Reading comprehension - Intermediate level
A Christmas stocking is an empty sock that is hung on Christmas Eve so that Santa Claus can fill it with small toys, sweets, fruit, coins or other small gifts when he arrives. However, a naughty child receives only coal.
What is the history behind Christmas stockings?
There are popular legends that tell the history of this Christmas tradition.
One legend says: Very long ago, there was a poor man and his three very beautiful daughters. He had no money to get his daughters married, and he was worried what would happen to them after his death.
Saint Nicholas was passing when he heard the villagers talking about the girls. He wanted to help so he waited until it was night and went through the chimney. He had three bags of gold coins with him, one for each girl. As he was looking for a place to keep those three bags, he noticed stockings of the three girls that were hung near the fireplace for drying. He put one bag in each stocking and then he went.
When the girls and their father woke up the next morning, they found the bags of gold coins and were of course, very happy. The girls were able to get married and live happily ever after.
In the past children simply used one of their everyday socks, but today special Christmas stockings are created.
Many families create their own Christmas stockings with each family member's name applied to the stocking so that Santa Claus will know which stocking belongs to which family member.
Christmas stockings - Reading comprehension questions
1. What are Christmas stockings?
2. What did Santa put in the stockings in the legend?
3. What type of stockings did children use in the past?