There was a kindly nobleman whose wife had died of an illness leaving the nobleman and his three daughters in despair. After losing all his money in useless and bad inventions the family had to move into a peasant's cottage, where the daughters did their own cooking, sewing and cleaning.

　　When it came time for the daughters to marry, the father became even more depressed as his daughters could not marry without dowries, money and property given to the new husband's family.

　　One night after the daughters had washed out their clothing they hung their stockings over the fireplace to dry. That night Saint Nicholas, knowing the despair of the father, stopped by the nobleman's house. Looking in the window Saint Nicholas saw that the family had gone to bed. He also noticed the daughters stockings. Inspiration struck Saint Nicholas and he took three small bags of gold from his pouch and threw them one by one down the chimney and they landed in the stockings.

　　很久很久以前有一个心地善良的贵族，他的妻子因病去逝，留下他和他的三个女儿。这个贵族喜欢尝试创造发明，但是都失败了，也因此耗尽了家里的钱财，所以他和女儿们不得不搬到一家农舍里生活，三个女儿也只得自己干家务活。

　　一晃几年过去，女儿们陆续到了出嫁的年龄，父亲却变得更加沮丧，因为他没钱给女儿们买嫁妆。圣人Nicholas（圣诞老人）知道了他们一家人的境况后，决定帮助他们渡过难关。

　　一天晚上，女儿们洗完衣服后将长统袜挂在壁炉前烘干。圣人Nicholas（圣诞老人）驾着雪橇来到他们的家门前，他从窗口看到一家人都已睡着了，同时也注意到了女孩们的长统袜，于是，他从口袋里掏出三小包黄金从烟囱上一个个投下去，刚好掉在女孩们的长统袜里。

　　第二天早上，女儿们醒来发现她们的长统袜里装满了金子，足够供她们买嫁妆了。父亲也因此能亲眼看到女儿们出嫁了。从此，一家人又过上了幸福快乐的生活。

　　后来，世界各地的孩子们都继承了悬挂圣诞袜的传统。圣诞节那天有些国家的孩子则有其它类似的风俗，如在法国，孩子们将鞋子放在壁炉旁等等。