Stockings on a budget- DSs 12 and 7 1/2.

[merlin]

My DM on the birth of DS1 made a beautiful patchwork stocking and then another one for DS2. The only problem is they are enormous- about 2 ft in height and 10 inches across! Any ideas for nice, useful things that don't cost the earth?!

I always put in matching character socks and boxers ( that reminds me I still need to get the socks!)
Bubble bath for the little one, lynx for the 12 year old.
Expanding flannels
A magazine/ annual if it would fit
Plenty of sweets/ chocolate
Little lego sets
Ermmm not sure what else as I only have a 3 year old but HTH!

sports direct sells footballs for £2.99 or 2 for a fiver. They also have tracksuit boots and sweatshirts from around £4 each. Hats, gloves and scaves are cheap and useful.

Wilkinsons sell large colouring books and sticker books for £1 plus plenty of other cheap stationary. Pens, rubbers, bendy rulers, pencil cases all come in handy.

If you have a pondland near you they are selling a mans form wash, umbro

spray and mens shampoo which would probably appeal you your 12 year old.

The Works has an enormous book which is a sort of Where's Wally with Christmas pictures. it would take up lots of space. They also sell quite a few cheap but bulky activity sets etc. Also there are enormous turkey foil.sized packets of jaffa cakes in the shops at the moment.

Neither of those are useful, sorry. Aldi are doing a skiwear special this Sunday with cheap thermals, ski gloves, snow boots etc. It might be worth checking out their website to see if any of it would be useful for your lot.

Inflatable things (guitar, saxophone etc...), and blow them up.

Pound land is your friend here, loads of little things that once wrapped, will look like loads. :) it's what I have done for DD1, as money is tight this year.

a pack of those variety-pack cereals (small packs of CocoPops and Frosties etc.)

my DC still LOVE these as we don't buy them usually

Packet of biscuits.
Packet of crisps.
Can of coke or some other usually forbidden fizzy drink.
Magazine.
Some cheap pens.
A notebook.
Pencil case.
A loo roll!
A bag of apples/grapes/ satsumas (this only works if the DC are fruit-mad)
Pants - each pair wrapped separately.
Socks - see above
Lynx type thing for the older boy
Very cheap memory stick
Mouse mat
Coaster
Silly poster
Mug
Glass
Etc etc

The thing is to have a lot of presents to open, ime. I have four DC. I aim for about 12 stocking presents. Some years there wasn't much money, so I just found whatever I could that I thought would delight them. A can of coke before breakfast on Christmas Day is pretty delightful to a DC who isn't usually allowed it at all, for instance.

Fart putty £2
Nerf micro gun
Pencil case

Thanks all- some great ideas there! Def a football cos that will fill up the toe bit then I can probably getaway with fewer large things on top!

Classic DVD , Disney, etc for the LO, for 12 yo, something like planes, trains automobiles, or airplane. You can pick them up in HmV, Tesco etc for a couple of pounds. Sellotape them to a jumbo pack of popcorn.

Favourite magazine/comic
PJs
Don't forget satsumas.
Cheep cushion for their bedroom
Frisby
Tin of sweets
Big lollypop

Loo roll????