Christmas Stockings

[punkieshazam]

An orange in the toe is a must. This is a tradition in my family that 
is almost a hundred years old. Unshelled nuts, too. Anything from 
Santa was in the stocking or under the tree unwrapped. The best 
things came from Santa. One year, when I still believed, I got a doll 
bed with a new doll tucked under the covers. In the stocking were the 
doll's clothes--3 or 4 changes. My Dad made the bed and Mom made the 
covers and clothes. Also socks. Never underwear, it was usually 
wrapped and from my parents. I put socks in my kid's stockings, too. 
They complained about them so much that one year when they were in 
their teens, I left them out. Boy! That was not acceptable. I still 
give them socks and the grandchildren, too. Only now I look for 
unusual socks like the ones with individual toes.

Dollar stores are good. They just weren't invented soon enough for 
*Santa* to give a lot of loot to my children.

Hope all your holidays are bright and cheerful and your loved ones 
are not too insufferable.

Punkie