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...

You can order mystery boxes online

Awh! I know if that was my friend id be more than happy to do that..I enjoy buying things that make people happy. I know you'd probably never trust a stranger on the net,but id happily order stuff and get it posted to you. Everyone deserves a few gifts at Christmas!

Have a look online for buying mystery unclaimed parcels, at least it would be a surprise!

Another bookstore that does this is Hatchards.
They say:
After a consultation with one of our expert booksellers, the most appropriate book for the subscriber is hand-picked each month and delivered to their door in our beautiful gift-wrap.
It costs £200 per annum for paperbacks and £300 for hardbacks.
It sounds like a lovely way to get a surprise if you like books.

Ideally you would have another single friend create a stocking for you and you create one for her with the only requirement being an equal budget.

I would buy myself chocolates, those mini bottles of prosecco/ baileys, bath bombs, a book if you read (might not fit in a stocking but the idea is a self care sort of package) and then have a lovely relaxing Christmas.
When all the family stuff is over for me this is how I treat myself in those days between Christmas and new years, love to read a book in the bath and just graze on all the food still about.

Love this! 💝

Love this! 😍
Going to do it. Great suggestion!!

It’s a bit late this year but a couple of years ago I made myself a stocking. I put some fun cheap things that I’d like but wouldn’t normally buy for myself in my online basket and bought it a day or two later without really looking. Then when it arrived I put a blanket over the parcel so I couldn’t see anything and wrapped tissue paper around the items, then put the stocking in a cupboard. By the time it came to open them it was a lovely surprise because I couldn’t remember some of the things and definitely hadn’t seen them in person but liked all of them (because I’d chosen them!).

They were the type of thing I wouldn’t ask anyone else to buy and would feel silly buying myself normally (e.g. one of them was a squishy fidget thing) but it was great for my inner child 😄

I really don’t know a solution but I used to have a lady on my team and after I’d done the usual team gifts I would later give her something extra and say a little thing for u to open on Christmas Day. If the other staff had found out it wouldn’t have looked like favouritism as her and I didn’t get on great 🤣 I just couldn’t bare the thought of someone not having a thing to open in Christmas Day.

Omg I love this idea

For those who were interested it was the company Santa Sorted that I saw recommended on here

I make my own wintery bookish advent calendar & love opening it up til Christmas and beyond - something fun I do for myself. Love that you are making a stocking for yourself!

Take this opportunity to properly give yourself permission to get things you wouldn't normally; expensive face cream? Get it. Decadent edible or drinkable treats? Buy 'em. Pretty jewellery? Fuck yes. Whatever you love, BUY IT and treat yourself!

I'm 70 and have an advent calendar and stocking every year and would be very upset if they didn't magically materialise ( from where I've put them) each Christmas

I would try and buy an advent calendar; the open each box with your coffee and breakfast. Loads of different types still available

I suppose you could put things in it that you like but don't usually buy because they are too frivolous, too extravagant, too fattening?

I'll start with a chocolate orange.

The stocking has no intrinsic significance, merely a recognisable element of seasonal home décor and a practical container for gifts, positioned beyond the dog’s reach.

As for why I am buying my own gifts - my sister has kids and for various reasons is near burnout (i dont use that term lightly and i worry for her), my friends have kids and I wouldnt dream of adding to a Mother's workload, my Dad is dead and my mum is in hospital since October.

I did this last year and there was something about really caring for myself that was really validating. I bought pjs, woolly socks, a couple of novels - easy read cosy crime set at Christmas - a Lego flowers set, jigsaw, favourite chocolates, nice shower gel. Wrapped them up and loved unwrapping things that I actually wanted!

Attention please! Can all Grinches and Bar Humbugs make their way to the stage, your pantomime needs you!

I usually buy odds and ends throughout the year as potential gifts, and pop them in a bag or two at the bottom of the spare room wardrobe. I then re-visit the bag in the lead-up to Christmas and if they don't work as presents for anyone, then they may well become presents for me. I've usually forgotten some of them by this point!

Some great ideas on here. Advent calendar, mystery buys, buying and wrapping months ahead.

Oh that makes sense as to why you can't just put them under the tree!

Just get yourself something indulgent you wouldn't usually get yourself. I don't know, a fancy food treat from Harrods or F&M, a beautiful pair of earrings, amazing hiking boots... Get the store to gift wrap and delivered to your house. Unwrap this beautiful elegantly wrapped parcel Xmas morning and enjoy.

I bought myself a couple of presents this year and although I'll know what they are, I'll be very pleased unwrapping them, having not seen them til Xmas day.

I do also get a few presents from others, but I'd like to get a couple of gifts I genuinely want/need and genuinely am excited about from the person that knows me best and loves me most - myself 🤗😆

if a friend asked me to Xmas shop for them a week before Xmas I’d be a bit annoyed at the extra work load last minute (but I’d do it begrudgingly) however if they asked me back in Nov and gave me a budget I’d be more than happy to. Maybe split between 2 of your friends so that you get more of a variety of surprises

You could use a concierge service. Give them a budget and brief, surprises ahoy!