Long ago, someone in our family began a tradition of making these stockings for everyone. As a child, I saw these stockings at my great-grandmother's farm in West Virginia for her and my great-aunts and uncles who were still there. I saw them at great-aunt's and uncle's houses in their own homes as well as and of their children and grandchildren. And of course my own grandmother and all of her children and their children. These stockings have just been a fact of life for my entire life. I didn't even realize that other families had different stockings. I don't know who started the tradition, and no one else seems to remember either, but each time a child was born into our family or someone became family through marriage, they always got a stocking.
So when my own first child was born, I awaited his stocking ... Well! Little did I know that there was no actual stocking fairy that delivered them! Imagine that! So his first Christmas passed with no stocking. And his second Christmas began approaching and I began to ask where his stocking would come from and was informed that it was up to me to make him one. But I had no clue how to go about doing that, and was pretty much disappointed thinking he would never have one. Anyway, Christmas day that year, off we go to my guardian-mother's house for Christmas lunch and as we're sitting around that afternoon, she hands me a stocking across the table, but she hands it to me backwards so that I can't see the front of it. Of course, I already have my stocking, so I'm a bit confused about why she's handing me a second stocking. When I turn it around, I see that my son's name is on the front of it. I was floored! Where did THAT come from??? And so she told me that that was MOM'S old stocking! WHOA!!!! I hadn't seen Mom's stocking since she died. I had no idea that my guardians even had it! My guardian mother had unstitched Mom's name and used the gold cord to re-stitch my son's name! Mom's name was Jackie, and my son's name is Justin, so the "a-c-k-i-e" was changed to "u-s-t-i-n". If you look closely, you can see where the person who made this wrote "Jackie" in ink as a guide for the gold cord, now revealed under the letters of Justin's name. This completely took my breath away! I think that is probably one of the kindest things my guardian ever did for me!
Now, that is not to say that this event occurred without controversy! Mom had 4 children, and my son was not her first grandchild. So there are 3 other siblings who were not nearly as thrilled about this as I was. But through the years it has been accepted. And my son Justin guards this stocking with the utmost care. He fully understands the honor that has been bestowed upon him by receiving this stocking. He's grateful to be the one who received it and would not for the life of him allow something to happen to it. I've offered in the past to make a few repairs to it, but he refuses. He likes it just the way it is: one of the layers of the Christmas has fallen off (I have it protected); the little decorations sewn on all around the face have broken and discolored; but he will not allow me to fix it. He says that would take away from it. And I have to agree. And I'm so proud of him for intuitively knowing that.
I don't know when these were first made, and Mom would be mid-seventies or pushing 80 if she were still alive, so there's definitely some age on this piece of history. I'm honored to be the one chosen, however unconventionally, to pass this one along. There were so very few things of Mom's that went to her children after she passed away. This is a precious way to pass something of her along to my own children.
I was just giving things a fast look and seen your socks, First one then the next. Then I started to look a little closer and it hit me it looks like the one I had as a kid. I think mine is in a suit case that my mother had put my baby stuff. My mother saved everything that was mine. With my 2 older brothers(12 years difference) she tossed it out, Anyway your photos brought back some memories for me also.
Such a wonderful story of your mum's stocking now being your son's. Your guardian mother obviously chose the correct member to pass this tradition on. Thanks for sharing Ashley - it's such a treasured story and tradition that I'm sure will continue with your family :) Fav
