Anyone else doing their own stocking..?

[Misty9]

Dh is a wonderful man in many ways, but present buying is not one of them. So to spare him the pain this year I said don't worry about my stocking.

But, stockings have been such a big part of my Christmas memories that I'm now regretting this and wondering about doing my own stocking...but is this bit sad? My mum always sorted her own and they're divorced now

Anyone else doing their own stocking?

No, because (a) I'm an adult and adults don't get stockings and (b) it would be totally pointless.

Ever since we had children and did stockings for them, I've done my own stocking. DH will put something in sometimes and will get me a gift but I do my own stocking - it is safer that way. I also do stockings for every adult in the house overnight (often have brothers in law/sisters in law/parents in law/parents staying)- bit of a pain but it is part of my christmas now and I do love putting them up and watching people's faces the next morning.

We're happily married more than 20 years if that helps.

Sorry but that would be really sad and pointless. Either you do stockings for each other or don't do them at all. Surely making an effort to get presents for each other should be reciprocal just as making an effort in the relationship is something both of you do. Being "crap at presents" or whatever is not an excuse. Having said that if you have children and do stockings for them as well as all the other Christmas presents maybe you should skip stockings for the adults to make your lives easier? Depends how important it is to you and how much effort your DH is willing to make.

Would it actually make you happy though? Opening a stocking full of gifts you've bought for yourself. That would leave me feeling a little dejected to be honest.

I should have said, we've got two dc under four and I'm sorting theirs. To me stocking fillers are either small thoughtful items or jokey things; both categories lost on dh! He's a very practical person and doesn't see the point. He will get me presents, don't get me wrong, he's just never understood my obsessive thing about stockings.

I did mine last year, mostly coz bought for DCs and DH and didn't want to be left out. This year told DH that he needed to do it. I've bought chocs, with him and for everyone, socks BOGOF, a pair each for me and DD, and a perfume in Boots coz he was working and couldn't check price. Would love to wake up to a surprise stocking though

In that case Misty, just do stockings for the kids and not DH. You still get the fun of doing theirs. IMO it's only fun if you know the recipient will appreciate it, and it's not fair if he's not doing one for you. You can always get him a couple of small presents if you want and just not put them in a stocking.

I'm getting DP, XDP who is staying at Xmas and myself a stocking each, which will have a book, a tshirt and a Terry's chocolate orange in.

I think it's a great idea. A good excuse for buying all those little bits you don't really need but would like.

I'm doing an advent 'calendar' buying 24 little bits (nail varnish, chocolate, bracelets etc) and the DCs will pop a few things in so that I get some surprises. Dp will buy me some prezzies too, but he has already bought himself a chocolate advent calendar so I figured I'd sort myself out with something a bit more interesting than tasteless plastic chocolate!

I don't have a stocking. I can't remember at what age they stopped and I remember putting up a bit of resistance but adults in my family have never really hung up xmas stockings. If I were you I'd either -

1. Tell your DP to do a stocking (he can ask us for ideas!).

1. Don't do any adult stockings. You can do a gift bag under the tree with 'bits' for him if you've got them.

1. Do one for yourself, but only if you can really see it as treating yourself to some things you want. I think the magic of a stocking is kind of about not knowing what is in it, or at least not having put it there.

1. Do a stocking for DP but fill in it with things that are obviously for you, and say there must have been a mix up .

I have done my own stocking before - mostly just so the children think that Father Christmas doesn't hate me.

But, I won't bother this year as I just couldn't be bothered to wrap and unwrap the stuff last year and it did make me feel a bit dejected I guess.

DH just not good at that stuff - good at big presents but not stocking fillers. However my sister and I now buy each other little presents at Christmas and she can be trusted to pick small/thoughtful things. Could you agree to do one with your mum/friend/sister instead?

I've bought a few things that I want and DH is going to give the money and wrap. He's pretty good though so I think there will be one or two surprises in there. I wanted smellies and makeup and wanted to choose them.
I love doing stockings :) My mum also does DS a stocking and a joint one for me and DH, we open these on Boxing Day.

I do my own like a Pp said, I use it as an opportunity to buy little nice things that I can't usually justify during the year.

And dc are only small so it would look a bit like fc 'forgot' me :( (or I'd been very very bad)

Dad delegated Mum's stocking to me as soon as I was old enough to be given cash and go into town on my own!
I do half my stocking, and DH tops it up (ie I choose the calendar, and some odd bits I'd like, or send him a selection of items on Amazon). There are always some surprises.

All adults get stockings. But then reading the thread about how many presents you get everyone, maybe stockings make up for the lack of presents everyone gets (ie one or 2 each)?

Oh, and no wrapping stocking presents - the sock IS the wrapping.

I do bits and so does my husband. I buy chocolate coins, some oter edible bits, face masks, nail varnish, chrismas shower gel, maybe some glittery eye shadow or something, maybe Christmas earrings? Oh and all of us get socks and pants! I like it, I've bought myself something to save for Christmas Day! Deffo edible stuff as we will try and keep ourselves up in the bedroom for an hour or so as we are at my mum and dads house :-)

I have never understood why people would buy and wrap gifts for themselves. You say he gets you a gift, just not a stocking, so skip the stocking.

we have never done adult stockings so it's just the children that get them

We dont always buy a main gift for each other, so we do a stocking instead. Silly things like tweezers, chocolate coins, paper clips etc. Generally though DP gives our adult dd £20 and she does it for him. It works well as I can brief her on what I want!

God I'm sorry but buying and wrapping presents for yourself just seems really sad to me. Why bother?
I used to love stockings but they are a child's thing - its a Santa thing and Santa doesn't come to adults.
If DH only bought me one gift and I was sad about that I would plan a day out and pick up some treats I wanted - probably in the sales.

I'd let it go. It's a treasured memory of childhood and you are an adult. You are forcing something which isn't 'real' anymore.

But surely all dc know that Father Christmas only brings presents to children?
He does get you presents, just not a stocking. Buying and wrapping your own stocking would be so PA and a bit sad, sorry. I'd feel crap opening it and faking excitement over it.
Just leave the stockings to the children.

I am surprised at how many adults 'do' stockings! I had always assumed it was just for kids. What the hell have I been missing out on for the last 30 years!!

Everyone gets a stocking in our house and I volunteered to do my mum's as soon as I was old enough to know that she did her own. I still help my dad to do hers and I'm in my late thirties. DH does mine but does like some general ideas.
If your DH isn't good at ideas, can you give him a list of things that are possibilities eg black socks, black volumising mascara, a nice handcream, chocolate etc and the surprise will be which things he picks. Then maybe next year he will be better at doing it on his own.
The stocking is a big part of Christmas for me. I'd cope without it, but I shouldn't have to. It's not about the expense, it's about the excitement of a lumpy, bumpy sock full of mystery! If you feel the same, you have to tell him.

I'll be honest. My mum used to buy her own present from my dad and wrap it and do the gushing surprise bit.
I knew this when I was about 10.
I love my mum but I found it hideously cringy. It made her look awful and fake. I used to watch this unfold dying inside at the charade. It also looked grasping because I knew she chose what she wanted because she didn't want to risk my dad choosing something not right. And it made my dad look like a dick.

Children arn't stupid. I would never ever fake a present thing. It's awful.

I absolutely love getting a stocking from dh, and equally love doing one for him. It's one of my favourite parts of Christmas morning, the two of us plus dd unwrapping ours together. It's mostly inexpensive daft stuff - mine always includes a new keyring and some chocolate and a satsuma, but occasionally also some Chanel or some jewellery. I'd quite happily just get a stocking and no main gift. They're ace.