Have you ever wondered where the tradition of hanging stockings started?  Here is one theory.

The practice of hanging up stockings can be traced to pre-Christian times. Germanic folklore tells of the god Odin's annual Yuletime hunting party. Children would leave out their shoes filled with straw or sugar for Oldin's flying horse, and Odin would reward them by leaving small gifts in exchange. Later on, the practice was linked with Saint Nicholas. The story goes that a nobleman with three daughters had fallen on hard times and was unable to give his daughters dowries so that they could be married. Saint Nicholas wanted to help but also remain anonymous, so he threw some gold coins down the chimney. They landed in the girls' stockings that had been hung by the fire to dry. 

pg 23, The Christmas Book