Freda Teichrob loves Christmas. So does her husband of 67 years, Henry.

"We celebrate all year round; life is a series of celebrations all year," says Freda, a grandmother of seven.

One day this past year while leafing through a magazine and wanting to do something special to spread her joy to others, Freda had an idea. She saw some handmade Christmas stockings in the magazine and thought, "I can do better than that."

And so she did. She started sewing 50 colourful stockings at her small kitchen table, and decided she wanted to give them to sick kids at Children's Hospital and Canuck Place.

So she sent a stocking off to each and got an immediate response back.

"They were so pleased and surprised that someone would do this at no charge," she recalled.

Now on a mission, she set to work at her sewing machine and those 50 original stockings grew to 300 in total.

"She's artistic but also very methodical," said Henry, her biggest advocate, who helped make room for all the supplies in their condo.

Freda sewed the stockings every day for several months, averaging about 10 a day, and each finished brightly-coloured stocking is unique.

"We'll deliver these and see what happens," she said with an effervescent grin. Freda also tucked a small handwritten card inside each homemade stocking,

The folks at B.C. Children's Hospital were thrilled with the selfless gift.

"These will bring so much happiness to those families who are required to stay with us during the Christmas season," wrote Pat Gillis, director of volunteer resources at B.C. Children's Hospital.

"Much appreciation and admiration for your fabulous crafting ability."

And now with Christmas right around the corner, Freda has no plans to stop sewing stockings.

"I wanted to do something nice and this is what I'm supposed to do," she said. "Now we'll see."

JKonda-Witte@abbotsfordtimes.com