how to fill a stocking if you're single

[BeQuirkyMintScroller]

I'm single and live alone. My friends all have children and busy costly family lives etc so we stopped doing presents for each other eons ago. No big deal honestly!

One of them suggested getting absolutely hammered, ordering a load of stuff from amazon and putting the boxes straight under the tree for xmas morning. It's a creative solution I admit!!😂 trouble is I don't get memory blanks from being drunk and the boxes wouldnt fit in my lovely new velvet stocking anyway.

I also wondered about transferring someone money and saying "surprise me" so they're not out of pocket but that's asking for time & effort from them, which isnt fair.

It's totally not big deal and isnt what Christmas Day is about of course! I'll take the dog for a lovely walk somewhere new and be grateful to be healthy. But would be nice to unwrap something with my morning coffee this year

If anyone has a solution...pray do tell...

Not quite what you’re asking but could you buy an advent calendar from a company you love (Selfridges still have some in stock) to open throughout the day on Xmas Day? Have a lovely day. A walk somewhere new sounds heavenly.

Maybe I'm a Grinch but I really don't get why adults need stockings.
Stockings are for kids, surely?

Stockings are for anyone that wants a stocking.

This is amazing thanks! Single parent here who doesn’t get any presents so this is such a fab idea!! I didn’t know they existed for adults.

Life is short and hard. So what if an adult wants a stocking?
I get really frustrated by this notion that Christmas is just for kids. Does that mean all childfree people shouldn’t be allowed to enjoy it?

Plenty people u insensitive b try reading posts properly and being a bit considerate of others and try to see reality for some people around u for ur New Year’s resolution. Hope u get nothing for Xmas u don’t sound like ur on anyone’s nice list

This made me cry. you sound like an incredible mum and an amazing person. Have a wonderful Christmas with your LO.

Just wanted to say I think this is lovely. I talk to myself all the time so this is just a more structured version. Not dissimilar, on New Year’s Eve I write down my regrets/bad things from the year and burn them so I don’t carry them into the New Year. Probably sounds really silly but I feel lighter going into the NY

Because she is single and just wants the fun of opening a surprise from under her tree.

Some email stores do mystery boxes so you maybe able to get one of them. It's usually selling end of stock cheap. If you can't find one now, and it probably wont arrive in time anyway, you could keep it in mind for next year. If you are still single then of course.

When I was single and the kids little I used to order pre-filled stockings for all of us. In more recent years I’ve bought myself a treat item to wrap and put under the tree. Books, a new phone, etc - things that I’m excited to buy myself and want immediately but wrap and put under tree to generate some anticipation.

Now my children are adults I usually get something that is a surprise so that’s nice.

Lots of places do a 'Mystery box' type thing. So you'll know the theme or where it's come from, but you won't know exactly what's in it.

I’ve seen National Trust secondhand book shops, and some charity shops, have wrapped books so the book is a ‘surprise’

I do. I'm a single parent, who else is going to fill it? There's been years I've been so skint I've put stuff I already had in it, made my little one happy to see me get a stocking too.
Just buy yourself gifts OP.

Someone posted here a while ago floating a 'surprise gift' business idea for people in exactly your position, OP. The idea was that you'd provide a budget and ideas of the kind of things you'd like, and she'd send you wrapped gifts for your special occasion. I don't know whether the poster went ahead with it, but someone might offer this service if you have a google. I thought it was a good idea, not only for single people but it could also work as a kind of 'gift agent' service for anyone who is time-poor or 'bad' at choosing gifts, and needs to buy gifts for someone else.

What? That’s nuts

treat yourself to some nice bits: clothes, new makeup, new perfume, jewellery and enjoy them

Or get yourself a luxury advent calendar

How about buying one of those books that are already wrapped with just the genre on the cover. So even though you know it's a book it would be a surprise on Xmas day

I mostly buy my own gifts. I don’t mind that I don’t get surprises, I just want treats! This year I have bought a car but obviously that doesn’t happen every year! To be honest I could have bought myself lots of stuff in the Black Friday sales like clothes and cosmetics, and only didn’t because I was too busy to shop that weekend, but those would normally be my Christmas presents to myself. And lots of treats to eat and drink.

Absolutely enjoy it but I don't get being sad that you don't have a stocking which is essentially for kids is all.

Are adults also upset not to have advent calendars to open? Is that also a thing?

I agree with you on the china but not on the gifts. I buy myself things I need year round but wouldn’t buy myself fancier versions or frivolous things.
At Christmas I set a budget and let myself buy the things I really want, that might be L’occitane shower stuff instead of the cheapest supermarket one, a recently released book that isn’t in the library yet, Elemis cleanser instead of Superdrug, a box of chocolates from the chocolate shop in town, a new pair of pyjamas or a jumper that I don’t really need but just saw and liked…Waiting until Christmas instead of just buying to use as and when makes it more exciting and feel more special. Plus I’ve historically had quite a low income so couldn’t afford to buy these things just because and that mentality has stuck with me. I love getting some things that I consider treats at Christmas and for my birthday and they only feel more special because I don’t just buy them year round.

I would absolutely love to do this for a friend but wouldn't be able to afford it. So if someone offered me money towards doing it for them I would love it! I love that so many people have given you good ideas and I hope you have a lovely Christmas OP🎄

I have this issue too OP. I know what all my gifts are because I bought them all as without family or close friends, I don't get anything.

This year I have come across a few charity shop lucky dips so have bought a few of those so I will have a couple of surprises even if they're not necessarily my taste.

Ive always thought, if I was in this situation, I’d buy myself a gift I wanted from January to June and wrap them at the time and put straight in my stocking. I’d probably have forgotten what I’d bought so would be a nice surprise to open on Christmas morning!

I know this won’t help for this year OP but maybe something to think about for next.