When I was a child, I got candy in my stocking. I was surprised to learn that
By dragon54u
@dragon54u (31634)
United States
December 8, 2008 8:20pm CST
when my mother was a child in the late 20's and early 30's, stockings weren't hung and in her family they didn't get presents. Her dad brought home oranges for Christmas the years he could afford it, maybe a little candy and some nuts, and they sang hymns, told the Christmas story and played games as a family. No tree. Nothing like it is now.
In my generation, we got candy in stockings, a tree and presents and we saw family on Christmas day because most people lived close to their families. We didn't get huge presents but my brother might get a set of cool soldiers and a cap gun while I would get a tea set or a doll or something else.
My own children got one toy from Santa, smaller toys and a little candy in their stockings and presents from their far-away relatives through the mail that I put under the tree each year.
Now Christmas is quite different from my mom's generation to my children's and to the generation that is now about 10-12 years old! What a difference a couple of generations makes!
How has Christmas changed through the generations in your family? A lot, a little, or not at all? What traditions have you kept, like candy in the stockings?
3 people like this
14 responses
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
10 Dec 08
I got oranges in my stockings as well, but we put a small toy in our sons's, and my husband got oranges in his as well because the family was poor and so did my foster mother, she grew up in the depression. I got old magazines, lots of apple blossom cologne, and some toys for Christmas, but we did not have that much then. Now we find that the gifts are bigger.
As for family, now we go to our sons's houses for Christmas and Christmas Eve, but when we lived in Saskatoon, my husband's family was there, and we would have them over or go to their places. We knew no one here in Winnipeg so most of the Christmases we spent alone. And when I was a child, it was the same way, we never had Christmas with family, my uncle lived in the Okanagan, I had cousins in White Rock, etc. No one was close together.
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@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
10 Dec 08
We were all so far away, I had family in the Ukraine, some in England, but no one close.
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
10 Dec 08
That's a shame you didn't have a close family. I think that's one of the greatest blessings of childhood. But now you have your sons and they treasure you. Life didn't turn out so badly, huh?
Have a wonderful Christmas!
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
9 Dec 08
Oranges were what my dad always said he got in his stocking - so that is what he put in stockings for my kdis when they were little. It was cute but he did it in such a way that it was all about him and not the memory or the point of it in the first place and the kids got rather annoyed at "that's all Poppy wants us to have?"
I like traditions - doing the stockings has always been my favorite thing about christmas for my kids. Just loved looking for unusual things for their stockings! They are now 26 and 30 and up until this year, they still got stockings with unusualy little tings in them but this year, my beloved tradition is gone with the wind. Due to divorce and custody, christmas will be 2 days early this year and the little ones aren't going to understand why Santa came to the house before christmas eve to give them stockings... so no stockings this year for my kids. I am going to have one for the grand kids at my house the next time they come over after christams - Santa left them there. - but for my beloved stocking tradition. it is sadly, no more.
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@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
10 Dec 08
Yeah, it is. I just mailed letters to Fairbanks Alaska htat I wrote "from Santa" to my grand daughters... and they will get the North Pole, Santa's Village" post mark on the letter so it appears that Santa sent them the letter and I had to send a letter to each parents house to make sure the kids get them and had to make sure they were differnet and talked about things at mommy'shouse and things at daddy'sh house.
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
9 Dec 08
Divorce is a horrible thing, it's one reason why I'm living so far from my children--I chose to, but half to get away from their father and half to be near my own family. It's such a shame that even our traditions have to suffer when a marriage doesn't work out. I wonder why people can't suck it up and stay together till it gets better then I remember that's what I did for so many years and it never did.
You know, you could always tell the children that Santa knows when families live apart, he has special elves that deliver stockings to children that otherwise wouldn't have them on Christmas day. If they're young enough, they'll believe it and when they no longer believe they will love you for trying to keep their world sane and happy.
I hope your Christmas is wonderful!
@Fishmomma (11377)
• United States
10 Dec 08
I would always get several hand made items. One year it was mittens another slippers and always clothes, as my mother made our clothes. We would get Santa Gifts and each year there would be something that I really needed that cost a little more than the other gifts. There was a bike that I really used a lot one year. Another year, a snow jacket, as my family went to the snow, so we could use the sleds that were under the tree. I do remember the fruit in my stocking and it brings back wonderful memories of sharing a piece of fruit with family.
