Mum shares warning about dangers of hanging Christmas stockings

Mum shares urgent warning about the importance of safely securing Christmas stockings after her toddler sadly lost his eye.

Nicole Mackintosh Leo posted a very important message on her Facebook page that has since gone viral with over 4000 shares.

She wrote: “Not a fun post, but an important one as you begin decorating for the holidays. Three years ago, my son (then 14 months) was at home with his nanny when he pulled on a Christmas stocking and the weighted stocking holder fell and hit him directly in his left eye.

After emergency surgery the doctors determined that the damage was too extensive and that he would need to have his eye removed. One week later we were at Children’s for his enucleation surgery.

Our story has a happy ending. Our son has a flawless prosthetic eye. He is one of the silliest, bravest, most fun-loving boys I know. He plays soccer, t-ball, and he loves swimming. We are lucky.

I hope by posting this, I’m raising awareness. Please reconsider using weighted stocking holders. There are much safer alternatives. We use 3M Command hooks. Please share. Please help us raise awareness.”

Something to keep in mind before you hang the stockings this year!

A quick google search showed me lots of similar weights to the below designs.

weighted stocking weighted stocking2

I actually didn’t realise these things existed. Am I behind the times? Or are they not really an Aussie thing?

How do you hang your Christmas stockings?

Share your comments below.

Image via Facebook

19 Comments

- - BellaB said
  - 04 Dec 2017
    5:54 pm
I knew they existed, but always thought they were a bit precarious.

- - ella12 said
  - 04 Dec 2017
    12:25 pm
Oh goodness, what a sad story.

- - june11 said
  - 03 Dec 2017
    9:01 pm
It is a good time to remind us of the dangers. Why would you make one so heavy?

- - tessie said
  - 03 Dec 2017
    9:58 am
We always hung our stockings from the mantelpiece with stick on hooks. They were strong but if they did come off they wouldn’t be a problem

- - mom101628 said
  - 02 Dec 2017
    10:38 pm
We have never hung Christmas stockings, just popped them under the tree with the presents. Such a sad story, but a timely reminder at this time.

- - nadine_hill said
  - 01 Dec 2017
    8:28 am
Poor boy! We don’t hang stockings we just place them under the tree.

- - rachel1970 said
  - 30 Nov 2017
    7:38 pm
Oh my goodness, what a scary freak accident.

- - rovermum said
  - 30 Nov 2017
    5:08 pm
Wow, I had never heard of such a thing. We don’t hang Christmas stockings, but it’s certainly information worth having.

- - sars_angelchik said
  - 30 Nov 2017
    3:10 pm
I had a stocking holder but stopped using it because it was really way to light and flimsy to support any kind of weight going into the stocking. We now use hooks to put up the stockings.

- - mom206279 said
  - 30 Nov 2017
    2:30 pm
Ouch! That is brutal. Our stockings all just get chucked under the tree.

- - mom160421 said
  - 30 Nov 2017
    12:22 pm
We don’t use Christmas stockings, but this is a timely warning for those who do.

- - nealsq said
  - 30 Nov 2017
    12:13 pm
same reason we need to be careful of table cloths, always have to be on you toes with little explorers on the move!

- - Ellen said
  - 30 Nov 2017
    4:08 am
Thanks for the heads up ! We never hang stockings.
Glad this story has a happy end and your son is such a brave and happy boy ! It must have been hard.

- - youngoldlady said
  - 30 Nov 2017
    2:29 am
Did not know such things exited . Our stockings are held by clips on the mantle place, after one of my older children pulled the nail out that were there before.

- - Staceylee101 said
  - 29 Nov 2017
    6:09 pm
Wow! I seen these before and considered buying these but I might just substitute them will something less dangerous

- - mom90758 said
  - 29 Nov 2017
    5:00 pm
I’ve never seen a stocking holder before. Poor child. So terrible that he lost one eye!! 🙁

- - mom19782016 said
  - 29 Nov 2017
    4:53 pm
Far out! I would never have thought of this? Why was it weighted? Or do they mean it was full like on Xmas morning and he pulled it on himself?

- - country chick said
  - 29 Nov 2017
    4:41 pm
What a horrible thing to happen. Command hooks work well in our house, can be easily removed after Christmas.

- - kylesnova said
  - 29 Nov 2017
    4:37 pm
A suggestion… We hang our kid’s stockings on their bedroom door handles so that there is no need for weights at all.
What a cruelly tragic thing to happen, although it sounds like the little boy is an amazingly spirited individual.