After tellings of the account spread, children began hanging their stockings by the fireplace, in hopes that they too would receive gifts from St. Nicholas. Another explanation for the tradition of Christmas stockings may be found in Dutch lore.
What do Dutch children use instead of a Christmas stocking?
Rather than hanging stockings, well-behaved Dutch children leave wooden shoes out for Sinterklaas to fill. They often leave carrots, hay, or sugar cubes for Sinterklaas' horse along with a poem or letter for him.
What did Dutch children hang by the fire at Christmas?
Later in December, Dutch families decorate a Christmas tree and trim the house with candles, evergreens, and holly. Some children hang up a stocking from the fireplace mantel on Christmas Eve, but there are no more presents after St. Nicholas Day for most Dutch children.
Why do we hang stockings on the mantle?
Children hang their stockings over the mantle on Christmas Eve, hoping that Santa Claus will fill them with small toys, candy, fruit, coins or other small gifts when he arrives . ... Eventually, Nicholas came to be known as Saint Nicholas – patron saint of children and sailors and an inspiration for Santa Claus.
What are typical Christmas decorations in the Netherlands?
This means that Christmas in the Netherlands is really about the ambiance. People buy Christmas trees, and decorate them with kerstkransjes (Christmas wreath cookies), glass balls, gilded nuts, ribbons, glittery pine cones, frosted bells, and red and white candles .
Are stockings from Santa or parents?
2. Though Santa can bring all the presents. “Presents are from Mummy and Daddy and stockings are from Father Christmas – but he brings everything,” Rebecca C in our MadeForMums Facebook community tells us.
What Santa fills for Dutch children?
That tradition is still honored in the Netherlands today. Every Christmas Eve, children spoil Father Christmas's horse (not reindeer) with water, hay, and carrots . In exchange, they get marzipan, chocolate coins, and hot cocoa. The French fancy spoiling the animals, too, leaving Père Noël to fend for himself.
What was in a traditional Christmas stocking?
A Christmas stocking is usually an empty sock or sock shaped bag that is hung on Christmas eve to be filled for Christmas morning. Traditionally they are filled with fruit and nuts or toys and sweets . ... The tradition of Christmas stockings comes from Saint Nicholas.
What day is Dutch Christmas?
Two days of Dutch Christmas
In the Netherlands, people celebrate Christmas both on the 25th and the 26th of December . During Dutch Christmas people spend two days with their family, playing games, watching movies and eating some traditional Christmas food.
Is Kris Kringle Santa Claus?
Santa Claus —otherwise known as Saint Nicholas or Kris Kringle—has a long history steeped in Christmas traditions.
Is it safe to hang stockings over fireplace?
You must never hang stockings near a lit fireplace . ... Hanging decorations are extremely flammable and can ignite just from the heat that your fireplace puts out. It's also important that when you remove decorations from your mantle, you observe the 3-foot rule.
What do stockings symbolize?
Stockings assume a metaphorical weight as the symbol of betrayal and sexual infidelity . New stockings are important for both Willy's pride in being financially successful and thus able to provide for his family and for Willy's ability to ease his guilt about, and suppress the memory of, his betrayal of Linda and Biff.
What does the stockings represent in absorption?
And of the water & mixture that comes out through the stocking represents the nutrients and energy that are being absorbed through the wall of the small intestine and going into the bloodstream, where it can be carried off to the places in the body that need nutrients and energy.
What is Santa Claus called in the Netherlands?
Black Pete (“Zwarte Piet”) has been a fixture in Netherlands celebrations for centuries. The black-faced helper, who hands out presents for the white “ Sinterklaas” (St Nicholas) — the Dutch version of Santa Claus — has ignited a vehement storm.
What is Christmas called in Netherlands?
Many people in The Netherlands also have a Christmas Tree in their houses. In Dutch Happy/Merry Christmas can be said as ‘ Prettige Kerst ‘ (Happy Christmas), ‘Zalig Kerstfeest' or ‘Zalig Kerstmis' (both mean Merry Christmas) or ‘Vrolijk Kerstfeest' (Cheerful Christmas).
What are the Netherlands holiday traditions?
- Sinterklaas. One traditional festivity in the Netherlands is the feast of Sinterklaas. ...
- Christmas. Among the Dutch, Christmas (which lasts two days) is a time of togetherness. ...
- New Year. ...
- Easter. ...
- King's Day. ...
- Liberation Day. ...
- Ascension Day, Pentecost and Good Friday.
