The 11 Best Christmas Stockings to Hang by the Chimney With Care
From classic red and green to chic linen.
Published Dec 28, 2021 1:00 AM
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The best Christmas stocking is the one you’re excited to see every year—and makes you remember all the treats it’s been filled with on holidays past. And if you’re buying new stockings, whether for the whole family or for a new addition to your holiday table, it’s a chance to think about the memories you’ll make on Christmas morning for years to come.
Kate Towill of South Carolina–based design studio Basic Projects likes “an old-school, personalized stocking” that kids (and grown-ups) will look forward to hanging by the fire—or wherever you like. Boston-area designer David Ekezian, who uses stockings handmade by a family friend in his own celebrations, also likes something with a personal touch, whether it’s a monogram, a favorite holiday symbol, or even a graphic and modern motif. Your stocking should feel, above all else, like you.
We’ve put together a list of standout stockings that touch upon our favorite trends and a few that will go with anything. The one thing they have in common? They’ll look just as good as whatever you put inside them for Christmas morning.
Our Favorites
- Best modern: Krista Marie Young Stocking
- Best chunky knit: Crate & Barrel Cozy Ivory Knit Christmas Stocking
- Best linen: Celina Mancurti Handmade Linen Stocking
- Best folk: Anthropologie Folk Stocking
- Best gingham: Heather Taylor Home x West Elm Gingham Stocking
- Best handmade: St. Frank Indigo VII Holiday Stocking
- Best velvet: Ferm Living Christmas Velvet Stocking
- Best farmhouse: Farmhouse Pottery Maine Weave Stocking
- Best shearling: CB2 Shorn White Sheepskin Stocking
- Best value: Puckered Pom-Pom Christmas Stocking
- Best kids: Meri Meri Reindeer Stocking
Best Modern: Krista Marie Young Stocking
Material: Cotton | Colors: Sage, yellow, coral, and lavender
What we like:
- Modern, graphic pattern
- Quilting adds dimension
Worth noting:
- At the higher end of the price spectrum
Why we chose it: A color-blocked pattern in shades of sage, coral, and buttercup turns the traditional Christmas stocking on its head.
Christmas is a time of celebration, family, and fun, which is where this stocking really gets the job done. It’s handmade in Brooklyn in bright, nontraditional colors and a geometric pattern—and has the look of something you’d find at a cool arts and crafts market in Bushwick.
Best Chunky Knit: Crate & Barrel Cozy Ivory Knit Christmas Stocking
Material: Wool-blend yarn | Colors: Red or ivory
What we like:
- Like an old-fashioned Santa-inspired sock
- In-store pickup option
- Sturdy enough to hold heavier objects
Worth noting:
- Only comes in two colors
Why we chose it: The look of handmade with the ease of online shopping.
No one will guess that you didn’t spend hours knitting this—that’s how authentically handmade it looks. The hefty wool-blend yarn makes for a sturdy stocking, which means it can handle Santa’s heavier gifts.
Best Linen: Celina Mancurti Handmade Linen Stocking
Material: Linen with leather accents | Colors: Crimson, blush, charcoal, and shell
What we like:
- A departure from the traditional wool or felt
- Leather loop and contrast stitching makes them feel luxe
Worth noting:
- Adding a monogram costs extra
Why we chose it: Linen in an array of neutral shades makes the perfect stocking for a beachside Christmas.
Just because it’s Christmas doesn’t mean you have to get all bundled up, and that goes for stockings, too. Handmade in Tampa, Florida, these linen stockings would make the perfect centerpiece for a beach-inspired mantel complete with dried starfish and sea-glass votives. Add a monogram so that everyone knows which one is theirs.
Best Folk: Anthropologie Folk Stocking
Material: Wool | Color: Technicolor
What we like:
- Unique; you won’t find stockings like this hung from every mantel
- Made with fair-trade materials
- Adds color to a monochrome space
Worth noting:
- Shipping might be delayed
Why we chose it: A certified fair-trade stocking woven from all the colors of the rainbow.
If you don’t have time to circle the globe this holiday season looking for the perfect handmade stockings, we’ve got one for you—and you can order it without even leaving the house. Made from fair-trade wool and crafted in Nepal, these stockings are intricately adorned with delicate pieces of felt in cheerful shades of green, pink, and yellow.
Best Gingham: Heather Taylor Home x West Elm Gingham Stockings
Material: Linen and polyester | Colors: Evergreen and almond
What we like:
- A twist on gingham
- Made by a cool L.A. designer
Worth noting:
- Not available in stores
Why we chose it: A West Elm collaboration with one of Domino’s favorite designers.
We’ve been fans of Heather Taylor’s textiles for nearly a decade, which bring modern colors and classic patterns together. That’s exactly what we love about these stockings, which take gingham, a classic Christmas pattern, and render it in soft green and brown tones. We think they’d look at home hanging in a downtown loft or an upstate country retreat.
Best Handmade: St. Frank Otomi Holiday Stocking
Material: Wool shells lined with linen | Color: Canary yellow
What we like:
- Well-made products that incorporate vintage fabrics
- No two stockings are exactly alike
Worth noting:
- Styles sell out quickly
Why we chose it: Colorful, ethically sourced stockings made from vintage textiles.
