Big Stocking, More Stuff
Oversize Christmas Stockings Were a Labor of Love for Avid Knitters
Sixty-seven years ago, my mother started a tradition by knitting Christmas stockings for each of my four children. The stockings were quite large and, much to the children’s delight, held oodles of goodies. On each was the child’s name and birth year. One year my youngest daughter sneaked into the living room, took everything out of her stocking, and then stuffed it all back before she woke us up.
When my mother could no longer knit, I started making stockings for new family members. I’m 98 and still knit simple things, but now, as the family continues to grow, my oldest daughter has taken over the joyful tradition of making the Christmas stockings.
The stockings have become so meaningful that we make sure we bring them when we spend Christmas at another family member’s house. A while back, our children came to spend Christmas in Rhode Island with my husband and me. Two days before Christmas, our youngest daughter realized she had forgotten to pack her stocking. Immediately, she called her friend who was house-sitting and had her send the stocking to Rhode Island via overnight mail.
Our family is now scattered around the country, but we still send wrapped stocking stuffers. The children quickly learn that the wrapped gifts in their stockings are not from Santa; they are from family members.
Each year, we look forward to discovering what everyone has sent to stuff in our stockings.