Many people believe that the tradition of gift giving during Christmas and the holiday season stemmed from the story of the Three Wise Men giving gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But there are actually several more historical traditions of giving coins and other gifts that led to the modern act of giving presents to loved ones.
The Christmas stocking originates with Saint Nicholas, a 4th century Greek Saint who enjoyed anonymously giving presents to those who were less fortunate. Saint Nick once threw bags of dowry money through windows and down chimneys to rescue the daughters of impoverished families from being sold into slavery. In some versions of the story, Saint Nick placed silver coins into the girls’ stockings as they hung to dry on the chimney ledge. Hanging stockings over the chimney became a trend, in the hopes that Saint Nicholas would spread his generosity to more homes and families.
Other stories tell of children leaving their shoes in front of the fireplace or on the windowsill overnight so that Saint Nicholas could come fill them with candies, fruits, and small gifts. In some versions of this tale, children left carrots or hay in their shoes for Saint Nick’s donkey to eat. He traveled with a donkey laden with gifts for children. Saint Nick would take the hay and carrots and replace the donkey’s goodies with gifts for the children. This translated to the modern tradition of leaving out cookies and milk for Santa.
Another Christmas tradition involving coins originated in Britain, where families would gather in the kitchen to make the Christmas pudding together. A silver sixpence was added into the pudding mix and everyone in the household took turns stirring. Whoever found the coin in their piece of pudding on Christmas day was slated to enjoy a year of good fortune and wealth.
Continue the long-standing tradition of giving silver coins to your loved ones! Enter our giveaway by telling us one thing you’re looking forward to this holiday season. Commenting below will serve as your entry for our December giveaway. But remember to keep it classy; inappropriate comments will be deleted and disqualified. Submit your comment (one comment only please) by December 21, 2017. One winner will be randomly selected on December 22, 2017 to receive a Sobek 2 oz Ultra High Relief Silver Round from our Egyptian Gods series, along with an Air-Tite plastic capsule to protect your round.
Happy holidays to you and your family!
I’m looking forward to spending time with my wife and kids at home, no travel YEAH!!!!
HEALTH, FAMILY AND ANOTHER YEAR OF PROSPEROUS LIVING! I am happy silver and gold are still artificially manipulated and price depressed so I can stock up for the insured weath security of my family. Provident plays an important role in that game plan. TRUST1
Looking forward to seeing smiling faces on the kids faces. Looking forward to spending time with loved ones!
Christmas is for giving of our most valuable possession, ourselves, to our loved ones. Spending time with family and friends is precious and time is short. This time of year allows us to take advantage of the season’s festivities to pause and suspend the franticness of normal day-to-day activities to do just that.
I am looking forward to Christmas because we have nine children and 17 grandchildren, some of whom we don’t see very often, as we live a good distance away from most of them. This Christmas season, we will be travelling to visit as many of our descendants as possible. It’s heartwarming to see a number of family traditions that we have passed on to our children in turn being passing on to our grandchildren.
One of our traditions is that, before opening gifts, one of us reads the Bible passage explaining the gifts that the Wise Men gave to baby Jesus. To commemorate this event is why we all give gifts to one another.
This year we are starting a tradition of each year giving a coin of one precious metal or another to each of our children.
looking forward to spending time with family who i dont see alot its always amazing to be with friends and family smiling and making memories
Looking forward to spending Christmas with my sister for the first time in years.
I’m looking forward to start my 8 year old daughter into silver stacking! She loves the shiny coins!
Already collecting this series for my son who loves all things Egyptian history. Free is a win win.
I’m looking forward to being off work for 3 weeks, getting some home rennovation done, sleeping in late, and playing with my kids.
I am looking forward to enjoying my grandchildren and sharing their excitement about the upcoming holidays. Christmas is family time, when we get together and give thanks for our blessings. My two sons and their cousins are all having children so this is a new generation for our family.
I am looking forward to seeing family that is far away for most of the year.
Silver bells and silver coins. This is the best time of the year.
I’m looking forward to spending the day with my family.
I looking forward to time with family.
I am so excited to watch my 18 month old daughter open up her gifts, and spending time with my family!
I’m grateful for a lot of things in my life. I’m am glad that I have a good job, a great family and able to help other around me. I glad to be able to fly my mother and my girlfriend mother out where we live in Jan. Able to help out the lady in Wal-Mart who couldn’t pay for turkey for a holiday meal. I know there are many people who make do for what they have in life but random act of kindness should be all around us this time a year. Even if its paying for the next person in the drive thru at Starbucks! I’m am grateful to be living in the USA where we can buy gold and silver.
I look forward to my children opening presents that the wife and I worked tirelessly to afford , thanks Corporate America
Looking forward to spending time with family. And hopefully winning this silver.
Watching my kids & wife open their gifts.
Spending time with family members…and snow!!!
I love Christmas! Spending time with family, great food, and seeing the looks on people’s faces when they open the gift they’ve wanted all year. Can’t be beat.
I am looking forward to Christmas as a time of year where all religions are celebrated with respect and love for all mankind.
Christmas and the holiday season, time of joy and happiness, time of reflection, time of tradition, and time of welcoming family and friends into our hearts and homes I wish to everyone a safe and wonderful Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Looking forward to bundling up and going on walks in the wintry woods with my daughter and our dogs.
I’m looking forward to seeing my new grandson for the first time. My son and his wife live to far for me to travel so they will be coming home with the new baby (born end of August) form me to meet. I’m so excited. 🙂
Glad I am still kickng after stroke 11/23 just a few days after 72nd birthday. It will be great to have another Christmas with family and friends .
Christmas has always been a special time of the year for me. Decorating outdoors and decorating the tree give me time to pause for reflection. I always take a few moments to think about family, friends and those who have gone before me who will be missed on Christmas Day.
I also think about Christmas traditions. One of those traditions is Silver. Silver Bells, Silver Tinsel, Silver Garland and Silver Coins.
Gold has a warmth to its color but Silver is bright and cheery. Perhaps that’s why there is a connection between Silver Coins, Silver decorations and Christmas.
Silver is well known for its purity, its conductive, antiseptic and antibacterial properties, and its beauty, Silver is even thought to ward off evil spirits. Silver Bells are often associated with joy and happiness and a sense of safety.
Safety is some of what people are after when they collect Silver Coins and Bullion.
Throughout this holiday season, take a few quiet moments for reflection. Enjoy being with you family and friends and also take a look around and see how you’ve made Silver a part of your Christmas.
Merry Christmas Everyone
Just looking forward to being with family, spending time together, eating, opening gifts, going to a bowl game, etc.
I’m looking forward to seeing my daughter and grandson this holiday