Today we set a limit on spending, as money should be spent wisely. There are practical gifts and a few items that are just for fun. Time has changed a lot for me and wish people didn't overspend during the holidays.
We put up three small trees, as no longer put up a huge tree. Our trees are no longer real and each tree is different. One has an ornament a day, another has its ornaments on already and the third tree is pink. Yes it does make people look twice.
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
10 Dec 08
I wish you would post a picture of your trees, they sound beautiful. Isn't it great to have a tradition like that?
It really would be nice if people wouldn't overspend on this holiday, because that's not what it's about. I bet next year will be different, though. This year will bring a lot of changes to a lot of people.
I hope you'll post a pic of your trees and that you have an absolutely wonderful Christmas!
@mariposaman (2959)
• Canada
10 Dec 08
I read an old newspaper that was online that had letters from children in the early parts of last century. They got an orange and if they were lucky they got a rag doll or some other toy, some did not. Now the minimum seems to be a Wii or an XBox. I am afraid if this economy does not pick up there will be a lot of disappointed people next Christmas after all the savings are gone and the realization hits home that the economy is not rebounding very quickly.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
10 Dec 08
Maybe their disappointment will be tempered by learning what the season is really all about.
I don't think the economy will pick up, at least not very soon. I hope it doesn't get much worse but I don't see it getting better. It may very well be what it takes to make us Americans realize that the most important things in life have nothing to do with money. At least, I hope it does.
@mandytaylor48 (374)
• United States
9 Dec 08
we get aples and oranges and since we have gotten older we get like deoderant, toothpaste,shampoo,soap,tothbrush, things that we use we do get a few pieces of cany but i also put things in my kids stockings like my parents do me .... o and we get lotto tickets also
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
10 Dec 08
As my boys got older, I put personal care things in their stockings, too! In fact, this year I'll be putting little shavers in my sons' stockings--my dad has one and loves it and it only costs $20! Rechargeable, too. 
I love stuffing the stockings!
I love stuffing the stockings!
@alexnelson42 (4)
• United States
9 Dec 08
I think traditions that are stared from previous generations are amazing. This past weekend my wife and I decorated our tree for the kids, the weekend before we hung decorations such as stockings over the fire place and lights on the house. We too keep with my wife's family tradition with an orange in the stocking. I was an only child for most of my adolescence so I received several gifts but as a family of 6 now we have 4 children we try and be fair with dollar amounts and quantity per child to make sure all is fair. We get toys that have been asked for yearly that are a little to much for just every day spending.
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@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
10 Dec 08
I love knowing when I'll be decorating, which day the tree goes up, etc. That's one of the good things about traditions! My mom and dad had 4 kids, too, so I know how it is. Believe me, whatever you give your children, they will love because they love you and know your return that. If you always emphasize the love and make the presents incidental, you'll always have a great Christmas season!
@eaforeman6 (8979)
• United States
9 Dec 08
My parents told me that too. I do keep with the tradition. My kids are grown but I do it for the pets. I have them hung on the fireplace now. I think its a wonderful tradition. I do remember my parents talking about getting fruits and nuts though. They went through some very tough times.@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
9 Dec 08
My mom always thought Christmas was a wonderful day, because her parents made it special. I guess it's what you do together on the holiday that counts. We can't imagine a Christmas like our parents had but to them it was probably great.
My boys are in college now and live with their dad. I don't put up stockings for my dogs, as the boys come for a visit then, but I do give them presents--and so do my boys! 
My dogs are sooooo spoiled!
My dogs are sooooo spoiled!
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
9 Dec 08
oh it has changed lots! my mom used to get one little toy and some fruit for christmas and because her birthday was just shortly after christmas, she didnt get anything for her birthday.
since i am an only child, i used to get tons of stuff and now that i am married and have 2 daughtes, we still get a ton of stuff. my parents spend about $2oo on each of us!!!
