Stockings: how do you do yours?

[FiddleFigs]

I never had Xmas stockings growing up, but always understood they usually contained a bit of choc, a satsuma, a couple of small presents (nothing too grand or costly) and a book. DH always had stockings and they were always rammed with presents (one of which was ££) then he also had presents from Father Xmas, parents etc. I feel like this is excessive. DH thinks my approach is mean.

How do you approach stockings? Am I being mean?

(In case it comes up: DD will be almost 3, and will get presents in addition to the stocking)

[Afreshstartplease]

Our stockings consist of an orange some choc and small presents (inexpensive)
We leave them upstairs to stall the getting up!

[gininteacupsandleavesonthelawn]

I normally do basics:
Chocolate
Chocolate coins
Satsuma
Book
New toothbrush
Socks/pants/slippers
Bath bomb
A couple of small toys

Then to be honest I just fill it with anything else that happens to be small enough from Santa presents...

[YouMakeMyDreams]

Mine are more along your idea. They usually contain the plastic tat they love but don't usually get. Little.buta if fun stuff chocolate and fruit. Tbh it's more to give me a heads up they are on the move on Christmas morning and a few minutes for dh and me to peel our eulyes open. They get other more expensive gifts downstairs we hen we get up.

[BittyWanter]

Ours are frugal things.

Chocolate santas, candy canes, pound shop toys, mini lego figure, chocolate coins, bouncy ball, a small teddy....that sort of stuff.

My dh or I will make us all a cup of tea each (and put the xmas lights and fire on) and bring them upstairs to have while we open the stockings. We tend to open the stockings in bed all together as that's where santa leaves them.

[Lapinlapin]

Our presents from Father Christmas were our main ones. So we'd have a stocking with satsuma, chocolate and other small items, but there would be big /more expensive items too - normally left near the stocking.

We did get presents from other family members, but the FC ones were the main ones.

[BittyWanter]

Oh and of course the DC eat all - or at least try to eat all - the chocolate/sweets as quickly as possible. Christmas Day is the only day we allow a chocolate breakfast.

Dh and I have a cooked one and offer the DC breakfast but they're usually not interested.

[SpringerS]

I never has a stocking growing up either, nobody I knew did, I think they weren't so much of a thing in Ireland, though I think DH had one. But I do one for DS. I tend to avoid the 'tat' presents in the stocking. For one, we attend a lot of birthday parties in November and December, so he already has a bunch of tat from party bags. And two, DS is very protective and particular about his toys and treasures the tat as much as any more expensive toy. So he'd be delighted with a stocking full of poundshop shite but ultimately I'd be tasked with making sure it stayed in perfect condition forever and ever. So it's easier to avoid the tat and put in proper toys.

I mainly buy stocking stuff secondhand or from aliexpress. Last year DS' stocking had a cuddly Baymax and Paw Patrol figures from Aliexpress, and a Spiderman lunch box filled with Avengers figures I'd gotten on ebay. Also some wind-up Daleks that were on clearance in Debenhams. Along with some chocolate, satsumas and a toothbrush. Some book sets were meant to fit in, but the stocking was too small.

This year it will have Rescue Bots (from ebay), a couple more Paw Patrol figures and Rocket and Groot teddies from Aliexpress, a Batman puzzle from a charity shop. And because I'm planning to buy a bigger stocking, hopefully his books and a dress up outfit will fit in too.

[ThanksForAllTheFish]

In our house Santa brings one main gift (or a few smaller gifts of no main gift) and fills the stocking. All other presents are from us and family.

I usually do chocolate coins, tube of sweets and some small gifts. I try to fill it with inexpensive things but not plastic tat. I also try to add something she wants but I usually wouldn't buy her. Last year I included one of those beanie boo toys and DD was very excited. She knows I have a 'no more soft toys' rule (she has around 400 already). It also helped her believe Santa really filled the stocking as there is no way I would have bought it for her. I also included some nice gold earrings last year as she had recently got her ears pierced.

I would say for the total cost stocking gifts I try to keep it around the £30 mark.

[IAmSashaFierce]

We are just like the above. Santa does a stocking and one big gift (occasionally with some additions, often that are part of the main gift iyswim) and then all other presents are from us.

Stocking are never really tat. I hate that kind of thing and although inexpensive it seems more of a waste of money to me as its normally in the bin by February. I usually buy smallish gifts with one slightly more expensive item so last year I think a Nail Varnish, Bath Bomb, Chocolate coins, Fluffy Socks, Small Book and then a DVD box set that was longed for. Costs around £30-50 in total

[Haudyerwheesht]

Stocking and one 'asked for' present comes from Santa. Rest is from us. Asked for thing might be a small thing (like the year Dd asked for a whole bag of apples just for her 😀 ) or a big thing (like ds's goals). But it's something off their list.

In the stocking are inexpensive presents which are smallish. Usual things are stuff like CD/DVD, stationery, toothbrush, lots of sweets (esp stuff I wouldn't usually let them have), a magazine or a book, a sponge and facecloth, little novelty things like a singing pen and a kendama thing, socks, fruit, a torch...

[ShowMeTheElf]

chocolate coins, Satsuma, a puzzle of some sort, socks or pants or gloves. Some random rubbish (this year it's Christmas finger puppets: they are mostly teens so I'm trying to be funny), a madlibs book (we love them).
One main pressie from santa, bits from us. One main shared family gift from us. more bits from friends and family.

