Three Little Stockings

Three itty bitty stockings and so much fun! Each year I hang these three stockings. Crudely lettered with initials, these stockings are the root of so much laughter.

Every day I put something in these little stockings. It might be a candy bar, a pair of socks, a quarter, dollar or twenty. A sock for each grandchild and my daughter. When they stop by to visit I never mention the stockings. They hang right by the entrance door. They have to pass them to get into the kitchen or living room. They are not hid. It's their responsibility to check their stockings. Sometimes they visit and forget so I don't have to replenish that stocking. The stockings only get restocked after they remember to check and remove what is in them.

I've had them stop by and then go home only to call me at midnight screaming "I FORGOT TO CHECK MY STOCKING!"

"Ah well" I tell them "tomorrow is another day". They know they have missed a day of restocking the stocking.

Sometimes they make it to their auto only to race back to check their stocking; all this amid long loud laughter. It becomes quite the game and continues till Christmas day.

When they stopped by yesterday and saw the tree I noticed no loud chatter. When looking around and they noticed the itty bitty stockings, they all became excited. They hadn't thought about these little stockings since last year and they are looking forward to another itty bitty stocking Christmas. I think they enjoy this little game more then Christmas morning.

I usually use one wrapping paper per person. The Christmas Tree wrapping paper is for ...., the angel wrapping paper is for ................, and so on. No Labeling packages. I think this is a great idea. Each Christmas there is always confusion at some point during the gift exchange.

I run out of the designated paper for that person and then I think, I'll just use this paper and LABEL it. Some where amid all the rushing around, I FORGET to put a LABEL on that one. On Christmas morning inevitably a male might end up with a delicate, sexy bra or a female with a nice new electric saw. I think everyone now waits for this to happen. I can hear whispers; I know they are waiting to pounce and tell me to LABEL the boxes; to not depend on code wrapping paper. I know my system would work wonderfully if I never ran out of paper designated for that person.

I don't foresee having a perfect Christmas gift exchange. The laughter is worth it though.