Loved the presentation --- economics, technology, religion, etc. -- ending with a satisfying revelation. I am researching the years 1880-1920 for a biography of Eleanor H. Porter, author of Pollyanna. She was a byproduct of the industrial revolution -- a concert musician until the invention of the phonograph (when book publishing was booming ). It was great fun to learn about stockings, too.
Wonderful essay about a minor marvel. I love learning about all these overlooked miracles. A great reminder not to take even small conveniences for granted; they rest upon years, even centuries, of technological knowhow and development.
Yet another insightful look at the intersection of technological history and human longing. Just terrific. . . . My mother was an ace stocking filler, which made pulling oranges and candy and tiny toys out of my stocking my favorite part of opening presents (which we did after attending church on Christmas Eve, in later years, with champagne flowing). . . . I have basically weaned myself off my beloved ribeye steak, made easier by not liking grass-fed beef. So it would be very nice to have an alternative through this process. I so respect those searching for workarounds instead of banning everything with a downside.
Loved the presentation --- economics, technology, religion, etc. -- ending with a satisfying revelation. I am researching the years 1880-1920 for a biography of Eleanor H. Porter, author of Pollyanna. She was a byproduct of the industrial revolution -- a concert musician until the invention of the phonograph (when book publishing was booming ). It was great fun to learn about stockings, too.
Wonderful essay about a minor marvel. I love learning about all these overlooked miracles. A great reminder not to take even small conveniences for granted; they rest upon years, even centuries, of technological knowhow and development.
Yet another insightful look at the intersection of technological history and human longing. Just terrific. . . . My mother was an ace stocking filler, which made pulling oranges and candy and tiny toys out of my stocking my favorite part of opening presents (which we did after attending church on Christmas Eve, in later years, with champagne flowing). . . . I have basically weaned myself off my beloved ribeye steak, made easier by not liking grass-fed beef. So it would be very nice to have an alternative through this process. I so respect those searching for workarounds instead of banning everything with a downside.
When I was a kid, we hung (clean) gym socks on the hearth. A specialized stocking would have been a real luxury for us.