History of Stockings Hung by the Chimney with Care 

Several legends share how “stockings” became a tradition to be filled in secret. Most of them spring from the 4th century and a generous man named Nicholas. He was born into wealth and made a pledge to give away his money during his lifetime. He later became known as St. Nicholas, the bishop of Myra, which is in present-day Turkey.  

As the story goes, there was a man with three daughters. He struggled to make ends meet but was ashamed to take charity. Without funds, his daughters were doomed to never marry and to live out their lives as slaves. Nicholas heard other villagers sharing his story and devised a plan to help. 

Some stories say Nicholas snuck in through a window and left orbs of gold in the daughters’ stockings, while others suggest that he climbed to the roof and dropped coins down the chimney that miraculously landed in the stockings. Still another shares that the man learned that it was Nicholas that helped him with his daughters’ doweries, and the man was told that he couldn’t say how it happened because the “coins were a gift from God.” 

St. Nicholas is now known by many regional names – Sinterklaas in the Netherlands where gifts and trinkets are left in wooden shoes, Father Christmas in Great Britain where gifts may be left by the fireplace or at the foot of children’s beds, and Papa Noël in France where children leave their slipper by the hearth to be filled with goodies. Overall, St. Nicholas has become the symbol of generosity wherever Christmas is celebrated. 

There was a time, the mid-1800s, when stuffing stockings almost disappeared in the United States. That trend coincided with the adoption of the German tradition of putting up a Christmas tree. After all, a tree doesn’t have the gift constraints that a stocking has. As an article in the New York Times on December 26, 1883, stockings made a comeback because of a new invention – elastic – that made stockings more accepting of gifts of different sizes.  

For children in the Appalachian Mountains as late as the early 20th century, to receive an orange in your stocking was like receiving one of the balls of gold left by St. Nicholas.  

Photo at right is from the Library of Congress, "Howard & Thelma Bendix, Montclair, N.J. Stereoscopic View Collection, view no. 808" stamped on back of card. Circa 1860-1870, Santa is sneaking in with a basket of gifts. https://www.loc.gov/resource/stereo.1s05225/

Suggestions for Stocking Stuffers 

It is necessary to note that our stocking stuffer suggestions are not exhaustive. There are simply not enough pixels to cover all the options, but we did set some criteria for our ideas. We used several personas to give a little context for who the right recipient of the stocking may be. We also limited our list to items under $50 that would fit into a stocking sized to hang from a mantle. Of course, you can always mix and match, add on and take away, and further accessorize to make the stocking as perfect as it can be. 

Selections for Everyone & Anyone 

The items we chose for everyone are useful, fun, and thoughtful. Almost all of these could be added to the other categories to round out a collection or to fill a hole.  

Flashlight – Nebo makes several different types of flashlights from handheld to squeezy, to one that can attach to metal surfaces via a magnetic base.  

Socks – Wait, don’t roll your eyes just yet – not all gift socks are alike. Mast Store has so many to choose from including socks for hiking, running, biking or socks that “speak your mind.” Why not make socks fun?  

Fruit & Nut Bells and "Christmas Cookies" from Mr. Bird – Some people on your list may enjoy watching the birds but don’t have a bird feeder. These bells share the holiday spirit and a meal with the birds.  

Sourwood Honey – Sourwood honey is a sought-after treat and sometimes many seasons pass without this golden nectar. It is floral with hints for caramel, anise, and spice and is so good on biscuits.  

Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty – Roll it, squish it, stretch it, and let your mind get creative! Thinking Putty comes in different mixtures, colors, and even a “scentsory” option to help with some free thinking and problem solving. 

Plush Eye Mask or Cozy Junior Plush from Warmies – We all need a warm hug or to cool down from time to time, and the eye mask and cozy juniors from Warmies will do the trick. Scented with French lavender, place in the freezer or microwave for a mini spa treatment.  

Lip Balms and Naked Bee Hand & Body Lotion – Winter is cold and dry, and the winter winds dry out our skin, so a lip balm and moisturizing lotion come in handy to prevent drying and an “ashy” look. The more the merrier here – one for the backpack, purse, desk, jacket pocket, or wherever your gift recipient will be.   

Candy Bars – Did you know that Mast Store has a line of exclusive candy bars? Many of them are collaborations with Southern favorites – like Cheerwine and MoonPie – and our most recent introductions: the Poppy Hand-Crafted Popcorn Chocolate Bar and the Goetze’s Vanilla Bulls-Eyes Bar. They are tasty and unique stocking stuffers!  

