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

And you are very welcome to. OP isn’t criticising what individuals wish to do - but the pressure from advertising and media. You can do it how you do it as much as anyone else can do it how they do it … but if the constant pressure from articles and advertising and online searches results in those who want to stick to stocking fillers are per the previously posted dictionary definition feeling inadequate or struggling to afford it, that part is the issue. Yes as an individual, stocking fillers can be whatever that individual wants to put in a stocking, but if there is an increasing pressure for items to be put in stockings that are more expensive things that might otherwise have been considered presents, it is pushing up the costs* - and pressure - considerably.
*i.e if someone is putting £25 items in a stocking resulting in the stocking contents being over £100/200 then that’s already a very high cost for many, before any unwrappable gifts have been considered (going by the traditional method of a stocking not containing the main gifts - as I know some have said they do this instead, so am acknowledging that some do that, but generally speaking, the stocking as the main event is not the ‘norm’)

I’m an adult (in my 40s). I have been given boxes of tissues (amongst other things, it wasn’t the sole item but even if it was I would be grateful) from my parents as birthday/Christmas gifts. They were the particular kind I like and more of a filler item (not in a stocking but a basket of other useful items like toiletries and foods - I guess like a hamper) or, as my mother would put it ‘just something to unwrap’.

I have also on more than one occasion gifted tissues to other people - albeit again part of a larger collection of items - usually either one of those boxes where the box has a fancy pattern or the small handbag sized ones, again with a fancy pattern - in fact I’ve found Cath Kidston versions of both recently, inexpensively. Not sure what is wrong with getting someone a useful/consumable item, of a slightly cuter version.

I agree with PPs noting that stocking-filling is a varied thing and might be related to size (small), cost (cheap) other things (family tradition)

I disagree with posters suggesting that cheaper options=throwaway tat that gives into landfill. The meaning or usefulness of a gift is not necessarily related to the cost.

I can quite confidently say that even if someone multiplied my income by 100, I cannot envisage any situation I’d even consider spending that amount of money on socks! That’s obscene!

Exactly. It’s frustrating how many people are missing the original point and instead, using its as a chance to show off how they can afford luxury item stockings. Well and truly sucked in to the consumerism trap.

This is the kind of stocking we do. I find some nice things in the summer sales too!

I don’t need to look at magazines to tell
me what needs to be in my stockings. I know my kids and what they will like so find it very easy.

I don’t feel remotely pressurised by some list of freebies ‘donated’ to a random magazine editor. I am happy to buy stuff my kids will like and use rather than unwanted tat. Better for all of us.

‘Consumerism’ includes all ‘unnecessary’ stuff, cheap or expensive. V few people are immune. Even the temu crew.

As they say….

People are just stating what they buy and what’s normal for them. Which seems within the broad context of your thread topic. You are choosing to interpret it as showing off.

For example, you said this: we’re pretty wealthy and probably out-earn most on this thread Some might call that showing off. It’s all about interpretation.

I have read through all your posts. Are you aware as to how pompous you are coming across?! All this inverse snobbery? The ‘I am so wealthy but don’t spend money’ trope is quite tiresome!

Hmm, isn't it more pedantic to argue that items MUST have a firm classification (I.e.what is a "stocking filler" and what is a "present"). Personally, I don't care where they are stored until opened - they are all gifts - but I'd argue that buying unnecessary items isn't great for anyone. I'd rather have something nice, useful and wanted in my stocking as well as my DC's (like headphones) than Temu plastic - and have less/none 'actual' presents. My DC gets quite a big stocking with nice things because it's the presentation that appeals to them - and then fewer under the tree. It's all just presents in the end.

I will add expensive products to the stocking when they're old enough not to have a list, they're not getting expensive gifts/tech/toys and an expensive stocking.

My neighbour bought 3 tablets from temu, plus loads of extra toys locally, they were the main gift, broken in 4 weeks, I'd have preferred to reduce the other toys and bought a better tablet, locally.

Stocking fillers in my house in my house are a chocolate orange and some cheap crap from Temu! It was literally just to keep the kids occupied whilst my husband goes downstairs to set up the video camera to get the reactions when they see the tree!

I haven’t stated my spending habits.

This post is about unnecessary pressure on parents and promotion of consumerism.

But do you refer to the nice presents in your son’s stockings as ‘stocking fillers’? Would you expect retailers and media too?

this point of this thread isn’t how individuals or families choose to gift. I’ve said this over and over.

Well, you kind of did.

*stationery

I think it’s the expression that’s wrong - stocking filler kind of implies there’s ‘main’ presents as well and these are just extra bits - now I realise some people do put main presents in stockings too , but I think it’s the implication/message of the feature. If it was - nice presents under £15 it would be less irritating

This post is about unnecessary pressure on parents and promotion of consumerism.

What pressure?

If you can't read an article in a magazine without being pressured, it's on you. Most of us are able to make our decisions and to take publicity or "gift lists" for what they are, adverts -or good basic ideas you adapt.

If magazines suddenly start making list of the perfect "pack of tissue as stocking fillers/ party bag fillers", most of us will just roll our eyes and ignore. Same way we ignore the latest £70 Chantecaille mascara.

You manage to see adverts for adult incontinence pads without feeling pressured; it's your individual choice if you take expensive little luxury items personally.

Many retailers have a "wedding guest outfit" section, I understand the reasoning and why they do it, but no one in their right mind buy something specifically in there "because it says wedding guests" or refuse to buy from there for a "non -wedding event". Same thing

do you refer to the nice presents in your son’s stockings as ‘stocking fillers’? Would you expect retailers and media too?
if they mean it fits, then yes, why ever not? I'd be confused if they start calling a trampoline a "stocking filler" because I can't really understand how that would work.

Tbh I'm not particularly interested in how media or retailers refers to the gifts I choose. I just call them all "presents". I've given my friend a gift of £5.99 socks in a nice gift box because they had a dog like hers on them and I knew she'd like them- and I have put in a £55 moisturiser in my husbands stocking. I don't particularly care about the monetary value. I do object to the consumerism of tat simply for the sake of filling a stocking with cheap Chinese drop-ship junk.

I'm 50 and still have a Christmas list 🤔
What counts as "too old".

If you can't read an article in a magazine without being pressured, it's on you. Most of us are able to make our decisions and to take publicity or "gift lists" for what they are, adverts -or good basic ideas you adapt.
If magazines suddenly start making list of the perfect "pack of tissue as stocking fillers/ party bag fillers", most of us will just roll our eyes and ignore. Same way we ignore the latest £70 Chantecaille mascara.
You manage to see adverts for adult incontinence pads without feeling pressured; it's your individual choice if you take expensive little luxury items personally

love it. The triumvirate

1. Demonstrates a complete misunderstanding of how societal expectations are formed and operate.
2. Insists that one is personally unaffected by them (a classic MN favorite!) while claiming to rise above it all.
3. Makes a completely nonsensical comparison. To incontinence pads.

I have read all your replies, I knew you would dismiss any comments because you cannot tolerate anyone who doesn't agree with you, and prefer pretending they are missing the point - when they are just proven you are wrong 😂

You are hilarious

and it seems to make you so angry that not 100% of posters are fawning telling you how right you are, love this

Insists that one is personally unaffected by them
as opposed to one personne affected- and that's you. Brilliant.

Insists that one is personally unaffected by them (a classic MN favorite!) while claiming to rise above it all

So which of the luxury items you read about in GQ and Glamour magazines will you now be buying for your stockings?

So you're on the stuck up side then. Noted. congratulations. 🙄🤦🏻‍♀️🤣