The Stockings Hung by the Chimney with Care

They may not be pretty, but they are TRADITION.

Dozens of years ago, D took out her new sewing machine and tackled one of her first crafty projects - making Christmas stockings.

Oh, the love that went into the stockings (but alas, very little craft ability.) And year after year, the stockings were hung by the chimney with care... to the delight of the children, big and small. No one seemed to mind that the stockings were not needle-pointed nor Martha Stewart inspired.

This Christmas, a new grandson meant new stockings and a dilemma. Do we toss out the old 'home made' stockings and buy new, more stylish stockings for all so that our stockings matched?

Tradition won out. D dusted off the sewing machine (yes, the machine literally was dust-covered), re-read the 'how to use this machine' directions, and got eye-strain threading that ity-bity sewing machine needle.

Two and a half hours later, the Bates had two new family stockings that will hang for the first time on the mantel of our mountain home. The tradition continues.