Friday, December 21, 2007

no coal in these stockings

Today for Show & Tell, I'd like to share something that is very, very special to me and my family. It's our Christmas stockings.

What makes them so special is that my grandmother knitted each one. And not only did she knit the four here, but one for each and every person in her family. She started with mine [which makes it extra special] as I was her first grandchild.

She then knitted one for my sister and then my brother. When each of her grandchildren married, she knitted a stocking for the spouse. With the birth of each great-grandchild, she'd get out her knitting needles once again. She has six great-grandkids and each one has a hand knitted stocking.

She felt she needed to knit two more stockings to complete the circle; one for her daughter [my mom] and another for my mom's husband, Lee. If my math is correct, that's fourteen stockings she poured her love into. She made her first one nearly 50 years ago and finished her last one just a few years ago.

It is tradition in our family to give stocking stuffers to each other. Each Christmas these stockings are filled with all kinds of goodies. And each stocking is different - no pattern was used twice.

Thank you Grandma for not only my stocking and my family's stockings, but for giving each person in your family a part of yourself. A piece that we cherish deeply and will keep with us forever.

Visit Kelli at There Is No Place Like Home for more Show & Tell.

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link of the day:
http://www.allthingschristmas.com/stories.html

26 comments:

Just Mom said...

I love handmade treasures like these. Beautiful.

Hootin Anni said...

Me being a Santa Collector, I would love to have the 'fuzzy' bearded Santa Stocking.

Glad to know there's gonna be no coal!!!!


My Show N Tell is shared....won't you drop by?

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Anonymous said...

I love knitted stockings and to have your grandmother make them is extra special.

ellen b. said...

what very special keepsakes these are. Enjoy! A very Merry Christmas to you and yours...

Anonymous said...

oh my goodness! Those are great. I'd love to be that talented with knitting needles!

Anonymous said...

What sweet keepsakes these are!

Barbara H. @ Stray Thoughts

Barb said...

What a fun surprise to click on your blog and see the Christmas Stockings! G'ma will love it.

I love your quote of the day and today's link.

Merry Christmas!

Liza on Maui said...

what a precious christmas keepsake from grandma. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

Jean said...

What wonderful treasures!

Melissa said...

First of all... your Grandma is awesome! Those stockings look amazing!
What wonderful things for you to have! Homemade gifts are the best!

nancy said...

A great legacy for your family. The quality is unparalleled. These can be handed down again and again, should the Lord "tarry".
Nancy

Lori said...

Love those handmade stockings.
Wow! She is very talented. I bet that is special for everyone to have a stocking handmade by grandma.

Cathy said...

I love the stockings and I really love the look of your blog with the red & white stripes and blue--very festive! Merry Christmas!

Cathy :)

Susan said...

This is wonderful Diana. For some reason it almost brought tears to my eyes......I guess because that kind of stedfastness is so rare.
Merry Christmas.
Susan

Lynne said...

That's one of the many things I love about Christmas-bringing out treasured keepsakes like your stockings, and enjoying the memories.

My Grandmother was also an avid knitter. She could knit almost anything without using a pattern. Unfotunately, I did not inherit her talents.

Mary said...

What a precious gift your family was given from your grandmother. This year I'm giving my grandsons homemade pillow cases. Each are made in holly fabric. One is green with holly, the other ivory. I hope the boys will enjoy sleeping with them on their pillows each Christmas Eve for a long time. If and when they ever get married, I will make one for their spouses.

Thanks for sharing. Merry Christmas.
Blessings,
Mary

Kathy b said...

Your grandma is a sweetheart. And ....they are all different. I someone in your family learned to knit from her to carry on this tradition.

Kathy b said...

correction: I hope someone in your family........

Rose of Sharon said...

Wow! They are so pretty! How wonderful to have all of them hand made by your loving grandmother! What a real treasure!

Merry Christmas! Sharon

Ruth said...

Now, that is really, really neat. What a special heirloom for you all to have!!

Martha said...

How loving and thoughtful of your Grandma to knit so many stockings. What a wonderful reminder of her love for the entire family. Thanks for sharing.

Merry Christmas,
~Jane

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

Love those Christmas stocking! I've got one similar to yours that my grandmother knitted for me in the early 1950's - Santa has that same fuzzy beard. I like the variety of yours, they are very Christmasy.

Dana a/k/a Sunshine said...

Those stockings are beautiful, but more beautiful, the love behind them. Thanks for sharing your tradition. I'm at my sister's in Missouri for the holidays so taking some well deserved blog reading time!

Have a Merry Christmas Diana. By the way, I am loving the pictures on your sidebar!

Pen of Jen said...

wow~I think that this is a great family history that she has given!

MightyMom said...

sniff sniff.

that's great!!

my mom has made each of my kids stockings now...the last one was finished on Saturday! :-)

Donna Gotlib said...

Quite a few years back my Mother made quilted stockings for our family. I embroidered everyone's names on their stockings. She made a set for my husband and I to have at our house too. I painted our names on those. She has Alzheimers now and is no longer able to sew. They are more special than ever.

Your grandmother did a beautiful job on your stockings. They are wonderful.

Thank you for sharing!
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