Where did the traditionof hanging stocking over the fire place come from?

Italy, In Italy La Befana is the Gift Giver and Magic Weaver, not Santa. She didn't go with the Wise men, or the Magi, when they asked her to go with, but then had a change of heart. She couldn't find the new baby. So she dedicated her life to bringing gifts to other children. On January 6th, in Italy children leave out their stockings, and shoes, for when the Befana sees little shoes outside someone's house she leaves gifts, knowing that a child lives there. We have adapted it from this. "Befana may originally be a goddess of ancestral spirits, forests, and the passage of time. Some identify this wandering, nocturnal crone with Hekate. There is also evidence to suggest that Befana is descended from the Sabine/Roman goddess named Strina. " From Wikipedia ~