Displaying Stockings

Finding ways to display your stockings when you don’t have a fireplace can feel like an absolute pain, but it’s really not. My aunt and my sister both have fireplaces, so the stockings get hung there, but I don’t have one in this place, nor in our last place.

If you’re struggling to find a way to hang your stockings, I hope this helps you. It’s taken some trial and error for me, and I’ve now found the perfect spot in our condo until I win the “I want a fireplace” argument. One day, he’s just going to come home and find the built-in unit demolished and plans in progress for the rebuild 😉

Displaying Empty vs Hanging Full

I will be the first to admit that while I love displaying our stockings throughout December leading up to Christmas, they absolutely do not stay there once stuffed. We don’t stuff each other’s stockings until Christmas eve, typically right before we order Chinese Food for Jewish Christmas Eve. I personally don’t trust that the stockings won’t fall since I’m just hanging using command hooks.

If you’re using something sturdier, you likely won’t have this problem, but I just don’t trust those hooks. No need to have stockings fall and Brie wind up getting into candy or her own stocking. No emergency vet visits on Christmas, please!

Fireplace

If you have a fireplace, you’re lucky to have the traditional hanging spot! Fireplaces can have mantles or just flush stone/tile, so you can go about this one of two ways. The first is to use heavy stocking hangers like these ones I got at Target like a decade ago, on top of the mantle. I love these because they’re also cute pieces of Christmas decor that don’t feel out of place, since they’re holding stockings.

The second way is to use the command hooks against your stone/tile similar to the way I do with the wall since I don’t have a fireplace. The stockings will lay flush against the fireplace, and you can remove them and put them on the floor or on a table once they’re stuffed on Christmas Eve.

Wall

This is the way that I have settled on and brings Christmas coziness to that part of the house. Nothing is on this wall year-round, so I do get a little sad once the holidays are over, but we just haven’t figured out that wall yet.

I put up command hooks, drape garland over those hooks, and hang the stockings from the hooks while they’re empty. Once things are added to them on Christmas Eve, they get moved to the dining room table. We open gifts in front of the tree and bring the stockings into the living room on Christmas morning.

Shelves

I had thought about doing this, but I ultimately settled with the wall. But, if you have shelving of any kind, hanging stockings from there can be a fun way to add decor, without adding a bunch of knick-knack type of things.

Window

If you have large enough windows, you can display your stockings on there using hooks that can be used on glass. This is a great way to add the festive feel of stockings, without adding to any clutter within your home, especially if you’re in a small space like we are.

If you are facing the street, it can be a way for you to add decor without cluttering your porch/balcony/front yard. We’re a little too high up, but the buildings around us can see them. Festivity for all in the sky!

Windowsill

If you have a windowsill that isn’t too low to the ground, you can display your stockings this way. I did this in our old condo because displaying stockings near the TV looked cluttered, but also was a pain to get in and out of the drawers that were there.

You can use stocking hangers like the Target ones I had above, which again, add that festiveness without overdoing it. I wouldn’t suggest displaying your pet’s stocking (s) this way, since they can be mischievous, but a great way to display your stockings if you don’t want to hang them from the wall.

TV Stand

Last, but certainly not least, is to hang from your TV stand. I did this in the last condo, and in this condo, but ultimately moved to hang from the wall and that’s worked out better for us. We have doors on our current stand that the stocking’s cover so is a pain when we need to get in there. But I do love how it looks, especially against our old white one in the last condo. It was a pop of colour we didn’t even know we needed.

Wrap Up

That about covers all the ways that I have displayed stockings throughout the holiday season, but have you done something that isn’t on this list? If so, let me know in the comments below. I love to display stockings up until Christmas, and I especially love how ours looks with the garland and lights over top of the displayed stockings. I think it looks super cute, but not obnoxious.

The stockings don’t typically go back up after Christmas morning but lay under the Christmas tree until the holiday decor comes down by January 1st.