To be a bit sad I’ve never received a Christmas stocking?

You are worthy of being treated and you don’t have to get over it.

I don’t give a shit if your husband wouldn’t be keen on doing you a stocking. Insist on it. Explain to him how it’s important to you, however daft he might think it is.

And you might want to consider how the feeling of not being worth/deeserving being treated is being continued by his behaviour.

I always forget what i buy too!!

Can you and a friend exchange stockings?

Stockings were a huge part of my childhood and I’ve no qualms about telling my DH to do me a stocking! No plastic tat, it’s chocolate, bubble bath, make up, a paper back book, sprays I like, etc… but he does make the effort (I do have to remind him though 🤣).

I also make my own stocking one year 🤣🤣🤣 I made it in April so I had completely forgotten what was in it come December. I was single and living alone in London. BEST STOCKING EVER!!

Be the parent you needed for yourself. Why don’t you buy yourself a stocking, or exchange them with a partner if you have one?

OP, have a good cry in the bath and then have a cup of tea or something stronger. Sometimes you just need to process unprocessed emotions that have been creeping up on you unexpectedly. It's natural to be sad that your parents, who were responsible for making your childhood wonderful, didn't put the effort in.

Then tell your kids that what you'd really like for Christmas would be a stocking jointly from them.

This is a brilliant way to introduce your DC to what Christmas is really about, bring them in on the secret snd let them discover the joy of giving. Enjoy xx

My stocking had small gifts from under the tree from relatives in, like socks from an Auntie mixed with some from Father Christmas. I was happy enough, but it was a slightly strange mix. I don't think my parents had all that much money for bits and pieces gifts. My main present under the tree was from FC though.

Nowadays I love doing the stocking for my dd, we do just say anything we buy for her, main or stocking, is from FC. Could you do a little treat one dor yourself? If you buy and wrap now and you're anything like me you'll forget and surprise yourself by then anyway!

Me too!! I love doing stockings, it really would be a pleasure

Gosh, I felt a bit teary reading your post. You have every right to feel sad about the lack of magic in your own childhood Christmases. What joyless occasions they sound. Like you, I still do stockings for my adult children. It makes me happy. I think you should treat yourself to an advent calendar from your favourite shop/product whether it is nice chocolates, cosmetics, candles or tea. Really enjoy the ceremony of opening it every day and give yourself a bit of your own magic.

OP, I’m really sad for you. You’re not being unreasonable.

When I read the title I thought it was going to be unreasonable . I never had a stocking either but my parents always did Santa and made things special. This is sad. At least now you can create the magic with your own kids.

I got a stocking until I was in my 30s and I haven't really appreciated it, if that helps.
I should point out that as an adult it was little presents in a plastic bag rather than in the plastic stocking left on the edge of the bed.

I make stockings for my parents and I have done since my late teens. You have nothing to feel awkward about and should be able to enjoy a little fun opening useful and thoughtful bits. Your children might quite enjoy making one up for you - definitely bring it up with them (and maybe your dh could have one too with a Mr Grumpy mug inside ).

I've never had one either.....wondering if your parents were war babies & that influenced their thinking? Mine were, & it did!

OP, your posts have really touched me and whilst I can’t do you a stocking I have just ordered stockings and stocking gifts for my mum and my dad, both of whom would never have had them as children.

(I’ve never had one either and never made them until we had kids and my DH insisted)

I wish we could all choose a stocking gift for you, wrap it and send it in time for Xmas eve so you can hang out your stocking knowing Mumsnet will fill it up! Seriously though, if you’re happy to share it with a friendly stranger, dm me your address and your interests/hobbies/likes/loves etc and I’ll happily fill up a stocking for you. It would be a pleasure.

That does sound a bit miserable OP, I'm sorry.

I think you should bring it up to your children. If my mum told me she wanted a stocking for the reason you've given, I'd find so much joy in making her one

Very miserable attitude, OP’s own Christmases didn’t sound much fun!

But surely stocking filler type presents are so easy and fun! He could get you some things from Lush or body shop, some tasty gourmet style chocolates, a bottle of your favourite tipple, the list goes on! Gift giving not being his forte just feels like he doesn't know what you like or use, surely he has eyes 😅

There are ways to do christmas without plastic tat and waste, in fact Santa Clause is one of them, he's free! Part of the magic for me as a kid was that you never ever saw him, christmas eve night was just completely magic in anticipation. There are so many ways to celebrate christmas making I'd magical without excess, it is a shame for you.

Your husband surely isn't so militant about waste he can't see that a stocking with some nice eco packaged pamper things, luxury chocolates etc etc would be both thoughtful AND eco friendly? I made my own child's stocking, he could do the same or even buy one second hand, there's tons on vinted! And fill it for you with meaningful things that will get used but which are treats for the season.

If I were you, and depending on the age if your children, I'd have a making session where you make a big felt stocking then have them sew or glue on their own decorations on it, then either give them a little budget to buy you some bits or get your husband to do it with them.

You are allowed to be upset, @Jumpeduppantrywe don't have to put up with everything. I presume there was some religious thing going on. I'm sorry your husband is tight too.

There needs to be some fun in the middle of winter!

I think in your situation I would do myself a stocking just to experience a bit of that joy (they are a lovely tradition). It may only need to be a one time thing just to heal some of the sorrow you have about your childhood. You’ve said it’s not about the presents, its the lack of feeling cherished by your parents that created this wound. So that makes it quite a heavy thing to lay on your kids but if you feel able you could explain to your husband why you are doing it so it doesn’t have to be in secret. I don’t think I’d expect him to participate if he finds gift buying tricky.

I think you abu, as you did have Christmas and probably compared with thousands of other children, quite a good one.
You made up for your wants by doing all the things you feel left out in, with your own children which is lovely.
Please let go of this feeling of missing out, it's really silly.

It’s different in every family (in our case it was visibly to keep us in bed and quiet-ish for an extra 30 minutes or so 😂 so I have never understood the ‘I want to see the children opening their stockings’ thing which seems to be huge in many in-law households). Fundamentally, if you feel loved and cherished by your parents, whether you have a stocking or not is mostly irrelevant of course. But it’s still something special in our culture I think.