Welcome to the Family, Here’s a Stocking
Since we were at home this Christmas, we also revived the family custom of Christmas stockings, which we inherited from Judy’s family. I knew I was an honorary Hertz when Judy’s mother made a stocking for me. Now that our family is expanding again, Judy set to work to make two new stockings.
My stocking is the second from the right, with the moose and the snowman wearing a tie. This picture include’s the new stockings, one for Beckee (Daniel’s fiancée) and one for David’s partner, Meredith.
These are handmade, customized stockings. This is Meredith’s. She is a semi-professional bagpiper (available for weddings and funerals), and so her snowman plays the bagpipe. For her day job, she tests water quality for the regional sanitary district – hence the flowing spigot.
Here’s Beckee’s stocking, not quite finished. Beckee is a former cheerleader, and so her snowman is leading a cheer. And since she grew up observing only the Jewish holidays, her stocking has a menorah.
We don’t buy serious gifts, but the stockings are filled with things like socks, candy, fruit, peanuts in the shell, and little wind-up toys. It makes for a fun Christmas morning, and a good way to welcome new members to the family.
gardeninacity 
A Terrific way to celebrate Christmas. Judy, you are so talented! Love the stockings with their personal touches. Merry merry…
She is talented, I definitely agree!
In our family, stockings were great delights, too. For one thing, it was ok to dig into them before everyone made it to the tree on Christmas morning — a practice that we children certainly appreciated!
Actually, in Judy’s family the tradition was to open them on Christmas Eve, but since we don’t do real presents any more we’ve revised the tradition.
Family traditions are a good thing. 🙂
Indeed.
My stocking is the one third from the right, with Tillie the angel on top of the tree – reflecting an angel I made in second grade, which graced our tree for years, and has reappeared this year. Also, my mother, whose sewing talents put mine to shame, stitched candles on my Christmas tree, to remember the years my parents lived in Switzerland and we had real candles on our trees. So many memories and traditions reflected here, and so happy to add new family members.
A bagpiper! How cool! I realize not everyone likes bagpipe music, but I adore it. My mom was born in Glasgow and I grew up listening to it, often seeing pipers at family gatherings. We have stockings put away somewhere in our house too, I haven’t dragged them out in years.
I enjoy listening to Meredith practice. It’s not music I would want to hear every day, but it has a certain verve.
These are wonderful! I love the personal touches. :o)
Happy new year, Tammy! Hope to see you in 2019 (maybe in Denver?).
I, too, love the personal touches. Those are certainly stockings to be cherished.
They should last a good long while.
I love your stockings.. we have two nice stockings left over from when the girls were young.. maybe I should revive them & do something similar. Most of our decorations have memories attached to them ..I like getting them out every year. Have a great Christmas!
And happy new year!
They are so cute – I love the customization! For us, stockings are often the best part of Christmas morning with so many small surprises…and they always include socks 😉
Socks are a nice little gift, and there are lots of socks with entertaining designs.
I love the customized stockings. It’s a nice tradition. Good idea to not do large presents — save $$ and stress!
We bought lots of presents when the kids were small, but now it seems unnecessary.
What a lovely tradition- and what a wonderful way to be welcomed into a family!
Those are really special! I like the way Judy personalizes each stocking. Very nice!
It was fun to think about what to put on each stocking.
Lovely tradition and a lovely welcome to new members of your family. We all have our own traditions and its nice to see them continued through the generations.
Life would seem at loose ends without some traditions at least.
Stocking were always my favorite part of Christmas, even as a child! Lots of little goodies. They’re my favorite part still, filling them for my adult children! My son didn’t want a present this year, but he agreed to take a stocking. I fit a lot of “presents” in it! My late mother expected to find something in hers on New Year’s Day, from my father!
It’s a great way to share lots of fun little gifts, plus goodies to eat.
This is a fabulous tradition!
And a fun one.
Fantastic ideas. I am guessing your wife makes the stockings? Does she make the whole package, like knitting, decorating, everything? Then, hats off to her for she is really creative. Such lovely and heartwarming ideas and designs. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
My mother could sew clothes, upholster furniture, make curtains, absolutely anything. I don’t have the patience or the time. I’m limited to special projects.
Yes, she makes the stockings from scratch. She’s handy that way. Happy New Year to you!
I love the thoughtfully customised stockings, it’s so creative, Jason!
It’s all Judy’s work, though I did make some suggestions for the decorating.
Just lovely!Judy certainly is creative.xxx
Thanks. She is indeed.
Love that idea of personalised stockings! Hope your Christmas was merry!
It was, indeed! Happy 2019!
Those are beautiful handmade stockings, and a lovely family tradition. Happy New Year to you and your family!
Thank you, Lavinia. Same to you!
Great way to celebrate! Beautiful
Thanks.