12.19.2009

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care...



Our family LOVES stockings! My mother was a pro at "stuffing stockings". It's one of our favorite parts of Christmas! I've always made our stockings. When Larry and I married, we had simple red and white polka dot stockings with our names hand stitched across the top. (Sorry no picture) When the kids came along, I made them one. Then when the kids were in elementary school, a life long friend of mine, Cathy Potts and I made our families new stockings. We had so much fun picking out the fabrics, designing them and even sewing them! (I only say that because we both had wonderful mothers who sewed so beautifully and we always felt we were quite challenged in the sewing department). Those were our stockings until Zach married. At that time, I decided it was time to make some new ones for our growing family. I decided on the background colors and bought A LOT of extra fabric. So, as you can see from the pictures...we have gone from 4 stockings to 10!!!

Since I love snowman, I decided each would have one on the front, and would reflect that persons personality or interests! There is a funny story on one of these stockings. When I made Ashley's, she was a junior in High School. She loved winter so I decided to just decorate her with a snowflake theme! Little did I know that years later, she would actually fall in love with a SNOWman! Pretty cool huh!

So, here is a peek at our stockings...the wall is filling up but we can nuzzle in more!

Stuffing these stockings is my favorite thing to do! I love the hunt for the perfect little items. I have to admit, the older men in the family, Zach and David, can sometimes be a little challenging but Larry really helps me out. The girls...I am always on the hunt and pick up things throughout the year. Little things. We don't put big dollar items in the stockings...just fun little stuff! And of course, it is SO fun to fill the little ones stockings...it is just so sweet to buy toys again!!!

Just as our presents, we don't all dive into our stockings at once. We take turns. We love to watch what each person get, so we go slow and methodical! :) Now that we have little ones again, we let them go first! I thought it would be where they could then play with their goodies, while we opened ours, but these little ones get just as much joy watching us! How sweet!!!

(I need to apologize for my photographs. My camera bit the dust at a recent birthday party, so I am having to use my phone! Not such great pictures but maybe it will give you the idea)!









2 comments:

annalee said...

those are fabulous! i especially love how long the line of stockings has become in just a matter of a few years:)

Kim said...

So cute! I WISH I could sew. And cook. And bake. And do crafts. And... :) But hey, I am at least getting good with the cooking actually!