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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Should stocking gifts be wrapped?

84 replies

kidsanddogs10 · 07/12/2025 21:31

DH’s were wrapped, mine were not as a child. Not fussed either way, just intrigued to see what is the norm! Now got a 1 year old so need to decide…..

YABU - wrapped
YANBU- unwrapped

OP posts:
TeenLifeMum · 07/12/2025 22:44

categorychaos · 07/12/2025 22:37

What’s a “stocking gift”?

Gifts from Father Christmas that go in a stocking. Nothing more complex than that.

Scottishskifun · 07/12/2025 22:46

We wrap it slows them down a bit and it also rustles/makes the stocking seem fuller.

TwooooDoooozenRoses · 07/12/2025 22:47

Zahara179 · 07/12/2025 21:32

Wrapped definitely. A stocking only sounds right if the wrapping paper crinkles when you pick it up.

Exactly. And mum needs to hover with the bin bag for said wrapping paper or ultimately it’s not truly Christmas.

Original poster
kidsanddogs10 · 07/12/2025 22:49

Thank you for all the answers! I suppose I’ll be wrapping, good point about slowing them down 👍🏼

OP posts:
BCKMA · 07/12/2025 22:49

No wrapping for stocking gifts here. I’m always out of steam by then!

Gardener82 · 07/12/2025 22:52

Wrapped, in different paper then the rest of the presents.

mostlylovinglife · 07/12/2025 22:52

I have always done all the wrapping in my house - DH once berated me for not wrapping stocking presents - when I said he could wrap them if he wanted…they remained unwrapped.

splendidpickle · 07/12/2025 22:53

It's never occurred to me to wrap them, that's what the stocking is for! But I think we clearly do much smaller, less impressive stockings than lots on here. They only have things like chocolate, hot chocolate bombe, mini notebook etc

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 07/12/2025 22:53

Wrapped apart from any chocolate / sweets.

Half the fun on a stocking is the unwrapping things!

Pancakeflipper · 07/12/2025 22:57

Most are wrapped especially the more unusual bits. But would not bother wrapping up a pencil/box of tictacs/lottery tickets

rainbowsparkle28 · 07/12/2025 22:58

Mine were always wrapped and definitely would wrap.

theunbreakablecleopatrajones · 07/12/2025 23:00

God no.

They are in a stocking, that's the wrapping. They're only little things anyway, or they are in my house..

ravenclaworslytherin · 07/12/2025 23:05

They were always unwrapped in my house growing up, although we used pillow cases and not stockings. I don't wrap stockings presents or "Santa" presents for my kids

RescueMeFromThisSilliness · 07/12/2025 23:09

If you do go with wrapping them, use different paper for each child's stocking.

What we did was buy several large rolls of the same paper, and use the same 'santa' paper for that child's stocking presents every year. My dd is in her mid 20's now and still remembers that the presents from Father Christmas were always in the same wrapping paper every year.

Do not - I repeat - do not forget and use that paper for anything else!

MasterBeth · 07/12/2025 23:13

splendidpickle · 07/12/2025 22:53

It's never occurred to me to wrap them, that's what the stocking is for! But I think we clearly do much smaller, less impressive stockings than lots on here. They only have things like chocolate, hot chocolate bombe, mini notebook etc

But that's why it's good!

It doesn't need to be a massive present, but it's still a surprise. TicTacs? A great present to unwrap!

(The only one we don't wrap is the satsuma at the end!)

TheChosenTwo · 07/12/2025 23:16

Stocking presents are all wrapped here and always have been. They have quite big pillowcase sized ones, the older 2 (now adults) decorated them when they were tiny and now none of us can bare to replace them! The youngest came along a few years later and has one the same size.
They each get around 20-25 presents in them but now they are mostly older they are just presents that will fit in them.
the stockings being all crinkly sound so exciting, I even get so excited about them opening the presents and I know what’s in them!!

IFeelLikeChickenTonite · 07/12/2025 23:27

I buy crepe paper for this (cheap on Amazon), I screw up the paper round the stocking tat gift and stick a few pieces of sellotape round it. Rough and ready. Takes me about half an hour to do the lot (2 kids).

HolyMoly24 · 07/12/2025 23:33

Oh gosh no! Too many little odds and ends to wrap. The fact they are little gun bits unwrapped is what sets it apart from all the other bits in my opinion. Plus it’s already all contained in one wrapping - the stocking

that’s how it was when I was a kid and how it’s now with my children

thishouseisashittip · 07/12/2025 23:44

Anything that's a present should be wrapped! Why would you not wrap a present 🤷🏻‍♀️

Littlefish · 07/12/2025 23:47

Wrapped, but with different paper from anything else you wrap!

Jollyjoy · 07/12/2025 23:50

Some wrapped, some not. Usually leave sweets, lip balms, that kinda thing unwrapped. Wrap books and other wee toys or daft presents. Always include a wee orange and a toothbrush, often a mini cereal (unwrapped).

Pineapplewaves · 07/12/2025 23:51

Wrapped - where’s the fun in opening a bag and just taking the shopping out?!

BauhausOfEliott · 07/12/2025 23:55

Much more fun to open a stocking if the gifts are wrapped.

2025mustbebetter · 07/12/2025 23:57

Nope! I'm crap at wrapping anyway!

SimplyBudgie · 07/12/2025 23:59

Absolutely not wrapped! Jesus, talk about making a rod for your own back 😂
With 3 dc i'm so incredibly pleased that we never started wrapping stockings.

The best tip I ever read was on here. Buy two identical stocking per child. Pre-fill one and on Xmas Eve all you need to do is swap them out.

We have six identical stockings...three which the dc will lay out on Xmas Eve and 3 which are currently full, wrapped in black bags and hidden under our bed 😆

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