of the family the family pet can safely be ignored on this round Handmade stocking are par- appealing Try filling pretty handkerchiefs with potpourri and tying them up with satin or embroidered rib bons this is even better if you make your own potpourri too And dont limit your stocking stuffing to family members encourage every one to contribute gifts to stockings for the less fortunate perhaps bringing them to the childrens ward of a local hospital Use your imagination every act of thoughtful generosity after all rekindles the spirit of giving which motivated Saint Nicholas all those centuries ago sod makes the holiday season not only enjoy able but meaningful as well oft MY GEM STARTING THURS DEC 27th90 MY GENEmTION 1 1 5 MAIN ST S GEORGETOWN Across from Knox Presbyterian Church 8732851 Come in early for best selection