To ask if we are the ONLY family who have NEVER done Xmas stockings

[StevieBud]

Every year on MN I see all these threads asking for suggestions for stuff to put into stockings and people reply suggesting all kinds of tat.

Or boring stuff like new toothbrushes.

Presents should be under the tree, opened at dawn before consuming a box of Matchmakers.

Our stockings aren’t full of tat!

DCs are adults now so it’s a bit different but some things have not changed - chocolate coins, chocolate Santa or reindeer or Lindt teddy, book, small lego set for DS, craft kit for DD.

DH and I have a shared stocking which also has chocolate and usually a family game.

Small and inexpensive doesn’t have to mean tat!

Growing up we never had stockings but we do them for our kids. My two are teens but they say that the stockings are the best bit! They get things like socks, sweets, toiletries, little packets of card games/riddles, keyrings, any small gift that is quite small doesn't get wrapped and goes in the stocking.
I'm getting all Christmasy now 🌲

as children we had a pillow case, I can’t remember what was in them though.
My son has a sack at the bottom of his bed with the main presents under the tree.
the sack has useful stuff - socks, pant, toiletries, slippers, t shirt, sweets, DVD, an orange (chocolate!), bits and pieces I’ve picked up depending on what his current interests are, replacements for things he’s broken/ lost - ususlly earphones.
He just likes opening presents so doesnt mind if a lot of its practical stuff

And knowing most less mercenary kids, they’re just as pleased with small, fun gifts than big ticket items

They're really not

*I still think you are being unreasonably angry and agressive"

No, you just don't get nuance. It's a light-hearted chat about Christmas stockings. No big deal.

Soz. It's OP - name changed as I've just found out Shakespeare had a daughter called Judith. Who knew?!

I didnt have one as a child and my friends all did and I always felt I missed out.

I make sure all my kids have one now and they love them..I never put anything expensive in them..its always socks,soap, fruit,hair bobbles etc

That's just me though. Everyone does xmas differently

I didn't have a stocking, I had a pillowcase of presents large and small on my bed from Father Christmas which I opened at the crack of dawn then went back to sleep until my parents woke up. I also saw my parents bringing them in every year because I was too excited to sleep and they were too drunk to be quiet.
We didn't get presents from them and other family presents went under the tree and were opened after Christmas Dinner.

DH didn't have them either, his Mum woke them all at six every year shouting "he's been!" and the presents were all laid out in the living room.

Mine have stockings in bed and bigger presents in the living room. I introduced the stockings after reading about them on here and instantly regretted it. They're a massive hassle and expensive but I can't stop because it's the tradition now and the younger two like them. It's really hard to find things to put in them, that aren't tat or boring.

Some of my absolute favourite Christmas memories are my younger brother creeping into my room with his stocking, and us opening them together watching the Christmas cartoons together before our parents woke up. To this day I still make my husband a stocking with some nice little treats in like fancy chocolate and Christmas socks.

I never had stockings but a pillowcase instead! I’m nearly 30 and still have one I definitely want to do them with my future children! It’s absolutely the highlight of Christmas for me - my pillowcase always has stuff in like chocolate and hand cream, nice bath stuff, a couple of books. Then I have a main present from my parents under the tree, and presents from other people.
I’d carry on having a ‘stocking’ forever if I could, but I’ll have to satisfy myself by doing it for my children when they’re old enough.

Also my sack was always in the living room with the main presents and never on my bed which reading here seems unusual but actually it made it EVEN MORE exciting because I had to wait for my mum and dad to get up, then opening the living room door I could see my sack waiting for me on the armchair with the tree lights twinkling behind it and all the presents under it... it’s still exciting even now haha.

They stocking in the bed full was the beginning of the magic.. He's been!! The rustle. The bulging packed shape and feel... I never did it properly with dd.1..I was too nervous about waking her up.
Dd2 gets it in the bed. She tends to wake up at 4am, open it then falls sleep with it in her arms.

Stocking in the bed is the h'ordeuve.
The entree... The warm up act...

@ApplesinmyPocket

You wake up on the most magical day of the year... there's a fat stuffed lumpy stocking/sack on your bed, full of promise.

You feel inside it.. draw out every silly thing one at a time... wondrous things... things your sensible parents would never have thought of getting you.. ... and there's CHOCOLATE COINS. For BREAKFAST.

The household gradually awakes. You show your stocking and its amazing contents to your siblings, your parents, anyone around the house, and you play with the bits Santa brought and you swap and squabble and all the fun is still to come, everyone excited and full of joy and anticipation (or champagne!). Then there's dinner, with turkey, and crackers and still there are...

...THE PRESENTS, still under the tree.

That's how it's always worked in our house. Keep the magic going past lunch and its adult-only pleasures. As long as possible!

YES this

@CharityRoyall

Also my sack was always in the living room with the main presents and never on my bed which reading here seems unusual but actually it made it EVEN MORE exciting because I had to wait for my mum and dad to get up, then opening the living room door I could see my sack waiting for me on the armchair with the tree lights twinkling behind it and all the presents under it... it’s still exciting even now haha.

We would get my parents up and my dad would go down stairs to make the tea

Then there’d be this massive deal about waiting for my mum to put on her makeup and we couldn’t go down stairs til it was on (she was joking obviously...we’d have been upstairs for hours!)

And then we’d wait at the living room door while my dad i opened it, while the excitement built then the door was opened and he’d been and it was a shark feeding frenzy 😀

Do the same with our children apart from the makeup and I remember one year when ds1 was about 3/4 and was just getting the whole carrot mince pie milk thing and he was so excited about the fact rudolph and santa had been and eaten all the food! Took him ages to calm down and realise there were presents under the tree

@speakout

perfectstorm

It would be funny if it wasn't for the kids that are being damaged by the indoctrination.

Honestly, I'm pretty sure lots will grow up and learn otherwise - I've known a few, in universities, make that journey after convent schools, for example. Growing up often involves realising the feet of clay.

perfectstorm - I agree the people I know that HATE religeon the most where the ones who grew up with these strict rules and indoctronation and rebelled against it.

My family where Irish Catholic and my parents and aunts/uncles all dispise it and completely renounced it with stories of insanity, angry nuns and punishments for nothing.

As a result non of my generation was raised specifically religeous but we are actually far more open and accepting of religeon all choosing to join different churches/religeons on our own (often to our parents dismay lol).

Honestly, I'm pretty sure lots will grow up and learn otherwise - I've known a few, in universities, make that journey after convent schools, for example. Growing up often involves realising the feet of clay.

No doubt, but there will be some collaterol damage for some.
My two nieces were brought up with such heavy indoctrination, one has stuck with it and bringing her kids up the same way, the other is an atheist, but finds it impossible to free herself of the emotional shackles that she has been burdened with.
Hard wiring a child into faith can lead to long term damage.