Ideas for Kids 

We’re not going to lie – Santa frowns on that – as we were choosing the stocking stuffers for kids, we put a few of our favorites in there, too. We looked at items that they love – like lip-puckering candies and snuggly stuffed animals – and things they’ll come to love (with a little help) and will develop new folds in their brains like books, games, and the Etch-a-Sketch. 

Candy – Everybody loves candy, but it seems that kids love the candy that makes their faces contort into all kinds of shapes other than normal or candy that “does” funny things. So, Mini Neon Sour Gummy Worms, Watermelon Pop Rocks, and refills for their Pez dispensers would be great options.  

Sullivan Black Bear – Sullivan, from Aurora World, is our top-selling stuffed animal. He’s small (perfect for little hands), floppy, and super snuggly. Who couldn’t use a hug from a friend from time to time? Sullivan fits in a stocking perfectly. 

Pocket-Sized Etch-a-Sketch – For some of us, including your blogger, the original Etch-a-Sketch was our introduction to “screens.” The pocket-sized version is the perfect alternative to today’s screens, and it helps with dexterity and creativity.  

Mad Libs – What happens when you combine elements of English class, a child’s imagination, and storytelling? A lot of belly laughs, that’s what.  

Goodnight Mountains – It's a trip to the mountains in a book that calls out many natural features (waterfalls, lakes) and activities (skiing, hiking) along the way. Reading is an important skill (and love) to foster as early as possible. And you’ll find more classic and new books for youngsters on Mast Store’s shelves.   

UNO Card Game – We always like to include something in the kids’ stockings that will bring the whole family together. UNO is easy to understand and can bring up to 10 people to the card table. Sounds like fun!  

Knife Kits from Jameson Woodworks – This is a great way to introduce woodworking to young people. Each kit makes a different type of knife constructed with wood.  

The Adventurer 

In selecting items for the Adventurer, we looked at items that would be nice to have on the trail but can also find a home and use in everyday life. Plus, shouldn’t we have an adventure of some sort every day? 

Goal Zero Power Bank - It’s back-up power on the go and will come in handy whether you’re on the trail or at a never-ending conference with not enough plugins for everyone to charge their phones.  

Rechargeable Hand Warmers – Why didn’t someone think of this before? These rechargeable hand warmers are like carrying a toasty fireside in your pocket. They are great for First Day Hikes and cold football game nights!  

Digital Thermometer – How often does someone wonder what the temperature is? When you’re out on the trail, cell phone signals may be unreliable, and even if you can get a signal, it won’t tell you the temperature where you stand. Sun’s Digital Thermometer clips on your pack, jacket, or belt loop, and has an easy-to-read LCD display.  

Headlamps – Hands free lighting has many everyday uses. From heading back to basecamp after a long day hike and walking the dog one last time to changing a tire, a headlamp is a great option. If you have an astronomer on your list, make sure to choose one with a “red light” option to help them preserve their night vision.  

Micra Multi-Tool – Leatherman is the leader in pocket-sized multi-tools. The Micra has all the essentials in mini form – clip point knife, spring-action scissors, extra small screwdriver, medium screwdriver, flat Phillips screwdriver, nail file, nail cleaner, bottle opener, ruler, and tweezers. It also comes in three color ways.  

Squeeze Water Filtration System – Drinking water on the trail is an important consideration. If you can’t pack in enough water for your outing, you’ll need a way to utilize “found water” along the way. For those concerned about weight, this filtration system is one of the lightest on the market.  

The Cook/Chef 

The kitchen is the centerpiece of holiday gatherings (sorry Christmas tree ). It’s where a lot of the magic happens – the spread for the family supper on Christmas Eve, the breakfast bar on Christmas morning, and the cookies, party mix, and other snacky foods for the time in between. Thanks to YouTube and social media, alongside cooking magazines and cookbooks, there’s new-found interest in cooking. For stocking stuffers for the cooks, we looked at trendy utensils and flavors to help them add flare to their presentation. 

Essential Small Kitchen Knife Set – The French are great cooks, and they also make some pretty good knives. The Essential Small Kitchen Knife Set from Opinel features workhorse blades that should be found in every kitchen. You’ll love the Fifties-inspired handle colors.  

Set of 4 Cheese Knives – This set of stainless steel knives is the perfect complement to your charcuterie boards and hors d'oeuvres offerings.  

Bamboo Spurtle Set – A spurtle is a versatile kitchen tool – it can stir, spread, mash, and flip. The bamboo spurtles in this set are great for saving your non-stick cookware from scratches.  

