‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
For most of us, Christmas would not be complete without stockings – chimney, fireplace, or not! In fact, some of our fondest memories, for those whose first Christmases were more than a decade or two ago, are those of dumping out all the treats and trinkets stuffed into our cherished Christmas stockings.
But where did this tradition of hanging stockings by the chimney with care originate?
And whose idea was it to stuff things into them?
It turns out that much of the credit goes to Clement Clark Moore, the celebrated author of the well-loved poem A Visit from St. Nicholas or, as most of us know it, Twas The Night Before Christmas. Originally published on December 23, 1823, Moore’s poem evoked a fairytale image of a character that wasn’t really all too familiar to Americans at that time.
Moore is said to have based his vision of Santa Claus on both St. Nicholas and a local Dutch handyman where he lived in New York. Legend has it that the handyman operated the sleigh that took Moore home, according to one article.
The story goes on to relate that Moore has been largely credited with creating the modern-day image of Santa Claus and the culturally popular sentiment of being home for the holidays, especially on Christmas Eve.
According to an entry in Wikipedia,
“A tradition that began in a European country originally, children simply used one of their everyday socks, but eventually, special Christmas stockings were created for this purpose. These stockings are traditionally used on Saint Nicholas Day although in the early 1800s, they also came to be used on Christmas Eve.”
So, on December 6 – Saint Nicholas Day – or Christmas Eve, today’s stockings hung by the chimney or space heater with care are traditionally filled with all kinds of goodies!
Fidget Toys, Tops, and LEGO® Sets: Stocking Stuffers from Fundemonium
Stocking stuffers can be challenging. It sued to be that most kids got candy, gum, cheap toys, or lumps of coal. Okay, so maybe not coal. But back in the pre-2000s, stocking stuffers were fun but simple.
Not so today.
The bar has been raised, and expectations have followed suit. Kids (and adults) are anticipating nice gifts and higher-value trinkets than those Grandma and Grandpa got when they were kiddos! But the good news is that good stocking stuffer can still be greatly appreciated without being costly.
If you have stockings with children’s names under the age of, say, 12 or so, you can’t go wrong with fidget toys, for example. These stocking stuffer-sized toys are perfect for Christmas and come in various shapes, styles, and fidgeting functions.
Every kid loves to have these around, from pop fidget toys to spinners to squishy toys.
Want to keep your young ones mentally engaged? Slip in a few Tangle Jr. twisty toys. Forty years and 250 million sold worldwide means that these twisty little creativity tools are a hit. Sometimes, however, imaginations need to roll a bit wider – even when space is limited.
Tonka Micro Metals are just the thing. As the manufacturer tells it,
“The Tonka Micro Metals are fun, smaller versions of the trucks Tonka fans know and love. Made with real metal, these trucks are still Tonka tough, and the wide assortment makes these perfect for collectors. Great for smaller spaces and indoor play!”
Some old-fashioned fun can be had with a few vintage Tiny Tin Tops. Just over two inches across and with beautifully colored patterns, these spinning tops are perfect for stuffing stockings this holiday.
Oh, and did we mention LEGO® sets?
With smaller sets like the LEGO® City Police Helicopter, kids four and up can find hours of LEGO® fun in their stockings on Christmas day. This particular mini set comes with 51 pieces to build a toy police helicopter, a bad guy’s water scooter, along with police officer and crook Minifigures.
And what is Christmas morning without music?
Every kid likes harmonicas and kazoos. And while the music may be more raucous than melodious, the fun will make up for it!
Fundemonium Makes Even the Small Things Special for the Holidays
If there is one thing that makes the holidays special, it is all the ways of having FUN! And for some of the best fun to be had shopping for great toys, games, crafts, hobby items, and events, the best toy store in Rohnert Park should be your first destination – Fundemonium!
And that even includes shopping for those special stocking stuffers.
At Fundemonium, we are more than a store – we are a fun family experience where families and friends can meet and experience a wide variety of great toys, crafts, games, and indoor events any time of year. In addition, Fundemonium is a safe and friendly place where adults and children of all ages can always enjoy creative fun.
That’s because, in addition to great stocking stuffers, we have a great selection of creative and fun toys, as well as games, kits, and hobby products for kids of all ages.
We always do our best to respond quickly to website inquiries about our toys, games, and other fun products. And you can also find answers to your questions by calling us at (707) 540-0701.
Just give us a call during our business hours if you’d like to speak directly with one of our Fundemoniacs.
