The practice of hanging stockings over the fireplace comes from England. St. Nicholas was believed to have thrown three bags of gold coins down the chimney of an impoverished man in order to provide dowries for his three daughters. The bags fell into the girls' stockings which were drying by the fire and were discovered by the man and his daughters the next morning. However, in many countries, this actually occurs on St. Nicholas Eve, December 5th and not on Christmas Eve. The feast day of St. Nicholas (December 6th; yes, I'm a day late, but I brought cookies to work) is celebrated with gifts to children in many European countries, seafaring festivities in Greece and masses. In the United States, children in some families leave their shoes outside of their bedroom doors on December 5th and wake to find small gifts and treats left behind.
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