We don't have a fireplace in this house.  I only miss that at Christmas time because that leaves me in a real predicament...what do we do with our stockings?   I finally decided that they can just go in the hallway that leads from the garage to the kitchen, past the laundry area and our bedroom door.  It's unconventional, but whadaya do?

I love our stockings.  If our house were ever to catch on fire, I'd run back in for pictures and our stockings.  We don't have a color-coordinated theme, but that's OK because I'd change them every three years to meet the latest trend in Christmas colors.  Have you noticed how they change?  Brown was never a Christmas color when I was growing up, but it's everywhere now.  So is turquoise.  Our stockings each have a story, though.  And, they're all Santa Clauses...that's as close to coordinated as we get!

Jamie's stocking turns 18 this year.  I made it for him the Christmas I knew I was getting a ring  (the ring Gram asked, "Is this just for friends?").  His is 3-dimensional....OOOOHHHH.  It's really turned out to be a headache because it's extra puffy.  You can see his name is made out of iron-on letters.  I just could not get the thread stuff to work.  The name looks pretty hideous, but it was made with love : )


My sister made my first-born's stocking.  Anna even sewed on a little message for baby Parker. 

Very sweet!  Very meaningful!

Molly had to wait a few years for her stocking.  I think Mom and Anna both worked on it!  Life gets busy and stockings get put to the side.  Poor Lilah...  this is her stocking...


from Target!  Mom is still working on hers.  She may be 10 before it's ready.  That just means extra love went into it!

An interesting note:  Not one lump of coal has ever been left in any of these stockings no matter how deserved it was.  Hmm.  Santa is a pretty good guy!