To ask what are you putting in your DC Christmas stockings?

[MothersRuinart]

Just interested in this Christmas stocking tradition in UK. I'm not British so we didn't do anything similar as a child. But now I have a DS3 and I think he'd love it. I'd love to hear what kind of things you are planning to put in your DCs Christmas stockings. Just sweets, little toys or something bigger? Would the child normally open it on Christmas morning?

About 8 things (purposely bought smallish non stretchy stockings).
Opened on our bed Christmas morning.

DD2, 12

• chocolate coins
• fancy t-shirt
• small cuddly toy
• some kind of ornament
• sweet jar
• lip balms
• a couple of other things

DD1, 17

• um. struggling this year!

We put little things in.

A book
Little toys - this year an acrobat monkey and a self inflating whoopee cushion
Matchbox cars or wooden trains
Stickers
Notebook and crayons or pens
Chocolate coins
Satsuma in the toe

I grew up with a tradition of small trinkets to make a child smile, to play with by themselves at 5am, to surreptitiously eat in bed (chocolate coins and satsuma to wash them down). The magic of discovering that santa really did visit and leave a full stocking on your bed when you wake is one of the nicest feelings when you're little.

My two DCs always get a bag of chocolate coins and an orange in theirs plus some small this year these are:
DD 10: lip balm, nail polish, knickers, pens and diary.
DS 5: toys cars, colouring stuff, bubble bath, underpants.
I will probably get them both a lego mini figure as well.

DS 6 is getting things like

superman coaster
harry potter pin
novelty lip balm
farty sound key ring
Haribo
skull wet wipes
chocolate trinkets of some sort
and possibly some socks

DH is getting:

Flash coaster (as in the superhero)
skull wet wipes
Santa jelly babies
novelty glasses
some kind of chocolate
socks

It's all about the fun factor with stockings.

5 yo DTS will have

Hair bobbles / clips
tights
some random bits from Smiggle and Claire's
Chocolate coins

last year they openedthem as soon as they woke up in their rooms. I will be individually wrapping tiny things to keep them quiet for a bit longer, plus it's cute listening to them all excited.

My mum still does me a stocking! At 28, 25 & 22 we usually get mostly sweets and a magazine and scratchcard.

My DDs are nearly 3 and just 5. They're getting:

Small book
Torch
Craft-type activity (felt tips for eldest, Paw-bloody-Patrol cookie kit for youngest)
CD (Frozen and Trolls sound tracks respectively)
Choc coins
Choc Santa
Character Vest Pants & Socks
Character Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Satsuma
Fruit shoot
Personalised bauble

The baby is having a small stocking adapted along similar lines e.g. Ella's Kitchen snacks instead of choc.

I usually spend £30ish each on the stocking but it does contain a lpt of things they need anyway, then they literally have one present from us c. £50.

I'm doing

Fake tattoos (they seem to love them!)
Stickers
Socks
Sweets and chocolates
Books
Colouring pens
Hair clips
Pencil case
Those 10 colour biro pens
Bubbles

DS (10) will have some Lynx minature toiletries, a pair of socks, some chocolate coins, a little torch, some fun erasers and maybe something else small depending on how it all fits in.
We open stockings first thing before breakfast, then presents later

DSs (3 and 6):

Small lego set
Colouring pencils
Fizzing dinosaur egg
Colour changing pens
Chocolate orange
Giant christmas kinder egg
Two books (6 yr old is getting a few more)
Some kind of gloop/slime in a pot

We're going themed this year to avoid just buying any old thing!

So, DS1 ,13, is having a hot choc themed stocking with a nice mug, fancy hot choc from whittards, syrups, marshmallows and maybe one of those powder shakers and stencil. He'll love that and there'll be nothing wasted!!

Ds2, 8, I'm not so sure yet. He's still into toys so I'll probably do something like Pokemon themed

my dd aged 2:

chocolate coins
tube of chocs (mummy will help her with these)
giant wax crayons
character socks
couple of toy cars
stickers
chalk

dsd who is 9:

chocolate orange
tube of chocs
chocolate coins
nail Polish kiddy
lip gloss
some slipper socks
novelty pens

ds who is 2 months and only getting one for dd's benefit...

tube of chocolate (will eat these)
a personalised tangy comforter
socks
Sophie giraffe
lamaze toy
dummies
bottle teats
link chain link things

DDs 2 and 5 are having:

Knickers
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Kids nail varnishes
Wash mitts
Chocolate selection box
Scrap book
Craft stuff
Pony to paint
Large pony plush

I buy the Hawkins bazaar stockings.

They go on the bed and they can open them in the morning. I love when they climb into bed and open them. Plus it delays going downstairs for a little while

Mine are bigguns, but they're getting things like:
pizza cutter
small airfix kit
guitar plecs
teeny frying pan
socks
playing cards

and for some reason lost in the depths of time, dried pineapple and pistachio nuts

And assortment of sweets plus chocolate coins and a sugar mouse; hair accessories; hatching dinosaur eggs; small toys/stationery,
They also get one "wrapped up" present from Santa each, which is something they really want

My 18 and 19 year old sons get in there stockings....boxers...socks...lynx....sweets...razors....nice hair clays etc....mini bottles of jagermeister..

