New Babies Wrapped in Holiday Stockings
If I had a Martha Stewart bone hidden somewhere in my body, this story is the one that would make it come busting out.
Volunteers have been showing up every holiday at a Houston-area maternity ward, their arms full of Christmas stockings to wrap the newborn babies in.
The ward invites Santa along, and every infant gets a chance to have his or her first visit with Saint Nick, bundled up tight in their bright red bunting, er, stocking. It makes me want to make my own pile, just so I can show up for the delivery! This year, eighty stockings were sewn up by the nuns and volunteers at St. Joseph’s Hospital, and the new parents were allowed to take them home to hang for future Christmases.
The decade-old practice is adorable; and so are the little old ladies in this video. Especially the nuns (who we’d assume don’t have any kids?), who are just as baby-happy as the rest of us!
Image: Houston Chronicle
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My brother was born on the last day of November and was sent home in a Christmas stocking. My mother treasures that memory and still has the stocking.
My daughter was born on Christmas eve and on Christmas morning when they brought her from the nursery she was in a stocking. It was very cute. I think it’s a fairly common hospital practice or at least I just assumed it was as the Hospital she was born at has no religious affiliation and is Government run.
Yikes! My mother-in-law would drop dead on the spot if they wrapped her grandchild in a Christmas stocking! Oy vey! Good thing I’m giving birth at Beth Israel Hospital AFTER Christmas. Not because I’m Jewish, but because that’s where my OB is – I could have just as easily given birth at St. Mary’s or Presbyterian. Really, Christmas is not the secular holiday that people like to think it is- granted many non-religious Christians celebrate, but there are many Very Religious Christians who look on it as a Pagan celebration. If one is interested, there are many trusted and interesting articles on the subject. At any rate, I would never make a non- religious compatriot (especially one that can’t say no) participate in my holiday. Thank goodness for New Years!
They mentions nuns, so I would guess that they are affiliated with a religious organization, hence the St. in the name. The St. Joseph’s near me (which is where my Dr. is going to be delivering my child) has religious affiliations, and I’m okay with that even being a non-practicing catholic. And santa should be for everyone, not just christians is my thought, so christian or no, who cares if the baby is put in a stocking? eff you.
I know that every time I have checked into a hospital for anything, one of the questions I am asked is if I have any religous preference. Later I usually get a visit from the appropriate represntative. I’m sure that when these mom’s check in they are asked the same thing.
RIF: What if this is the hospital your OB/GYN has privileges at? or perhaps it is the closest facility to home. I doubt many people avoid a hospital due to it’s name affiliation. Plenty of Christians are treated at Cedars-Sinai. I’d bet a lot of them wouldn’t appreciate yamikas on their baby boys.
RIF, are you trying to be funny? Hospital’s affiliation? what with?
I was born December 24, 1979 and was sent home in a Christmas stocking. We still have it and use it every year.
Lovely gift, but what’s the return policy?
They definitely need to bring back the old reading program ‘RIF’, or ‘Reading is Fundamental’ for feefifoto. “I certainly hope they check to make sure the families are Christian beforehand.” Um? they were at a hospital called St. Joseph’s, I would expect any patients that are there were aware of the hospital’s affiliation when they decided to have their babies there. or maybe feefifoto was trying to be funny?
I certainly hope they check to make sure the families are Christian beforehand.
What an adorable and precious idea. The stockings make a special gift that will be treasured by the child and family for years and years! I’m passing this idea along- so sweet!
I was born December 24,1971 at St. Margaret’s Hospital in Boston. My mom still has the stocking that I was in when they brought me to her along with the nativity scene that was on her breakfast tray on Christmas morning. What a great keepsake! That stocking comes out every Christmas.