The Stockings Were Hung by the Chimn...Oops!

Stockings for the Snow Family have always been a strange source of anxiety for me. Our first Christmas, I went out and bought pretty much the cheapest thing out there thinking that I'd get something better later. I really don't care that they were cheap...but they're not very cute.

Once we had Thomas and I started receiving the Pottery Barn Kids catalogs, I knew I wanted their stockings but they always seemed like a splurge to me, especially when it seems like you are already spending a lot of money during the holidays.

Last summer, I even fooled myself into thinking that I could recover the tops of new-with-tags PBK stockings that were being sold at Downeast Outfitters Home for $1 a piece (there were other people's names monogrammed on the top). In fact, my sister-in-law did the same thing...and I bet she's done hers and they are absolutely amazing! But, as the months have gone by and my plate has been full with other things, I realized that I wasn't going to do yet another project!

So, finally, I went ahead and ordered my dream stockings--complete with monogramming, of course! I ordered them on November 21st so we would have them for almost all of December. Three of the four did arrive on December 6th. Poor Toby's was MIA. I waited another eight days before calling Pottery Barn Kids customer service number. Their records showed that it had been shipped...but they went ahead and reordered the stocking but apologized that it probably wouldn't reach me in time for Christmas. I almost cried. The first stocking arrived the next day...go figure!

With four stockings in my possession, I was finally ready to hang them by the fireplace. We have a fireplace over here, which makes the stocking thing even more exciting...in my own opinion! I had considered ordering stocking holders online but thought that I would surely find some over here. I never did. But, I thought that I could hang them up with thumbtacks. Again, our plans have been foiled by the German construction! We can't get anything in these walls! Every nail, pin, hook practically bends when it gets a centimeter away from the walls! (This is a real problem since I still don't have anything hanging on the walls--but James is going to try "one more thing" and then he says I can call Hans to the rescue--the guy that hung all our curtains).

Unfortunately, I will probably have to resort to clear packing tape to hang my stockings with care this year (James already informed me of the pure tackiness!)..so much for being picturesque! But, I know the kids won't care and I'm betting Santa won't either!

Until later,

Emily