LEGEND OF CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS

A tradition of Christmas is hanging stockings up on the window sill or near the hearth, is readiness to receive gifts from Santa. 17 centuries ago in Turkey, Nicholas was known all over his benevolence because he used to distribute gifts to children on Christmas Eve. While he was passing a house, he heard a father and his daughters lamenting how they were unable to be married because they were poor. So Nicholas placed enough gold pieces in each stockings for the girls. Another variation is putting hay and carrots in their shoes by Dutch children for the horse of Sinterklass, who is their patron saint and brings them presents. Swedish children wait for a kindly gnome instead of Santa. This gnome believed to live under the floorboards. In some part of France, Mexico and Spain, children wait for the Three Kings to fill their shoes with presents. Finally, in Italy there is ''La Befana'', another version of Santa that visits the Italian children and gives them gifts albeit on Epiphany or 6th of January.  

BEFANA.