Christmas Stockings: Where the Tradition Began, How to Choose Them and What to Put Inside

Few Christmas decorations carry as much anticipation as a row of stockings hung by the fireplace. They’re part decoration, part gift wrap and part family tradition, and they’re often the first thing children run to on Christmas morning. Here’s where the custom came from, how to choose and hang Christmas stockings, and plenty of ideas for filling them.

Where the Christmas stocking tradition began

The legend of Saint Nicholas

Nobody knows exactly when the first stocking was hung, but the best-known story goes back to Saint Nicholas of Myra, a fourth-century bishop famous for his generosity. As the legend goes, he heard about a poor father who couldn’t afford dowries for his three daughters. Wanting to help without being seen, Nicholas dropped bags of gold down the chimney one night, and the gold landed in the girls’ stockings, which had been hung by the fire to dry.

A poem that made stockings famous

The custom spread widely in the nineteenth century. The 1822 poem A Visit from Saint Nicholas, better known as The Night Before Christmas and credited to Clement Clarke Moore, describes stockings “hung by the chimney with care” and Saint Nick filling them before he rises back up the chimney. Back then, children hung their everyday socks and hoped to find treats like nuts, fruit, candy and coins inside. You can read more about the poem in our post on ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.

Over time, everyday socks turned into the oversized, decorated stockings most families use today, roomy enough to hold a lot more than an orange.

How to choose Christmas stockings

Size and shape

Standard stockings are boot-shaped and hold several small gifts. Oversized stockings hold more but sag when full, so make sure your hooks or holders can take the weight. Some designs have a curved toe or extra-wide opening, which makes room for odd-shaped gifts.

Materials and style

• Velvet: rich and traditional, especially in deep red or green.
• Knit and cable-knit: cozy and casual, great for a farmhouse or cabin look.
• Quilted and needlepoint: heirloom-style stockings that can last for decades.
• Burlap and plaid: rustic and relaxed, easy to mix and match.
• Felt: affordable, lightweight and easy to decorate with kids.

Matching or mixed?

A matching set looks tidy and pulled together, especially on a mantel. A mixed collection, where each person has a stocking that suits them, feels more personal. A good middle ground is the same style in different colors, or different stockings tied together with matching name tags.

Personalization

Names stitched on cuffs, embroidered initials or clip-on name tags help everyone find their own stocking quickly, and they turn a stocking into a keepsake. Handmade stockings from a grandparent or a stocking a child decorated themselves often become the most treasured ones in the box.

Where and how to hang stockings

On the mantel

The classic spot. Weighted stocking holders sit on top of the mantel and don’t need nails or screws. Leave some space between stockings so they don’t bunch together once they’re full. For styling ideas, see our mantel decorating guide.

No fireplace? No problem

• Hang stockings from a staircase banister with ribbon.
• Mount a row of hooks on a wall or a wooden board.
• Use a decorative ladder leaning against the wall.
• Hang them from the ends of bunk beds or a bookshelf.
• Tie them to the back of dining chairs on Christmas Eve.

Safety tip

If your fireplace is in use, keep stockings well away from the flames and heat, and take them down before you light a fire.

Stocking stuffer ideas

The best stocking stuffers are small, a little playful and personal. Mixing something useful, something fun and one sweet treat is a reliable formula.

For kids

• Small books, activity pads and coloring books.
• Crayons, markers, stickers and craft kits.
• Puzzles, card games and small toys.
• Fun socks, mittens or a hat.
• A favorite treat, plus a traditional orange or clementine in the toe.

A classic coloring book is a nice way to tie the stocking back to its story. The Night Before Christmas Coloring Book: The Classic Edition pairs Moore’s poem with pages kids can color on Christmas morning, and doubles as a Christmas Eve read-aloud.

For adults

• A favorite candy, coffee or tea.
• Cozy socks, lip balm or hand cream.
• A small notebook and a good pen.
• Phone accessories or a portable charger.
• Small spa treats for a relaxing evening.

For a little self-care in the stocking, Santa’s Spa Shower Steamers come as a six-pack of handmade aromatherapy shower steamers that fit easily into a stocking. They’re an easy pick for a parent, a teacher or a friend who could use a calm moment in December.

For collectors

If someone on your list collects ornaments, a new one makes a perfect stocking stuffer because it gets used right away. The Red Perfume Bottle Glass Christmas Ornament is hand-painted blown glass in the shape of a vintage perfume bottle, small enough for a stocking and fun for anyone who loves glamorous, old-fashioned decorations. It comes with a hanging cord and a gift tag. For more ideas, see our personalized ornament gift guide.

Tips for filling stockings

1. Set a simple rule. Agree on a number of items or a theme for each stocking so things feel fair between siblings.
2. Start with something big at the bottom. A larger or heavier item in the toe helps the stocking keep its shape.
3. Wrap a few items. Wrapping just two or three gifts makes unpacking the stocking last longer.
4. Add a note. A short letter from Santa, or from you, is often the part people keep.
5. Keep it light. Overfilled stockings can pull holders off the mantel, so move heavy gifts under the tree.

Frequently asked questions

When should you hang Christmas stockings?

Many families hang them when they decorate the tree, often right after Thanksgiving. Others wait until Christmas Eve so the stockings appear just in time for Santa.

What goes in the toe of a stocking?

Traditionally an orange, clementine or a few nuts, a nod to the gold in the Saint Nicholas legend. Many families still keep this tradition.

How do you store stockings after Christmas?

Empty them, check for spills, and store them flat or rolled in a box with tissue paper so velvet and embroidery don’t get crushed. Our Christmas decor storage tips cover the rest of your decorations too.

However you hang them, stockings are one of the simplest ways to bring a little extra magic to Christmas morning. For more ideas on keeping the season meaningful, read about why Christmas traditions still matter.

We run the NicheStuff store; some links in this post go to products we sell.