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

I think 'stocking filler' has come to mean a cheap present to go along with a larger main present rather than something that actually goes into a stocking. This is obviously what the Glamour article you have read has meant.

The GQ article is referring to lots of little bits to actually fill a stocking.

Unless you have small children I think stockings in the traditional sense are a waste of money.

It is for some. In our house stocking fillers are more "smaller" quality items than cheaper ones. But then again we don't do "big" presents either.

Could not agree more. A "stocking filler" should be around £5 and maybe £10 at the very most!

Mind you the idea of just buying meaningless stuff to fill an arbitrary sized object is already problematic.

There was a time when a tangerine was considered a stocking filler. Imagine the reaction at that these days.

Our parents did stockings until we were way to old. Full of things like a chocolate orange, silly putty for tradition, a pomegranate, cute stationary etc.
Loved it and continue to do it for mine.

I was thinking this precisely last night. This is the first Christmas that I’ll have with my BIL so was looking online for ideas re stocking fillers for men as was astounded that companies think people have £30 for one small,generic gift.

Tbh I just go on the posh websites to see the sort of stuff they curate and find it cheaper elsewhere.

Does anyone else ever find expensive 'token gifts' to poorer friends passive aggressive?

A few years ago, someone briefly in my circle spent a fortune on small but expensive designer goods, and then claimed they were just token gifts. They fell out with another member of the group because they didn't offer enough thanks for the present given, but is neurodiverse and struggles with things like thank you cards etc.

Sometimes I think it would be much simpler if we all just baked each other bread or tasty cakes... but imagine the competition then!

Stocking fillers probably shouldn't cost too much, although there are people who can genuinely afford to give and manage to do so for the right reasons.

Teenagers getting ‘Lancombe’ £30 mascara

Tbf a "Lancôme" mascara won't be £30 as it's a fake 😆

it autocorrected!

You’re never too old for a stocking filled with tat, sweets and toiletries!

I meant to quote you in my post. Very well said.

Christ, a box of tissues?!

But yeah, stockings can add up for teens. I realised that last year when I put branded socks in there.

It was every day speech first - keywords are basically “things people type into search bars”

IIRC, I had a box of tissues in pastel colours to take back to boarding school. They probably got used more for dabbing on Clearasil than mopping up tears - I quite liked my boarding school and didn't have awful homesickness. But I had some shocking spots and pimples:-)

I still get a stocking from my parents & it will have something for the bath, chocolate, satsumas, lotto scratch card, sweets, socks etc.

Yep I agree OP. I have 3 kids and their stockings are always similar (all young girls) so hair clips, chocolate coins, pens, fidget toy, lip balm, socks etc. I wouldn’t spend £25 on a stocking filler that would be main presents territory. However small…

Well you could if you wanted to...

if there’s absolutely no definition of a stocking filler
present small enough to fit into a Christmas stocking

works for most of us 😂
We all have different budget, priorities and interests.

I'd rather spend £25 on a small gift that will make them really happy, instead of wasting money in poundland for plastic bits that will end up in the landfill.

I don't buy cheap tat to fill Gift Bags at parties, I am not buying cheap tat for Christmas.

You are not superior, sorry to disappoint you.

I had a hot pink Groovy chick mug, I think I got it one Easter with some chocolates stuffed inside. It was my absolute fave mug for the next 2 decades. Was so gutted when it broke!

Some fairly wealthy people might have a budget of £500, spend half on stocking presents and then do one or two big presents.

It's hardly surprising somewhere like GQ who rely on advertising revenue from high end retail brands, would suggest splurging on stocking presents.
They want to tell their advertisers that their demographic is all A/B. So they put a load of 'aspirational' content to make it look as if their readers are rich.

To me, a stocking filler is about size not price. Small things in the stocking, anything else under the tree.

Why does 'filler' allude to frivolous or cheap? That's an association you have made, not a universal one.

YANBU at all. Stocking fillers should be cheap.

Also, it doesn't apply to teenagers but I'm always surprised when I see kids' toys openly advertised in shops as 'stocking fillers' given the overlap between children who still believe in Santa and children who are able to read. It gives the game away a little!

there was a time when a satsuma was a luxury item. Now I put them in their pack lunch and it's something they can munch on at home at times when they are not allowed "snacks".

I also put one in the stocking filler because it's a funny tradition, but you really can't compare the times.

Well l think most people agree with it unless they’re minted.

I’m so curious about this. I often see mention of toothbrushes for stockings on Mumsnet.

How is a toothbrush a present? Are we talking fancy or novelty ones?