Susan Rainey

Last update: December 19, 2006 - 9:44 AM

Our family stockings are more than just a wonderful Christmas tradition. Receiving a stocking -- hand knit with your name on it -- symbolizes that you are part of the family. It is a time-honored ritual highly anticipated when a new baby or spouse joins the fold. The stockings are identical, with angora-bearded Santas, jingle bells, and red candy canes, and we wouldnt want them any other way.

My dads mother, Jeanette, hand-knit the stockings for all of us one Christmas in the early 60s. For me, the stockings meant Christmas. Jeanette taught me to knit, and I was able to carry on the tradition. As family members are added through marriage and birth, I knit stockings for the new in-laws, nieces and nephews. The family was shocked, however, the Christmas I made a stocking for my long-time boyfriend, John. He wasnt official -- how did he warrant a stocking? Dont we have criteria? Well, he had already planned to propose on Christmas Day, so I guess we were on the same wavelength!

When we adopted our first daughter, I of course made her a stocking. I also made one for her birthmother, to let her know she would always be a part of our family. Our youngest daughter is from Korea. Her Korean name is Jee Nah. We loved the name and wanted to keep it, though we changed the spelling to the more Americanized Jena. I must admit that part of the decision about the spelling was how well it would fit on her stocking!

I did not realize until many years had passed that Jeanette had never made herself a stocking, so I knitted one for her (darn that long name!). She was so surprised and touched. I was very glad I did because that was her last Christmas.

Im not sure who will carry on the tradition, but I hope someone picks up the needles. It is a very special part of our family heritage and something that truly knits us together.

Susan Rainey Brooklyn Park

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