[TippiNoodlegruder]

Some of your stockings must be huge! We've done chocolate coins, toothbrushes and little toiletry sets and they're almost full! Might be able to squeeze some undies in there too, forgot those.

[notarehearsal]

Without fail; large tube of smarties, bag of chocolate coins, tiny little photo frame or similar, satsuma and at the very bottom there's got to be a hazelnut . Any gifts from Father Christmas that are small enough also go in the stocking.

[Lukeandlorelai4Ever]

We do stocking with some choc and small gifts like bubbles, socks, small book. This is from Santa. We also do all the main gifts from Santa too.
I'm in Ireland so think it's different here

[NapQueen]

Ours have small toys in, stickers, chocolate, fruit, new toothbrush, etc.

Dd will be just 5 this Christmas and DS will be two. Theirs will have
Nutella bread stick dip pot
Apple
Orange
Choc coins
Smartie filled santa
Stickers
Tooth brush
Magic flannel

Then dd will have
Sellotape dispenser with fairies on
A bug container
Hair clips

DS will have
Cars
Musical instrument
Dinosaur figurines

They then each get four wrapped gifts along with a Stocking from us.

[Fallstar]

When our children were growing up, the stockings were from Father Christmas and everything else was from us or whoever gave it.

Stockings contained chocolate, choc coins, small toys, a book or two and other bits and bobs. The kids always loved them!

We didn't generally do wish lists or letters listing gifts they wanted, so we didn't have the issue of things they'd asked FC for appearing from other people.

[hoolahoola]

My DC only get stockings... so I suppose my approach is different. I still celebrate Christmas in the way that I was bought up. Everyone gets silly gifts, chocolate, puzzles, small toys (cars, dolls, etc), jewellery and a new outfit for Christmas Day. Nothing else. You're definitely not stingy or mean.

[Pengweng]

In our house Santa fills the stockings and all other presents are from family.
Stockings cotain, chocolate, orange, new pants and socks, bubble bath, small toy, dvd, book and normally something crafty to entertain them for ten minutes.

[Mummyshortlegz]

My kids are 3 and 1

Toothbrush
Flannel
Bath bubbles
New socks
Pound shop toys
Ball
Glider made of polystyrene shaped like Christmas
Christmas tattoo
Wall walker big thing (these I've bought in bulk so these three items will feature for a few years
Book (where's Christmas Wally)
Satsuma
Chocolate

[RatOnnaStick]

Stockings are for entertaining the children at ~4am surely? At least, that was the point of them when I was growing up. So:

Satsuma in the toe, followed by
Mini choc bar
Some Tat - jokey stuff, pens, sticky notes, rubbers, funny monkeys etc
Fluffy socks

Nothing big or expensive. All destined to be used up.

Mum used to use our hockey/football socks for the purpose. Our children have purpose made stockings but not humungous ones.

Father Christmas delivers it. Actual live people give the proper presents.

[BiddyPop]

Growing up, we each got half a fruit bowl in our stockings - there were always loads of golden delicious apples at home, but not a lot of other fruit and it had to be shared and rationed between us all so this was always a real treat.

Red apple, green apple (Granny Smiths!), orange, mandarin, perfect banana, often a kiwi as well.

Always a 1lb box of sweets, and everyone got a different type.

Always a book.

(And those 3 continue whoever leaves out a stocking in DPs house! Youngest DSibling is now into his 30s!).

Then there would be a few small items - maybe a jumper knitted by DM for a Barbie doll, or a matchbox car, or some new crayons just for you!!


In my house now, DD gets - half a fruitbowl of fruit and some sweets. A book (or 2/3 - a reading book she'd enjoy, maybe an annual and maybe a kids reference book). Something useful like fancy knickers, hair bobbins, socks, a magic facecloth - something that she will use but maybe a step up from what we'd normally buy (e.g. character instead of plain).
And then a few bits and pieces that are more fun - some are educational too but fun - over the years we've had things like a small lego set, a crystal growing set, gardening tools, baking set, transfer pictures, temporary tattoos, twistables (the holy grail of colours!!), matchbox cars, kids binoculars, spinning tops.....maybe 4-5 small things that she'll enjoy.

[Cliffdiver]

Stockings are usually:

Chocolate/sweets
Toothbrush and toothpaste if they're running low
Flannel
Books
Knickers
Hair stuff
Cuddly toy
Bubble bath
Stickers/craft things

[OvO]

Stockings here are stuffed full of toys and games. Santa only brings the stocking and one other present so he goes all out with the stockings.

[BiddyPop]

Santa also bring a larger present (or a few smaller larger presents IYKWIM) like one year it was a bike, another it was roller blades and a skateboard (as we bought the skateboard before the rollerblades request was made), other years have been big lego sets.

DH and I also have something under the tree, with the other family presents, for DD - which is usually something relatively practical like clothes or craft materials etc.

[Northanter]

Ours have bits that are small in size, but not necessarily in value - I do try to buy reasonable quality stuff.
I put quite a lot of food in, and I try to get quite "posh" food - chocolate, nuts/dried fruit, satsuma, old-fashioned sweets, Christmas biscuits or gingerbread man or something like that. Best ever present was a box of marzipan fruits when my DC was about 3. Still reminisced about fondly 6 years on.
A book, a craft activity or puzzle, a small toy or two.
Something warm and cosy (hat, socks, mittens),
A couple of random fun things that might catch my eye.

But no big toys, and nothing electronic in the stockings