by Priscilla Benfield

Created on: December 07, 2009

"And the stockings were hung by the chimney with care", well that sounds all nice and quaint but many modern homes do not have chimneys or fireplaces. Where do you hang your stockings so they can be both decorative and functional?

After living in several different homes and apartments, I have learned to be very creative when it comes to finding just the right place to hang the Christmas stockings. Many people wait until Christmas Eve to hang them whereas others, like myself, prefer to hang them when I decorate my home for the holidays.

In my present home which lacks a fireplace or mantel, I hang my stockings on the railing in my living room. My living room is our family room and it is also the room that holds our tree. Traditionally, we gather in this room on Christmas.

My railing is short but with creativity I am able to hang the stockings of a large family. I first wrap the handle of the railing with festive silver,green and red garland. I purchased some shiny extra long pipe cleaners at the dollar store and these I use to attach the stockings to the garland. If you cannot find pipe cleaners, you can use red or green ribbon or even twist ties will do.

I am able to fit 8 stockings plus 3 small stockings for our pets by overlapping them slightly. If your railing is longer (I live in a cape cod home with a small staircase) you can spread the stockings out farther. You can also add lights wrapped around your garland to give it an even more festive look. Once Christmas is here and the stockings are filled, they are easily removed and reattached.

Another idea for where to hang your Christmas stockings is on a closet door. I prefer to have my stockings in the same area as my tree so another option I used one year was to hang the stockings scattered on the door. If you prefer not to make small holes with tacks, you can always purchase hangers that will hold the weight of your filled stockings and after the holiday the hangers can be removed with no marks left behind.

I hang the younger children's stockings lower and the adult's stockings higher. You could also hang the stockings around your door by attaching them to the door frame. This works best on a door that is not used often. Once again, if you prefer not to use tacks, you can purchase hooks that are re-attachable and reusable that do not leave marks.

Another option for where to hang Christmas stockings is to string them onto garland and attach them to a bare wall. Even if you hang them under existing artwork it can still look decorative.

If you do not have many stockings to hang you can attach them to a bookcase or even an entertainment center. Get creative and use your imagination. The reusable hooks that are on the market make it easier to decorate without ruining your woodwork or walls. You can attach them almost anywhere.

You do not need to spend a lot on your stockings either. Dollar store Christmas stockings that are decorated by your children using glitter or markers can become family heirlooms and look great also.

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