It’s not a fucking stocking filler!

[YesJs]

I’m getting sick of gift guides with ‘stocking fillers’ that are around £15-20.

‘Perfect stocking filler for a teen’ says Glamour of a £25 lip balm kit. GQ, recommends a Stockings contain at least 10 presents - more likely about 15-20. Therefore (unless you’re super rich) they need, by nature, to be much cheaper than this.

I earn good money, I wouldn’t spend upwards of £250 on a stocking BEFORE the main presents. AIBU

It's the Christmas Eve boxes that annoy me...

Not for me, it's just more stuff to organise & xmas eve is busy for me.

other people will think that any beauty product for tween is absolute nonsense and bad consumerism
(just see threads on the subject)

so can't you realise that people are different?

What I disagree is putting a price limit on anything. Buy the beauty products you would buy, who cares if they are more expensive, they still belong in the stocking if that's where you want to put them.

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If the stocking presents are the main event in your house then they are not ‘stocking fillers though. As a filler by definition, is something that bulks something out, not the main event.

Also, it’s irrelevant to my point about retailers pushing more and more expensive things as ‘stocking fillers’ thus fueling parental anxiety and teens expectations of what constitutes one.

They are great to light a grill, a fireplace, a candle. I used to get them (but I think they were cheaper then--$2?), but now I will get a candle/grill lighter, usually from BIC. I totally forgot that one on my list, along with face, hand and foot mask and a small candle. All have been part of my "stocking stuffers" list.

Everyone has very large stockings in my family. In fact, they are small Santa bags with the names embroidered, so they do not get filled. My DD's DP and his children get small handled Christmas bags or whatever I can find.

Yes same here it's yet another thing to sort out!

Please do my stocking this year I have been terribly good.

I put one £20 thing in my son's stocking - like a Nando's gift card - some toiletry items I'd buy him with the shopping anyway (shower gel, lip balm), and about £10 worth of things to open that aren't tat.

I hear you.

I have a December box for my toddler rather than a Christmas eve box. It has all of his Christmas books so I dont have to read them in July, pjs and some craft bits to do throughout the month. My brother does Christmas eve boxes and they put in reindeer food, hot chocolate and pjs so the kids look nice in the photos on the day.

Times have changed. I get what you’re saying though. I’m not necessarily saying you’re wrong.

Stocking fillers aren’t tat or chocolate anymore, it can be a £70 perfume offered as a stocking filler. Christmas Eve boxes weren’t a thing - they are now. Family Christmas pjs are the new trend at the moment.

it’s important to remember no matter what is trending or labelled, you don’t have to follow and can do your own thing. If you want to buy the expensive stocking fillers, do it. If you want the pjs, do it. If you don’t? That’s also fine

I think I would be the perfect "someone". I prefer red in color, if I may suggest.....😆🚗😇😉

What would be the ideal stocking fillers for a teenage girl? I

My list from last year:

• Personalised Dior Lip gloss
• Earrings
• Advanced night repair
• Benefit blush
• Sweets
• Laneige lip mask
• Trinket tray
• Novelty mug
• Silicon jar spoon
• Jumbo pot of marmite
• Claw clips
• Hair scrunchies
• Stickers
• Artist Notepads
• KeyRing
• Hair towel
• Playing cards
• Knickers
• Fluffy socks
• Small bottle of alcohol
• Starbucks gift card
• Artists paints

Do you understand that filler also has another meaning? It doesn't have to mean something that bulks something out, it can just mean something which fills something. So whether you're filling a stocking with cheap and cheerful items, or filing it with expensive items, you're still filling it! It's all filler!

Sometimes I do feel like making myself one! 😂

You’re right, we buy stocking presents not stocking fillers (they are mostly small edible stuff though with a couple of bigger bits.) I was replying to the poster above who said stockings are only for those who believe in Santa. My point is that there isn’t a set rule! We can all do things differently. So what is advertised as a stocking filler might be far more expensive than what you would choose to buy, that’s fine. But someone else might make different choices, that’s ok too. I don’t understand why people get so obsessed with their way of “doing Christmas” being the only right way. To me this isn’t about retailer pushing purchases, it’s about people’s inability to cope with the fact that we all do things differently and that’s ok!

That's true and there is no rule that a stocking has to be bugling, but somehow if its gets to about 11pm on Christmas Eve and you have something that looks full-on flaccid it is a little angst-inducing. Especially if the other dc's look resplendent and full!

We used to get a pillow case of gifts which were a combination of sweets, chocolates, socks, pens, paper, other stationary, toiletries, silly gifts, books, bit of make up etc.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to treat your family and friends at Christmas or on birthdays.

There are some terribly miserly people on here though who think a lump of coal and a satsuma is all anyone should ever be given. It’s quite a sad way of being. They’re the same people that insist adults aren’t allowed to celebrate their own birthday.

Anything goes when it comes to a Christmas stocking. 😎

Well, maybe not a bowl of chili or a milkshake....that could get messy.😱

But most anything! 😊😉

In our house, stockings are opened by the kids in their rooms before we get up properly. Youngest gets up and goes into eldest room and they open them together, giving me an extra twenty mins in bed because who needs to get up at 6 on Christmas morning! I don’t put expensive gifts in them because I would want to see them open them. It’s just little bits, little toys, inexpensive make up, toiletries, chocolates etc

And since when did Advent calanders get so bloody ridiculous? DD asked me for a Sephora one, over £200!! I think bloody not! The thing is as adults we can brush it off and say no, but kids can be more swayed with advertising..

Me too.

I took to buying the mementoes on our out that the DC’s coveted ( museum key fob, pencil etc), giving one on the day and saving the extras for stockings.

Great reminders and discussion of the previous year too.

Stocking fillers in our house are chocolate coins, a small cuddly toy, socks, pens etc.

I do wish people could take some responsibility for themselves. I’m so sick of all this crap about various kinds of societal pressure supposedly forcing people into such an anxious state they must conform to whatever. Grow a backbone and get some resilience for gods sake. Say no, don’t do stuff if you don’t want to. Stop crying about pressure that you’re imposing on yourself.

Mine are 30 and28 they still get stockings. Adult lego and foodie bits and some bath things

My kids were exactly the same when I suggested stopping Easter chocolate. Apparently you are never too old for a chocolate rabbit.

My girl is 17. She'd be happy with those.