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
9 Dec 08
I'm glad you have such good memories! I used to wish I was an only child sometimes but I'm glad I wasn't. Isn't it wonderful to shop for your kids? I just love it, even now that they're grown up!
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
9 Dec 08
When I was growing up, my Mom did the stockings and she'd always put apples and oranges, nuts, candies and stuff like that. We also never got big gifts but mostly smaller things...afterall she was raising 4 kids by herself. We always had a tree and we'd go visit our family members that lived near us. We were always happy with what we got and even the most lean years we knew we were lucky just to all be together.
These days it seems like for kids it's all about how much you buy them and how expensive it is. It's no longer a Christmas list with run of the mill gifts on it but a list of high-tech toys that are guarenteed to break your wallet. It doesn't matter if they need it, just as long as you get it for them. And God forbid, if it's not what they want b/c they will tell you in no uncertain terms that your gift is unacceptable. Talk about changes.
[b]MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
~~AT PEACE WITHIN~~
**STAND STRONG AND TRUST IN GOD**[/b]
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@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
9 Dec 08
Well, it's the parents' fault that the kids are like that. Our parents worked so hard just to get us the little that they did for Christmas and I think what we loved the best was not the presents but the happiness we felt as we all sat under the tree and opened the gifts, most of which were made by hand with a lot of love. Then to the grandparents' for a huge family dinner!
I always made a birthday cake for my kids and we sang happy birthday to keep the meaning of Christmas because their dad was very materialistic-it worked, they were never greedy and still aren't.
I'm so glad you have such lovely memories!
@caver1 (1762)
• United States
9 Dec 08
My mother would get apples, oranges, nuts and candy in her stocking. She kept this tradition with us, so I was a teenager before I realized people gat presents in stocking as well. We would always have a nice present from Santa and then gifts from relatives as well.
I still put candy in my kids stockings, but they also get some small presents, nothing expensive, just fun stuff.
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
9 Dec 08
I started the little stocking presents when I didn't want my kids to eat so much candy and it's always been fun for me to find things to put in there that are nice but don't break the bank! It's part of the fun of shopping. We didn't have a dollar store when my kids were little.
@Quirkly (95)
• Canada
9 Dec 08
I'm experiencing a bit of clash in traditions, more for when the stockings get stuffed, not so much what they get stuffed with. Oranges, nuts, bit of candy and a few small presents is what I'm used to, and I'm used to it being stuffed Christmas eve, by Santa of course.
Now I must deal with it being filled ahead of time, and opened on Christmas eve, which confuses me, but it is what it is. In the end, as long as it's done in good taste, it's all that matters. Compromise is everything in relationships, and I guess it does have an effect on traditions in that regard.
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
9 Dec 08
Since Christmas is about love, I guess we do everything we can to keep our traditions in the face of changing relationships. I could never understand opening everything on Christmas Eve, not even one present, but lots of people do it. I hope you adjust to the tradition and enjoy it!
@mikeysmom (2088)
• United States
9 Dec 08
my dad who is 75 was telling me that they never got toys for christmas because they were so poor. the each got one outfit and that was something they needed not wanted. he never had toys to play with. they played with sticks and rocks and whatever else they could find. there was no tv or computer games to keep them out of trouble so they found plenty of that. he did mention that some relatives would bring things like fruit over as gifts. the bottom line was that they got what they needed and there was nothing frivolous. we are heading towards those same times now with the economy.
1 person likes this
@baileycows (3665)
• United States
9 Dec 08
About 20 years ago when I was little my parents put oranges in ours too. I never really realized how stupid that was until you posted this discussion. LOL! I feel my kids stockings with toys from the dollar store because my little girl is diabetic and does not need the candy.
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@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
9 Dec 08
Thank you for reminding me! My stocking always had a tangerine in the toe of it.
I didn't put much candy in my kids's stockings, they were mostly filled with small toys and and gifts like slingshots or something. I was a fat child and didn't want my boys to go through the same thing!
@saichandtalluri (1486)
• India
9 Dec 08
we generally use mangos because the taste of the mango is amazing and we love to stock them in our countyr mangoes are available to us only on summer season so we use different types of practises to preserve the mangoes
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
9 Dec 08
We have mangos here all year round but they are very expensive in the off season!