Mine always get choc coins, satsuma and walnuts (one eats the walnuts,the other doesn't). This year they will also have variously hair clips, pens, notebooks, one walkie talkie each, a book, small Lego set.

A selection box apiece and a tablet that's too be shared between them so is going in the middle. (I thought about buying and wrapping one of those chocolate tablets, hiding the actual real one and letting them open the fake and then, when they open it, take it off them and bite into it to trick them before handing over the real thing. I'm not going to though because that would be mean!)
There getting loads of other presents from us and Santa is only bringing the main thing.

There they're getting loads from us...

Everyone gets an orange in the toe of the stocking plus a bag of chocolate coins. Then:

DD1 (4) - Eliza cape and wand, toy recorder, book
DD2 (18 months) - play tiara (so we will now have two, thank god), echo microphone, book
DH - compound 9, book

we do stockings first thing (8ish I guess) then main presents wait until until after brunch (11/12ish?). I always put in things that will keep them busy for a few hours while the adults catch their breath.

dd1 (16) - make up stuff, a book, jewellery, t-shirt, wallet, water bottle, a mug, bath set, fluffy socks & chocolate
ds1 (10) - nerf gun & various accessories, mug, couple of marvel figure things he likes, t-shirt, couple of little lego sets, joke kit (whoopee cushion etc), pringles, chocolate & fluffy socks
dd2 (7) - a plushie, a hoodie, craft kit, various small playmobil sets, headphones, stationery, mug, chocolate & socks
ds2 (5) - mug, some My Little Pony ponies, animal hot water bottle, trackmaster train things ( track/engine/cars), Thomas mini trains, t-shirt, chocolate & socks.

I tend to put the smaller/cheaper stuff in from their Christmas lists & just a few extra silly things - it really adds up financially when x4!

That should be an Elsa cape, obviously

Oldest DS20 has got a sewing box(he's starting to make one of itmes of clothing)things to go in it,tailors chalk,reels of cotton,decent scissors,2 different cloth tape meausures,a thimble and needle threader,different sizes and types of needles and safety pins.
Shower gel
Electric toothbrush.
A Hand warmer that looks like a mini hotwater bottle.
Salted caramel chewy toffee.
Slab of toffee with a toffee hammer.
Liquorice north poles.
Headphones.
A small tub of lucky charms.
A nice glass.
Some chocolate coins and a satsuma will be stuck in the stocking just before it gets put in his room.

DS18
Electric toothbrush
shaped hand warmer
Shower gel
Tube of peanut M&M's
Pork scratchings.
A bar of Baileys truffle chocolate.
Chilli nuts.
Powerbank for his phone.
Headphones.
Drinking flask.
Bottle of cider.
Billatong.
2 Brandy Hot Chocolate glasses.
Chocolate coins and a satsuma.

DS15
Back scratcher
Aqua manatizer.
Lego rubbers.
Star wars notepad and star wars multi coloured pen.
Death star mints.
C3PO mints.
Mint Penguin bubble bath.
Penguin glass.
Hand warmer.
Chocolate money,it has chocolate notes in it.
Hair gel.
Pistachios.
Pork scratchings.
Electric toothbrush.
Chocolate coins and a satsuma.

DD13
2 pairs of nails.
Compact mirror.
Blue owl and Reindeer lip gloss.
Food earrings.
2017 diary in her favourite colour.
Emoji Pens.
A beanie hat.
Little black dress perfume.
Perfect eyebrow kit(so she can have eyebrows on fleek)
Eyebrow stencils,eyebrow brush and eyebrow tweezers.
Charlie red spray.
Handcream and a large bath fizzer.
Snowglobe bubble bath.
Electric toothbrush.
Some make up.
Chocolate coins and a satsuma.

DD9
Clip on childrens earrings.
Set of Maybeline Lipglosses.
Unicorn wipes.
Back scratcher.
Father Christmas Duck lipgloss.
Reindeer lipgloss and Snowman lipgloss.
2 small packets of Trolls.
Frozen Electric toothbrush set.
Snowglobe bubble bath.
Charlie red spray.
Astronaut Ice cream.
Unicorn phone holder.
Handwarmer.
Large make up brush so she can do her Dollys and my make-up.
Compact mirror.
Hand warmer.
Chocolate coins and a satsuma.

My DH has told me that the poor Reindeers will need steroids to lift our 5DC's stockings the sarky sod.

There should always be a coin in the very toe of the stocking, I think. And a clementine, plus some sweets or chocolate.

This year we are adding a Lego mug each (like the ones you get in Lego sets, only life-sized), a book and a small toy.

Since the idea is to stop the children waking us at horror o'clock wanting presents, there has to be something to eat, something to read and something to play with. Last year we did so well at this they didn't come and wake us until 8!

love the Christmas pork scratchings & Lego mugs

you need to put stuff in that will keep them happily occupied (& fed!) for a couple of hours wishful thinking without too much input from you or mess generated.