Hanging a Stocking this Christmas ?

Are you hanging a stocking this Christmas ?

Apparently the tradition of hanging a stocking at Christmas begun when St Nicholas, who was the patron saint of children and a 4th century Christian bishop in what is now modern day Turkey wanted to help a poor family.

The legend is .......... the family had three daughters all in need of a dowry before they could marry and not wanting to cause insult or hurt their pride he threw gold coins down their chimney on Christmas Eve. The coins fell into a stocking that was hanging in the fireplace to dry.

In recent times, an orange or satsuma is placed in the stocking to represent the gold coins.