Simple Joys of Christmas - Stockings

I will share more of my experience at Mayo next week. 

It is finally time to enjoy and celebrate Christmas!

   Due to our schedule and my inability to drive prior to or following surgery, there was little time or chance for much shopping, decorating or preparing.

That is fine.

Great joy is found in simple things.

Many are items that have long been a part of our family's holidays.

It is never Christmas for me until the stockings are hung by the chimney with care.

This stocking was knitted, for his first Christmas, by our son's godmother.

In this house, it always hangs by the family room fireplace.

Mother made these stockings for herself and my father.  They are red velvet with white satin lining and cuffs, decorated with felt cut-outs, and embellished with sequins and beads.

The one on the left was Daddy's, complete with a tiny train on the toe!

These also hang on the family room fireplace.

As our family grew with son-in-laws and grandchildren, my mother gifted us with beautiful needlepointed stockings.  A dear friend drew most of the designs, and Mother spent many hours stitching.  They are stitched primarily with wool, and accented with metallic threads.

Each stocking is fully lined with satin, backed and piped in velvet - completely and lovingly handmade.

Every year, as I unwrap these three stockings, it is a little bittersweet.  They will always be one of my favorite holiday decorations, but they make me miss my mother more than ever.  She adored the holidays, and kept Christmas in her heart all year long.

Our three stockings hang together on our living room fireplace.

So, are your stockings hung?

I hope Santa leaves you lots of goodies and no lumps of coal!