Christmas stocking

American

noun

a stocking or stocking-shaped bag traditionally hung on a mantelpiece or Christmas tree by children on Christmas Eve to hold small gifts that Santa Claus is credited with bringing.

Christmas stocking British

noun

a stocking hung up by children on Christmas Eve for Santa Claus to fill with presents

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Christmas stockings

plural

Etymology

Origin of Christmas stocking

An Americanism dating back to 1850–55

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Christmas stocking

First they pulled out the crocheted likenesses of Charles, wearing a crown and a cape fashioned from an old Christmas stocking, and Camilla, with a flash of unruly blond hair.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 30, 2023

Also included in the "Artifacts of Hollywood & Music" sale on Jan. 28 are items from Marilyn Monroe and Liza Minnelli - plus Rock Hudson's dog's Christmas stocking.

From Reuters ● Jan. 26, 2023

So I think the book “Stella Adler on Ibsen, Strindberg and Chekhov” will be in Saskia’s Christmas stocking.

From New York Times ● Dec. 5, 2022

Growing up, my mom could curate a Christmas stocking like nobody’s business.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2022

Brenda had her lip stuck out because Ellie had gotten a pair of panty hose in her Christmas stocking and she had only bobby socks.

From "Bridge to Terabithia" by Katherine Paterson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023