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.

I love how this thread turned in to a stocking lovers dream read! My children get lots of lovely presents at Christmas, but they LOVE the stockings! One of mine is so excited because they get a chocolate orange in them, that's his favourite part of Christmas full stop!

I never had them as a child and I don't do them for my kids now

Stockings were always my favourite part, I loved the feeling of the crinkly, heavy stocking at the end of the bed. We used to open them in our parents bed as both were nurses and one would usually have to work Xmas morning so that's all we would open before they got home from work. There would always be a new Enid Blyton book and a torch at the very top so if I couldn't resist a sneak peek into the stocking, I would have something to occupy myself. I love the memories of those early Xmas mornings reading by torchlight with my heavy, exciting stocking at the bottom of the bed.

My DD (10) stopped believing this year but asked if she would still get a stocking as she loves them

Honestly, if you don't do them, give it a go...doesn't need to be expensive...you could do a little one for about £10 if you went to poundland, a book, stationery, hair clips, some sweets. It was the best feeling ever as a kid...I remember the first time my dc really understood...I could see the pure joy in their faces and it took me back to being a kid.

We never opened presents before lunch, ever. If we didn't have stockings it would have been torture.

We’ve always done police cases with about £40 worth of stuff all individually wrapped. Will include selection box, chocolate coins, books, some pound shop tat plus one item from the Christmas list. Being allowed to wake up, unwrap presents and eat chocolate for breakfast is the best fun ever. We don’t go overboard with presents and my DC enjoy and appreciate everything they get. I love shopping for their ‘stocking’ presents. Main presents are under the tree from family. We don’t do elf on the shelf of Christmas Eve boxes though.

Pillow cases, not police cases .

When our kids were young, stockings were a way to try and keep them entertained when they woke up excited at god awful o'clock on Christmas morning. They are now 21, 22 & 23 and they still get stockings. Last year they were just filled with their favourite foods and treats which they really loved and I will probably do the same again this year.

We didnt have them growing up but I do them now for my kids and love them! DP had them though. I tried doing a stocking for him one year but it was just too hard to think of things for an adult man. Plus then I was the only person without a stocking which was a bit crap.

But what do they get from father Christmas???
As a child I had a sack left at end of bed from father christmas, presents under tree from family , I do same for DC. I dont put tat in them, book, a game, selection box ,toy from their letter to fc, used to put dvd in their too before streaming, about 10 gifts ranging from £2-£25.

Never had stockings as a kid, neither did DH, nor did/do our kids.

@HelplessProcrastinator

Pillow cases, not police cases .

Don't spoil it - I was really intrigued, wondering if police cases were yet another thing that had passed me by

I'm agog at those people who don't open presents til AFTER breakfast, lunch or dinner!!!

Father Christmas has been kids, open that stocking full of Poundland tat whilst Dad and I sleep in - then wait hours for the good stuff you actually asked for like the bicycle or the iPhone12. Stop whinging and play with your new lip balm.

Talk about Grinches

As a kid we had a sock with an apple, orange, & nuts in it. Now I leave the country & completely ignore it, as I can't be bothered with all the stress & nonsense.

I love doing stockings. Didn't do them growing up.

The kids have stockings by their bed which they bring into our room. When they were small the stocking would have presents like mini schleich animals and mini playdoh tubs. Now they're getting older the stockings are more expensive to fill. EarPods, Nando vouchers and phone chargers etc.

After breakfast they used to have a sack of presents from extended family (I have a large family!) then after lunch it would be the tree presents which were the gifts from us/Santa.

They are getting older now and we aren't doing present swapping from extended family and grandparents will probably just give cash so we will skip the sacks this year and the tree presents will be after breakfast. At lunch we will each have a small novelty present which we will open at the table.

Trying to think of ways to keep the day special now the Santa magic has gone.

