My Special Christmas Stocking

     This old Christmas Stocking has certainly seen better days but it is going to be around as long as I am walking around.  It may not get the front and center position that it once did but that doesn't make it any less special to me.  

     My father, John B. Armstrong, served as an officer in World War II, rising to the rank of captain in the infantry.  He made amphibious landings in North Africa, Sicily, Salerno, Anzio and southern France.  He received a silver star near Mignano, Italy. This stocking was one of his socks from his time in the army.  This stocking has survived for at least sixty-eight years.  He was discharged from the army shortly after I was born.    

     Each of his nine children hung one of his stockings over the fireplace on Christmas Eve.  In the morning, we found them filled with oranges, apples, tangerines, and nuts of all types.   That old army sock could hold a lot of fruit and nuts as well as battle weary feet.  I wonder is my stocking is the one he wore while he was on the beach at Anzio.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Even though this picture is dated Dec '64 it has to be from 1963.  We moved from this house during the summer of 1964.  Eight of the stockings were in use at this time.  By that time, my oldest sister, Diane, was a member of the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose.