By: Joshua Haight

One of the most exciting moments about Christmas morning is pouring out your stocking and seeing all of those amazing presents fall out. Whether it be toys, chocolate, or candy, stockings will make anyone’s day better. This holiday season; make sure to stock up on those stocking stuffers. According to Smithsonianmag.com, as far back as 1823, when Clement Clarke Moore (or possibly Henry Livingston Jr.) wrote “A Visit from Saint Nicholas,” stockings were hung near the fireplace, awaiting a visit from Santa Claus. At the end of the poem, St. Nick “fill’d all the stockings; / then turn’d with a jerk, /And laying his finger aside of his nose/And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.” Stockings originated around the mid-1800s due to this story as anticipated children waited for Santa’s arrival. Chocolates, candies, and other treats have been commonly used to fill stockings over the years. Stockings have been an optional tradition ever since. Chocolate is a great way to make your child’s Christmas the best that it could possibly be.   For those who are doing a lot of holiday shopping, don’t forget to grab some chocolate to put in their stockings. According to classmates and some teachers, the most popular stocking stuffer chocolates include Reese’s, Kit-Kat, Hershey’s chocolate, Peppermint Patties, and Butterfingers. Some hard candies that most children love to find in their stockings include butterscotch, mints, candy canes, Jolly Ranchers, and homemade hard tack candy. Candy is a very common tradition that Santa uses to fill stockings. Hard candy is a great way to bring flavor into your child’s Christmas. Children’s toys are also commonly used as stocking stuffers. These toys may include small toys that are fairly inexpensive such as yo-yos, Barbie’s, Bratz dolls, toy cars, etc. Stockings can be used over the mantle of a fireplace to bring an amazing amount of joy to those you love. Also, remember that stockings are meant to be decorative, so don’t hang your filthy socks over the mantle. And don’t forget that Santa fills the stockings, so don’t be naughty or you’ll receive a lump of coal in your stocking.