Why Do We Hang Christmas Stockings

With this charming 12-page book, kids will love the stories, puzzles, trivia, legend and lore. The Christmas Stockings book combines reading and activities in a kid-friendly format. Written at a second or third grade level, the clear, readable style easily captures and maintains kids' interest. In this book, the kids will discover: How children in Quebec, Canada used to hang their Christmas stockings from their bedposts. How many European children used to set out their shoes for Santa Claus to fill instead of stockings. In Appalachian America, a goodie string often served as a Christmas stocking. And More!

This wonderful Christmas tale, set in the late 1800s, shares the touching story of a young boy named Peter. He sells newspapers to help his family while his father is away at sea, and he's been saving a bit of his earnings to buy a model schooner in the woodworker's shop. But after Uncle Jim, the woodworker, tells him the story of St. Nicholas, Peter discovers the meaning behind the hanging and filling of Christmas stockings and learns a heartfelt lesson in kindness and generosity. Filled with the rich, realistic illustrations of Jim Griffin, children ages 4 to 8 will discover the depth of God's love shown through others as they learn the Christian meaning revealed in The Legend of the Christmas Stocking. Through imaginative and innovative products, Zonderkidz is feeding young souls.

Inspired by the website that the New York Times hailed as "redefining mourning," this book is a fresh and irreverent examination into navigating grief and resilience in the age of social media, offering comfort and community for coping with the mess of loss through candid original essays from a variety of voices, accompanied by gorgeous two-color illustrations and wry infographics. At a time when we mourn public figures and national tragedies with hashtags, where intimate posts about loss go viral and we receive automated birthday reminders for dead friends, it’s clear we are navigating new terrain without a road map. Let’s face it: most of us have always had a difficult time talking about death and sharing our grief. We’re awkward and uncertain; we avoid, ignore, or even deny feelings of sadness; we offer platitudes; we send sympathy bouquets whittled out of fruit. Enter Rebecca Soffer and Gabrielle Birkner, who can help us do better. Each having lost parents as young adults, they co-founded Modern Loss, responding to a need to change the dialogue around the messy experience of grief. Now, in this wise and often funny book, they offer the insights of the Modern Loss community to help us cry, laugh, grieve, identify, and—above all—empathize. Soffer and Birkner, along with forty guest contributors including Lucy Kalanithi, singer Amanda Palmer, and CNN’s Brian Stelter, reveal their own stories on a wide range of topics including triggers, sex, secrets, and inheritance. Accompanied by beautiful hand-drawn illustrations and witty "how to" cartoons, each contribution provides a unique perspective on loss as well as a remarkable life-affirming message. Brutally honest and inspiring, Modern Loss invites us to talk intimately and humorously about grief, helping us confront the humanity (and mortality) we all share. Beginners welcome.

“With its diverse selection of fabrics and designs, A Quilting Life is a fine pick for any quilter looking to produce family-oriented keepsake results.” —The Needlecraft Shelf Bring the handmade tradition home with these charming quilts and home accessories. Inspired by a grandmother who loved to sew for her family, quilter and blogger Sherri McConnell gives traditional patterns like hexagons, stars, snowballs, and Dresden Plates a new look featuring fabrics by some of today’s most popular designers. Nineteen cozy projects include pillows, tote bags, table runners, and larger quilts—quick and easy designs that make great gifts. “Sherri’s book is a treasure! It’s full of fun and straight-forward patterns for quilts, table toppers, pillows, bags and more—all the goodies to make a cozy home.” —Thimbleanna “Would you like the opportunity to make tomorrow’s heirlooms in today’s vast selection of prints? . . . If so, this could be the reference book that will get you started. There are 19 projects, mainly focusing on handmade household items but including some larger quilts too.” —Fabrications Quilting for You “Beautiful inspiration if you are a seasoned quilter, but also a great resource with clear and in some cases, simple patterns for newbies as well.” —Diary of a Quilter “Color photos of finished needlework projects accompany step-by-step diagrams and assembly patterns, while at-a-glance sidebars covering materials and cutting allow needleworkers to gauge the complexity of each project.” —The Needlecraft Shelf

This gorgeous holiday book—part of the Legends series from Zonderkidz—explores the true story behind the tradition of hanging and filling Christmas stockings. Kids will learn about what it means to give to others, and how they can share God’s love during the Christmas season. Inside, you and your children can discover: How the Christmas stocking was inspired by the life of Saint Nicolas, and why it became a way to give to those in need Why giving is better than receiving, and the joy that comes when we give someone a present Why we still hang stockings on the mantel today Peter has saved up for a special boat at the toy shop. But when it looks like his dad won’t be home in time for Christmas with the money his family needs for gifts, he hears the story of how a man named Nicolas secretly gave all his gold to three poor girls. Peter then has to decide what to do with money he’s saved. The Legend of the Christmas Stocking is: Perfect as a gift for boys and girls ages 4-8, grandchildren, and nieces and nephews Ideal as a family reading tradition for Advent, Christmas, or anytime in the holiday season Great as a gift for people who love the history behind Christmas and holiday traditions If you enjoy The Legend of the Christmas Stocking, check out other books in the Legends series: The Legend of the Candy Cane, The Legend of Saint Nicholas, The Legend of the Christmas Cookie, The Legend of the Christmas Tree, and The Legend of the Easter Egg.

The Empty Stocking is a brilliantly funny Christmas story by Richard Curtis and Rebecca Cobb. In this fantastically funny and heartwarming story by Richard Curtis, scriptwriter of Four Weddings and a Funeral and Love Actually, it's Christmas Eve and there's one very important question on everyone's mind - have YOU been good this year? For twins Sam and Charlie this is a big worry. Charlie has been especially naughty and everyone is sure that she won't get any presents AT ALL. But when Santa makes a mistake, it's up to Charlie to put things right... Richard Curtis is an award-winning and international film-director and scriptwriter, and the creator of Four Weddings and a Funeral, Love Actually, Notting Hill and Mr Bean. Rebecca Cobb graduated from Falmouth College of Arts in 2004. She has collaborated with the Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson and Orange-Prize-winner Helen Dunmore. Rebecca has been shortlisted for the 2013 Waterstones Prize and the prestigious Kate Greenaway Award.

This New York Times bestselling book is filled with hundreds of fun, deceptively simple, budget-friendly ideas for sprucing up your home. With two home renovations under their (tool) belts and millions of hits per month on their blog YoungHouseLove.com, Sherry and John Petersik are home-improvement enthusiasts primed to pass on a slew of projects, tricks, and techniques to do-it-yourselfers of all levels. Packed with 243 tips and ideas—both classic and unexpected—and more than 400 photographs and illustrations, this is a book that readers will return to again and again for the creative projects and easy-to-follow instructions in the relatable voice the Petersiks are known for. Learn to trick out a thrift-store mirror, spice up plain old roller shades, "hack" your Ikea table to create three distinct looks, and so much more.