Great small stocking presents?

[KoalaWithAGrudge]

Looking for ideas.

Kids aged 4, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 11.

11yo has told me, point blank, that she doesn't want a stocking. She will have one put up but I'm putting toys for her pets in it and a small gift card- at least she's sorted, and she's since decided having a stocking isn't actually a very good idea! I'd have stopped but the young ones are still at the magical age.

4 and 5yos (two boys, and a girl) are all animal mad, prank mad, anything messy, of traditional or with the potential to argue over. 6 and 8yo are fairly average- anything for their age group is swallowed up.

What are you getting your DC/any ideas for mine?

Mine are 5 and 8 and ideas so far are bouncy balls, craft kit, lego mini figures, joke tricks, silky spring, top trumps and some sweets / choc. Then they get something they have asked Santa for like a small lego kit.

My dd is 2. She is getting a chocolate Santa, peppa pig expanding flannel, bubble bath, bath crayons, mini tubs of playdoh, hair bobbles and slides and a Christmas tube of sweets in hers.

Hawkins Bazaar is your friend!

Miracle Berries. They make sour things eg lemon taste sweet. Cooooool.

Dds have tattoos, nail polish, cupcake lipgloss, felt tips, magnetic ear rings, post it notes, tube of Xmas sweets, chewing gum, pencil case, choc coins.

My lot always have small toys, a chocolate orange, a real orange and knickers!

Poundland has some bits and pieces like craft books.

Lidl has huge chocolate Santas and tubes of sweets for a pound each (good for bulking out stockings)

Wilkinson has a little pocket money section which has little toys which is worth browsing.

I got some bits and bobs from here last year:

www.happypuzzle.co.uk/

Plus, they always get some funny socks, a new toothbrush, sweeties, fruit and coins, a book or two and when younger a small soft toy peeking out the top :)

I've used this site for lots of bits and bobs www.funkydorypartybags.co.uk - look under party bag fillers
they also do fab santa sacks for only £6.00 www.funkydorypartybags.co.uk/personalised-santa-sacks-248-c.asp

DD (7) and DS (4) will be getting socks, pants, chocolate coins, chocolate Santa, chocolate reindeer, a clementine, a carton of juice, a packet if mini cheddars, a pencil, a rubber, stickers, hand tattoos, sticky thing that you throw on glass, hair clips (DD), kitchen timer (DS), kazoo/swanee whistle and fingerpuppets (from the toy box, reused every year) tooth brush, tooth paste, a comic.

Have you considered a 'useful' stocking theme that continue through the years to build up essentials for adult life? Honestly not as dull as it seems... my stockings from the age of around 8 were themed around building up cooking stuff (rolling pin, pastry cutters, pizza cutter, garlic press etc), a sewing kit (pin cushion, needles, pinking shears etc) and a tool box (hammer, screwdriver etc etc). First year also got 3 boxes under the tree to put my 'grown up' things in for safe keeping.

Now, well over a decade since my last stocking, I am still grateful for my toolbox and sewing kit both of which are used probably weekly (although to be honest most of my cooking stuff got lost during the uni years!)

Love the useful stocking idea!

The MiracleBerries sound amazing. Sadly they are obsessed with sour they love sucking lemons. Bleugh.

Lemon drizzle - thAt's genius! Your parents were inspired. Will be adopting that as DCs get older

DD is too small as yet but I used to love little puzzles and crafty things in my stocking - crystal garden, kaleidoscope, Rubik's cube, felt animal sewing kit, friendship bracelets kit - stuff like that is great for the 5-9 age group.

Make your own bouncy ball kit was a huge hit with my DD a year or two back and very easy to do. I have seen them cheaper so worth shopping around.

Friend's DD had magnetic earrings for her birthday recently and they were great - will be getting some for DD's stocking.

The Range is great for stickers, stationery, mini craft kits including scratch art, painting and colouring by numbers. They do a friendship bracelet kit for £1.99 which is basically various embroidery threads and a disc with notches for 'weaving'. Looks v. basic but makes really lovely cord bracelets.