“Hanging Stockings”

From the collections of PVMA • Digital image © Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Assoc. • Image use information

About this item

The woman and children posed hanging stockings in front of this 19th century fireplace were performing a holiday ritual that would have been unfamiliar to most early New Englanders. The Puritans purged Christmas from their calendar because they believed the holiday had no scriptural basis and they were opposed to its often rough and unruly celebration in England. Observing Christmas Day only gradually made its way into New England, and with it came embellishments from other cultures, including Santa Claus and the hanging of stockings.

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Details

Item typePhotograph
PhotographerAllen, Frances and Mary
Date1904
PlaceDeerfield, Massachusetts
TopicCustoms, Holidays, Rituals
Family, Children, Marriage, Courtship
EraProgressive Era, World War I, 1900–1928
MaterialPaper
Process/FormatPhotography; Platinum
Dimension detailsHeight: 8.12 in Width: 6.25 in
Catalog #1996.14.0326.01-.02
View this item in our curatorial database →
Allen, Frances and Mary, photographer. Hanging Stockings. Photograph. 1904. Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, American Centuries. https://americancenturies.org/collection/1996-14-0326-01-02/. Accessed on December 5, 2024.

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