Smidgen, Pinch, and Dash Measuring Spoons – If you’ve always wondered how much a smidgen is, this measuring spoon set provides the answer. The set makes a great conversation piece and is helpful when sharing family recipes with others.  

Ceramic Pie Weights – You know when you blind bake a pie crust, it always pulls away from the sides and poofs up in the middle. These pie weights will help keep your crust tidy in all the corners.  

Wine Preserver and Stopper Set – If you’re just enjoying a glass of wine with your meal and don’t serve the entire bottle, don’t fret. The wine preserver helps remove excess oxygen from the bottle to extend the life of the wine.  

Spicewalla – James Beard Award-winning Chef Meherwan Irani developed Spicewalla because he believes food is more than just fuel. It’s connection. The company is based in Asheville and builds flavors from around the world.  

Puzzlers 

Some people love a good puzzle – it can be a jigsaw puzzle, a three-dimensional challenge, or something that is just aMAZEing. We looked at all kinds of puzzles to satisfy those who want to exercise their minds. 

Word Search Books – Word search puzzles can be found for lots of subjects including Christmas, birds, and the national parks.  

The Amaze Game – With 16 mazes, the Amaze Game changes every time you play. Trace out your path without running into gates, traps, and dead ends. This makes a great travel game.  

Rubik’s Cube – Introduced in 1974 as the Magic Cube, Rubik’s Cube (named after its Hungarian inventor Ern? Rubik) was introduced to the world market in 1980. Today, in addition to the original brightly colored cube, there are even more challenging puzzles.  

Mini Jigsaw Puzzles – In keeping with our quest to make all stock stuffers fit into a stocking, check out the Play Every Day and Bigfoot jigsaw puzzles for a challenge on a mini scale.  

Renaissance Man or Woman 

In our families or circle of friends, there is likely someone whose vast knowledge spans the known universe and maybe beyond. They can work on a car, solve complex math problems, grow a garden, and speak to the differences between baroque and classical music with ease. We chose our stocking stuffers for these clever individuals to help them expand their learning even more. 

Backyard Birds of the Southeast – This folding guide to birds that are common to the Southeast region is a primer to open a gateway to ornithology. It’s perfect for all ages. The Eastern Backyard Birds foldable guide is also a good reference. 

Basic Navigation for Search & Rescue and Survival Guide – This is a must for anyone who spends time in the outdoors, particularly if it’s in the backcountry. Map reading and navigating with a compass are valuable skills. The guide also teaches measuring distances in the field and techniques to navigate in survival situations.  

The Art of Mixology Cozy Cocktails – Part of being a good host is surprising your guests with a wide range of culinary skills. Add to that being a mixologist! Cozy Cocktails includes 75 autumnal-themed recipes to be enjoyed when the weather turns cooler.  

Swiss Army Hiker Multi-Tool Knife – What is the perfect gift for a Renaissance Man or Woman? A tool that fits their skill set. The Hiker Multi-Tool Knife includes a large blade, a small blade, can opener with small screwdriver, bottle opener with large screwdriver and wire stripper, wood saw, reamer with sewing eye, Phillips screwdriver, toothpick, tweezers, and key ring. It’s a toolkit that fits in your hand.  

Bag Balm – Originally developed for farmers to use to soothe cow udders, Bag Balm has many more uses including soothing the farmer’s hands! Now you can find balms for your lips, a body wash, and a sport tube of the famous Bag Balm that fits in backpacks, sports bags, or purses.  

Mast Store Provisioners Coffee – There are many blends and flavors to enjoy, including our top seller Jamaican Me Crazy and the seasonal choice Jingle Bell Java.  

Teas from Asheville Tea Company – Asheville Tea Company crafts, blends, and produces their teas in Asheville using ingredients sourced from 12 regional farmers and other flavors from around the world. It makes a perfect companion for contemplation.  

Old Farmer’s Almanac – This is the resource for when to plant, when to harvest, when it’s best to make sauerkraut, and so much more. From predictions of the spring’s planting season to what the coming winter holds, the Old Farmer’s Almanac is a trusted source of information since 1792. Couple it with a Mast Store Almanac Calendar to have all the bases covered. 

While we said our list isn’t exhaustive, we believe that you’ll see many of those around you in these personas that will help you pick a gift that will be enjoyed and treasured. And, if you have a Secret Santa event or an office name drawing, many of these suggestions will help there, too. Still need help? Stop by any Mast Store to let the experts help you fulfill Christmas wishes.