Show BESTOWING GIFTS IN SECRET practice of putting out shoe shoes and stocking stockings resulted from plan of st nichola nicholas christmas stockings hare have come doi down n to us from the good bt st Is Mc lc holtS holer aiho bo was a saint of the bourth century of the christian era em and was burn born december 0 in lecla asia minor lie ile was mas regarded ni ai especially the pi iron tron saint of children young eiris girls and sailors Bai lors the christmas stocking custom m arose as follows it seems that st nicholas who was we the archbishop of myra lived tn in the same tonn towi with on an impoverished nobleman mho ha because ho he had no nor lions to give his daughters and la in deed no mean means with which to support them was about to sell them into a life of mn ln st nicholas nicholds who was accustomed cus to dl U bense anso his largo fortune la to sift gifts of charity resolved to rescue iho the young As ho he approached p pro ached their house wondering how he should proceed ed the moon shone out and displayed aa an open window instantly st nicholas threw a puree purse of gom gott in a at this window which falling at the feet of the father of the girls enabled him to portion his oldest da daughter tighter the second flite it L nich olas olai cited the house boue he elso also was abu able to throw a pane purse of gold through an open window thus providing for ehg portion of the secord a daughter on the third visit the father watching for hia his benefactor cast himself at the feet of the paint and cried oh st nichola want servant of ICA rhy irby 6 ea eeli to hide bide the saint rande made the father p rom I 1 46 not lot to reveal lie its benefactions bene factions from this habit of gifts in secret and under the cloak 0 of ul albl bt arose the practice bt bf putting out utah hoe ms or stock ings for tho the younger ro of tl als family to that the gool good saint would b able to nil 1111 them without being spied d on |