youLOVE: on the fourth day of Christmas...

...my youLOVE gave to me: four stockingfulls.

I've had the same stocking since I was a baby. Green felt, crocheted hot pink daisy chain, black wool stitching, chain detail over a chunky leather boot... I think it's actually the source of my shoe fetish. I can at least say I came by it honestly. It was always filled with an orange, chocolates, nuts, and some small gifts.

There used to be 3 pastel pink bows down the side, but one year when I went to hang the stockings by the cardboard facsimile of a chimney with care, one was mysteriously missing, never to be seen again. An elf (I'm not sure who) carefully snipped the two original bows off and tucked them in the toes for safe keeping and put fresh white bows in their place. So, my stocking is never empty now - it's always filled with love in the shape of two pastel pink satin bows.

Now we have four stockings to hang by the potbelly stove with care. I never have made stockings for my kids - the girls stole two really cool felt stockings that I bought as props for Christmas photos one year while Kaelan got stuck with the third, Wil borrows one of Bill's two stockings, and whomever else happens to join us usually gets one of Bill's socks with a hastily embroidered name. (Which is always funny in March, when he puts on a sock that says, "Nanook" or "Guest" lol)

What's the story behind YOUR stockings?