In North America, the first images of stockings hung by the fireplace were drawn by the illustrator, Thomas Nast, and by the writer, George Webster, in a story about Santa.
Legend has it that Saint Nicholas loved to give gifts. To prevent people from learning where these gifts came from, he would leave them at night.
Many years ago, Saint Nicholas heard of a poor, widowed man who had three unmarried daughters. This man had hardly enough money for food and clothing for his daughters and had no money for their dowries. In those days if a woman did not have a dowry her chances of marriage were not good.
As luck would have it, Saint Nicholas was traveling through their village and overheard some of the villagers talking about this man's troubles. The oldest daughter had hung her stockings to dry by the fireplace one evening and the next morning she found a lump of gold in one. No one knew where this money came from, but she now had a dowry and could marry. Shortly after, gold was found in each of the other sister's stockings.
Word quickly spread of this good fortune and soon people all through the village were hanging their stockings by the fire in hopes that Saint Nicholas would leave them treasures also.
Some people believe that an orange in the toe of the stocking symbolizes the lump of gold Saint Nicholas left for the girls. Others believe that an apple in the toe of your stocking and an orange in the heel means that you have been good.
Not all children hang stockings. In some parts of the world the custom is to set out shoes. In Italy, wooden shoes are put out and Le Befana fills good children’s shoes with toys and candy and those who have been bad receive rocks and ashes. No matter whether you hang a stocking or set out a shoe, it is usually filled with goodies and not a lump of coal.
