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Christmas Stocking Paper

Decent Essays

Sarah McCarthy
Instructors Name
Comm. 100, Course#
April 4, 2018

CULTURAL ARTIFACT PAPER – THE CHRISTMAS STOCKING
The world’s largest Christmas stocking in the Guinness Book of Records measures 177 feet tall, 72 feet wide and weighs 820 pounds! (Cooke, 2017)

The Christmas stocking symbolizes Christmas, which is traditionally a Christian holiday, but also impacts many cultures and is celebrated by people all around the world. In this paper I will be discussing the history, traditions and different uses of the Christmas stocking.

A Christmas stocking is much more than an empty sock hung on a mantel on Christmas Eve; it is an important symbol of beloved family traditions, religious sentiment and goodwill.

To get a better understanding, I …show more content…

First the stocking symbolises Christmas which is the celebration of the birth of Jesus. The Christmas holiday is symbolic to Christian culture.
As we discussed earlier, the stocking is mentioned in the famous poem Twas the Night Before Christmas, but the Christmas tree is not. This indicates that during the 1800’s the stocking was more symbolic of the Christmas holiday than the Christmas tree. (Carter, 2016)
Although Christmas is a religious holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, It is also celebrated culturally by non-Christians and billions of people around the world. Christmas Day is a public holiday in many of the world’s nations. (Wikipedia, 2018)
According to a 2017 pew research center survey, 90% of all Americans and 95% of Christians celebrate Christmas. The study indicates that in recent years the role of religion in Christmas is declining. 46% of Americans say they celebrate Christmas religiously, which is down from 50% from 2013. (Lipka, 2017)
The second thing that the stocking symbolizes is charity and giving.
The gift of gold coins put in the stockings in the story of St. Nicholas represents helping others in need and giving without expectation of receiving in return. (Fagan, …show more content…

The gift giving in the stockings is an important part of the Christmas experience and represents a spirt of generosity, goodwill and giving. (King, 2017) These beliefs are also embodied within the Christian culture.
Now that I’ve portrayed the stockings symbolism, let’s learn about some of the current ways to use them. Although in the past stockings were used for gold coins, or citrus fruits such as oranges, the modern day traditions are somewhat different.
Stockings are usually created in the shape of an oversized sock. Many families practice the tradition of personalizing their stockings with names, favorite hobbies and/or interests of the individual. Stockings can be handmade or store-bought. They come in many colors, themes, materials and fabrics. The options are endless when it comes to personalizing your own stocking. (Witham, 2017)
In the present day stockings are hung by the chimney to be filled by Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. They are traditionally filled with small gifts known as stocking stuffers. The Merry Stockings online website states on July 24, 2017 “The most commons items used for stocking stuffers today are candy, jewelry, fruit, gift cards, small toys, games, books and bath and beauty

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