Ask The Bowers: Christmas Stockings
The question:
Sarah K. asked, “…even though you have that beautiful fireplace to hang stockings on, could you do a post about ideas for hanging stockings if you don’t have a fireplace. Every year I have the same dilemma. I think tacking them up to the walls are tacky and I have plenty of shelves and things like that, but just wondering if you have any unique ideas that you could show us if you don’t have that gorgeous fireplace.”
The answer:
Sarah, Santa will still stuff your stocking no matter the location…that sounds way more perverted than it’s supposed to. Sorry guys. My bad. The point is, your house is probably chock full of great places to hang your favorite stocking….like…
try your bed’s headboard…
or the footboard (or sideboard) will work too…
or your stairway railing…
perhaps a shelf is the ideal hanging spot….
or maybe a chair is the perfect place to perch…
maybe hook em on an entryway coat hook…
maybe a window is the best place to string up a stocking (making it visible to any flying sleighs)…
or even try a unique stocking solution like the edge of an easel or strung up between some chairs…
or use the back of chairs (shown is backpacks but stockings would look equally cute & personal!)…
I also love the idea of using towel hooks or peghooks or even just on some room’s trimwork to hang them too…
or even using a quilt rack or fireplace screen…
So there you go Sarah…hope this answered your question. Remember that no matter where you hang it, what counts is that it will be filled on the 25th! Be creative and just go for it. Happy Hanging! xo – kb
p.s. I’m answering questions all week at True Value’s facebook page…so come on by and say hi!
HA! Just hung up our stockings on our stairway this evening. My former house had a fireplace and my new one does not. I’m digging them on the stairway though . . . It’s a nice second choice if you’ve got a good staircase for it.
my parents have hung out stockings along the stair railing since I was little! It was perfect for Christmas morning because we would just grab out stocking as we headed down to see the tree (and presents). Great ideas, I love them all!
We have the same problem with not having a mantel. Here is our solution.. and personally, I love it!
http://lynseyandbrian.blogspot.com/2008/11/its-beginning-to-look-lot-like.html
ooooh I love that inspiration Lynsey – thanks for sharing!
xo – kb
Hey Katie – Have you seen this link: http://www.myowlbarn.com/p/owl-lover-2011-calendar.html?r=f (I Found it @ http://www.howaboutorange.blogspot.com/ )
You can Make your own Owl Calendar – which could be perfect for Will’s room.
I have seen it Kristen! Thanks for reminding me…I’ll have to make one when I get a free minute
xo – kb
Katie, where did you source all those photos? Some of them I really like and I’d like to replicate those stockings…but no clues as to where to find them. Help?
ooops…I was supposed to source them! They were found all through GOOGLE
I just would search “stockings _______(location)”…it was easy to find. Some of them do have martha stewart in the corner so that could help!
xo – kb
Katie – So I just checked for “Christmas stocking sitting in a chair” on google because I love the ones in the pic on the right… I got a little more than I bargained for! I can’t see the print in the corner to see what it says. Can you tell me where those stockings are? I’ll be your best friend.
These are great suggestions, Katie! I am lucky enough to have a fireplace at our house, but at a previous house we hung our stockings on the tv armoire. (It looked lessy tacky than it sounds, really!)
We have a woodburning stove, so nothing combustible can be withing 6 feet, so we hang our stockings in our dining room on our plate rack. We have a piece of 1/4 round moulding to keep the plates in place, so I screwed afew hooks in behind and hang our stockings from there.
Ooooh. Yes please. Thanks for giving me some stocking-hanging ideas. Someday I hope to have a fireplace to hang our stockings, but for now these other ideas will be perfect!
Lot of great ideas and really beautiful stockings!! Thanks for sharing.
Holy Cannoli! You gave a ton of ideas here and there are even more options in the comments. Great ideas:) I would’ve never thought of some of these.
My mom always put ours on top of the piano or just under the tree! We never missed a fireplace.
I JUST saw on the Today Show this morning another creative way to display stockings. On the Nate Berkus spot today, he showed dragging out an old ladder and using it as your mantel. I don’t see a picture on the site, but the video is here. It’s towards the end.
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/33491735/vp/40432559#40432559
My ladder looks like it’s in worse condition than his, so I guess it will be more rustic!
You are awesome! Thank you so much!! I’m diggin’ some of these ideas so we’ll see what I can cook up. Thanks Katie!!
oh and on a side note….I read your response to my husband and he, of course, heard the
“Santa will stuff your stocking no matter where the location” line and said ” oh yes he will (insert creepy pervy laugh).
Hi Katie,
Where did you get the second to last photo with the felt garland? I love that garland!
Thanks!
We don’t have a fireplace, but I found that my wreath hanger, which has 2 hooks, is the perfect spot for our stockings. Thanks for the ideas!
Looks fantastic!! How sturdy is it?? I would be terrified to give it a little bounce
But great job guys!
We hang ours on the stairs w/garland!
ps. Will’s little laugh/screams from that previous post are so adorable!
I love this post! I already have a fireplace to hang it on but these are such cute ideas! Makes me wish we had stairs in our house now.
Yeah! I have this dilemma too as we don’t have a fireplace….I think i just might go with the window hanging one in our living room this year….thanks for the ideas!
Ok so not at all related to your post about stockings…..BUT these might make a great stocking stuffer
BACON FLAVORED envelopes: http://www.uncommongoods.com/product/bacon-flavored-envelopes-set-of-25
saw them and thought of you. I haven’t tried them myself, but betting they taste a whole heckofalot better than a standard envelope nastiness.
oooh good question, great answers!
We don’t have a fireplace, so we’ll probably hang ours on the bar in the kitchen.
Hi Katie! I have a quick question
At work, I’ve been put in charge of the centerpieces for our Christmas party. There are 8 tables and I have $30 to spend on each centerpiece. The centerpieces will then be raffled off for people to take home. Any thoughts on what might jazz up the table and make a nice gift to take? Thanks!
Sarah K, check out our blog, I just posted on this exact issue today!
http://sevensistersinchrist.blogspot.com/2010/12/hang-stockings-trim-tree.html
Happy stocking hanging!
Katie,
What a great post! I do not have a fireplace or mantle in my new home and I’m not quite sure if the stairs will work since they are in the entryway but this definitely gives me some good ideas for other options.
Thanks for answering Sarah’s question here on your blog.
~Jazz
Great ideas. We just moved into a home with (two!) fireplaces, but for the last couple of years we were in an apartment. We hung the stockings on a chair – they looked very cute until Christmas day, when aparently they had too much loot in them for such a lightweight chair; it flipped over on its back on the floor under the weight. Better than the two times my brothers and I knocked over the entire Christmas tree in childhood I guess…
I LOVE all the ideas you showed here! Thanks for the great inspiration! I too have the same issue…no fireplace.
So this is what I created to hang my stocking!
Go check it out here:
http://sustainablychicdesigns.blogspot.com/2010/11/christmas-vinyl-stocking-hanger.html
Here is another idea for stockings in a mantle-less home!
http://theborrowedabode.com/2010/12/no-mantel-for-stockings-branch-out/