December 25 is Christmas, when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus. People give gifts, and also hope Santa Claus will put presents in their stockings. Why? As the story goes, long ago St. Nicholas (for whom Santa Claus is named) overheard a father talking about how he and his three daughters did not have enough money. That night, St. Nick snuck into their house and left gold coins in their laundry that was hanging to dry. Today we hang stockings hoping that Santa will leave treats for us, too!
Wee ones: How many stockings should your family hang up? Count up your family members – and don’t forget to count yourself!
Little kids: If your stocking can hold 8 little presents and Santa has stuffed 3 in there so far, how many more can he fit? Bonus: If a giant stocking can hold 100 times as many presents as your stocking, how many can it hold?
Big kids: If a giant stocking had exactly 300 patches in the boot part, 200 more in the leg part, and then the back side has the same numbers, how many patches would the whole stocking use? Bonus: If you help knit a giant stocking as part of a group of 1,100, how many people knit along with you?
Answers:
Wee ones: Count up your family members!
Little kids: 5 more presents. Bonus: 800 presents.
Big kids: 1,000 patches, since there would be 500 per side. Bonus: 1,099 people!