Stockings here are from father Christmas everything else is from the person who actually gave it. When I was young whoever woke up first out of my brother and I would sneak into the other's room and wake them up, then we'd take our stockings into mum and dad's room. They had stockings too, my mum would put the radio on with Christmas music, DF would make cups of tea for them and we'd all sit on their bed opening stockings. Small inexpensive things but not tat; some chocolate coins, satsuma, a book, bath stuff, art bits , hair accessories etc, I think DB got some much wanted particular shinpads one year..... I remember DM getting some very fancy earrings in hers one year and not expecting it, so that was a nice surprise.
DH and I did them for each other before we had DS and used to do similar , we carry it on with DS now, it makes getting up a bit more leisurely and not a mad rush too

It's also compulsory no matter how old the kids are that their stockings contain a tangerine in the toe (never gets eaten), chocolate coins and a Lindt chocolate reindeer.

BuT the stockings are full of Poundland tat.
You do Christmas your way. We will do it our way. Neither is better. But ypu do seem to have an obsession with stockings having tat in them, despite people who do have them saying otherwise.

@speakout

ZolaGrey

She is a very strict Baptist- who is always on the lookout for works of Satan.
She does celebrate christmas, but shuns a lot of stuff because of pagan connections.
So no christmas tree, no stockings- no Easter eggs either- all the devil's work!
She teaches at a large private Baptist school, little ones are shown that Santa is an anagram of Satan- and to be on guard!!

That's hilarious - this school is teaching them that the Spanish word for 'saint' is an anagram for Satan in another language? Do they tell them that the residents of Santa Monica are damned? As for the poor inhabitants of Santa Claus in Indiana, well. The lost, indeed.

We never had stockings when I was a child.

perfectstorm

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

Always did a pillowcase for my Dcs as did my dps but not when they got older

In mid 40s and our stockings were one of dad's (brand new) black socks with an orange at the end and a few little bits and pieces in. Then one year mum sewed us our own personalised stockings and o still use it as a decoration until.today.

My own dc had larger stockings from dunelm that matched their sack. But now they are teens they have their presents in a neat pile on the dining room table to come.down to on Christmas morning. It's where the tree is with all the other gifts.

@StevieBud

I'm agog at those people who don't open presents til AFTER breakfast, lunch or dinner!!!

Father Christmas has been kids, open that stocking full of Poundland tat whilst Dad and I sleep in - then wait hours for the good stuff you actually asked for like the bicycle or the iPhone12. Stop whinging and play with your new lip balm.

Talk about Grinches

I’m pretty sure no one does it like that.

Anyway, Father Christmas brings the stocking gifts, not the stuff downstairs.

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

@StevieBud

I'm agog at those people who don't open presents til AFTER breakfast, lunch or dinner!!!

Father Christmas has been kids, open that stocking full of Poundland tat whilst Dad and I sleep in - then wait hours for the good stuff you actually asked for like the bicycle or the iPhone12. Stop whinging and play with your new lip balm.

Talk about Grinches

Once again as someone that didnt really have/do stockings I still think you are being unreasonably angry and agressive towards other peoples family culture and pretty obviously privilaged too (I dont know any kids that are getting anything remotely as 'big' as Iphone12s but maybe because were not rich round here lol).

what is 'Poundland tat'?

Poundland sell a tonne of really useful things at affordable prices, they are great for stationary/crafts, books, films, chocolates, toiletries (which I dont see as 'gifts' but many do and arnt 'tat') and tonnes of brand name and officially licenced stuff (not for a 'stocking' but I paid £1 for an offical collectable 'finding dory' toy worth £10 on other sites a few months ago... its crazy to pay £10 when you could pay £1, it would just be bad money sense).

Its so privilaged to sneer at shops like Primark and Poundland as 'cheap' and 'tat' when actually its often just good affordable items for people not well off enough to waste money as a status symbol, yes theres a few 'joke' and 'novelty' items for secret santas etc... but they sell that because theres a market (usually for adults not children).