Matching stockings never go out of style, but imagine how bright and cheerful your mantel would look hung with a row of stockings in every hue imaginable. That’s one of the reasons we love the vibrant selections from St. Frank, many of which are made from upcycled handmade Frazada blankets from Peru.
Best Velvet: Ferm Living Christmas Velvet Stocking
Material: Velvet | Colors: Rose, mustard, pine, rust, navy, and brown
What we like:
- High-quality velvet
- Metallic stripes add shine
Worth noting:
- Some colors are already sold out
Why we chose it: Lush velvet with sparkly accents makes this the most glamorous stocking on our list.
Whether your Christmas decor is full-on Hollywood Regency or you want just a touch of glamour amid the reds and greens of the season, this velvet stocking—complete with sparkly metallic stripes along the cuff—is the one we recommend to anyone who knows all the words to “Santa Baby.”
Best Farmhouse: Farmhouse Pottery Maine Weave Stocking
Material: Cotton-linen blend | Colors: Natural linen with red, blue, and yellow
What we like:
- Red and white stripes are neutral yet graphic
- Prewashed for an extra-soft feeling
Worth noting:
- Some shipping delays
Why we chose it: A brand-new stocking that looks like a beloved family heirloom.
These stockings, hand-sewn in India from washed linen and cotton, look straight off the set of Little Women—like they were made just for you 150 years ago and have somehow stayed in impeccable condition. Hung from a garland-wrapped wood banister, they say “Christmas on the family farm” even if you’re at home in a city apartment.
Best Shearling: CB2 Shorn White Sheepskin Stocking
Material: Shearling exterior with a cotton lining | Color: Cream
What we like:
- Plush shearling from Argentina
- Neutral color
Worth noting:
- Dry-clean only
Why we chose it: A supersoft fabric reminiscent of magic sleighs and wintry cabins.
Shearling is a winter fabric that evokes warmth and coziness, which translates nicely into this CB2 stocking. Like the lining of Santa’s own boots, it’s soft to the touch, and the cream color ensures it will go with Christmas decor no matter how much your style shifts over the coming years.
Best Value: Puckered Pom-Pom Christmas Stocking
Material: Knit poly-blend | Colors: Red and white
What we like:
- Fun pom-poms are a bold accent
- Affordable, so you can stock up
Worth noting:
- Loop is more delicate
Why we chose it: A looks-more-expensive-than-it-is stocking from everyone’s favorite last-minute Christmas emporium.
Ah, Target—the place to go for budget-friendly Christmas decor that doesn’t look like you had a budget. These red knit stockings with pom-pom accents are part American classic, part Scandinavian modern. At this price point, buy a few to put aside to make any last-minute guests feel like part of the family.
Best Kids: Meri Meri Reindeer Stocking
Material: Knit poly-blend | Colors: Cream with red and gold details
What we like:
- Neutral with just a hint of red (for the nose, of course)
- Whimsical but not cloying
Worth noting:
- Smaller than some of our other picks
Why we chose it: A character kids of all ages will love for years to come.
Rudolph coming to town is always cause for celebration, which is why kids (and some grown-ups, too) will love this reindeer-inspired stocking. From far away it looks like a neutral cream knit, but up close the details really shine—literally, in the case of the golden antlers.
How We Chose These Products
Every year, our editors assess the fresh crop of Christmas stockings and decide which pieces are worth investing in. We look for quality materials and construction, durability, and how well they wear. We also look for subtle (and not-so-subtle) twists on traditional styles, plus classic stockings you’ll feel good about using for many Christmases to come.
Our Shopping Checklist
Types of Christmas Stockings
This breaks down into two categories: traditional and not so traditional. For the former, we look for rich reds and soft creams in fabrics such as knit wool, velvet, and shearling. When it comes to the latter, we look for new methods of construction (like the quilted stocking that was our pick for Best Modern) and colors you might not think of as Christmas colors, like blush pink and marigold yellow.
Design
For patterned stockings, options like gingham and stripes are always fun and cheerful; for solid-color pieces, we like adding an embroidered name, monogram, or symbol to make it unique.
Size
Most stockings are between 19 and 25 inches long and about 7 inches wide. The bigger the stocking, the more it holds, though you’ll want to look for something with heft if you plan on filling it with weightier gifts (no coal, please).
Ask Domino
Q: What is the best way to put names on Christmas stockings?
Embroidered stockings are always in style, but it can be fun to have kids help by using glitter glue or iron-on letters.
Q: Which is the best way to embroider Christmas stockings?
If you’re embroidering your stockings yourself, sketch out the lettering in pencil first. That said, the charm is in the details when it comes to handmade decorations, so don’t worry about it looking too perfect.
Q: What is the best glitter glue to write on Christmas stockings?
Most craft stores sell glitter-glue pens, which allows you to write without extra fuss.
The Last Word
Pulling treats out of a stocking is one of the most memorable parts of a fun Christmas morning, and it’s even better when you love the stocking itself. From handmade to glamorously chic, our list has picks that will spark joy on December 25—and all through the season.