Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Original poster

Anyone else doing their own stocking..?

58 replies

Misty9 · 15/11/2014 23:35

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?

OP posts:
Furball · 16/11/2014 08:23

My parents still do a stocking for each other and they are in their eighties Smile

I do my own stocking, it doesn't bother me anymore I always find it a good excuse to get all those little bits that you want but never buy like nice gloves, expensive magazine, or a cd of whatever.

I always act surprised opening it though - a bit like mr bean with his birthday card

Sootgremlin · 16/11/2014 08:27

I had never had a 'stocking' even as a child, just presents under the tree, but when DH and I had our first Christmas together he bought me one and I woke up to it filled at the bottom of the bed. So I bought him one the next year and personalised it, then I did one the same for dc1 when he came along and now I've got to get one for dc2, so it's now a thing!

I sort the kids' ones and DH's and he does mine, but we don't really do 'big' presents for each other, just a fairly decent stocking with books, DVDs etc

I don't think I could do my own, so I'd probably just forget it or if it was important to me then I would just tell him he needed to get me a few presents, it's not that hard is it to buy a few chocolates, some perfume and a paperback or something?

I find all the comments about 'stockings aren't for adults' and 'santa only comes to children' really funny. Santa isn't real, and you can do whatever you want in your own house Grin

Finbar · 16/11/2014 08:28

I am really surprised at just how many men are 'crap at presents' or ' not good at that sort of thing' !
Why is that do you think ? Why are they allowed to opt out? Surely giving a presents is a way of showing you understand your partner and have gone to some effort for them.?

Pagwatch · 16/11/2014 08:31

Sootgremlin

He's not real! Shock

In fairness ' santa only comes to children' was in response to suggestions that adults need a stocking for the children's benefit - to keep the illusion.

blibblibs · 16/11/2014 08:37

I do all the stockings in the house, 2 DC, DM, DH & myself.

I see it as a great oppurtunity to get all the little things I want. We don't really do preaents other than stockings for adults although we did buy DH a PS4 yesterday! But I see that as an oppurtunity to buy myself something nice too.

I see what Pagwatch is saying, about children not being stupid but I'm not the gushing type at anytime of the year so hopefully they don't notice Smile although it doesn't piss me off that i do my own, I actually quite enjoy it

berceuse · 16/11/2014 08:45

We have always been bad at presents for each other - if we want something we tend to buy it.

This year I have insisted that we buy 10 presents for each other, not necessarily expensive presents and ones that will likely go in the waste of money personalised stockings that MIL had made for all of us including the dog who unfortunately doesn't use hers because she is a dog.

I have created two wish lists with about 20 things I would like and DH will buy 10 items total from them so it will be sort of a surprise. He is crap at small presents, I don't think he sees the point tbh (neither did I pre DC).

Badvocinapeartree · 16/11/2014 08:46

My sis does this :(
She buys and wraps her own gifts from her "d" h.
Because "he hasn't got the time"
My dc get a stocking...they love it :) it has a DVD, choc/biscuits, smellies, pen, bath bomb etc.
Then they get 10 parcels under the tree...some very cheap (books, joke gifts) and others not so cheap (lego, playmobil, ps3 games)
Dh and I aren't buying for each other this year...we are off to London for the weekend instead!

Pagwatch · 16/11/2014 08:47

Blibblibs
I think if you enjoy it that's fair enough Grin
I would never interfere with Christmas fun. I'm all about the Christmas fun
< jingles>

EhricLovesTheBhrothers · 16/11/2014 08:59

What?
Seriously, what?
If adults in a couple want to buy stocking gifts for each other then ok, maybe that's a nice thing to do, but if your partner isn't into it then give it up! The thought of either telling him what to buy (get me some hand cream and a mascara, but ooh surprise me when it comes to the brand) or buying and wrapping your own is utterly weird, pointless and sad.

berceuse · 16/11/2014 09:04

There is always one Hmm.

Leviticus · 16/11/2014 09:10

No because we don't do them but I'd love to. I'd fill it will all the make up and frivolities I can't justify buying but really want.

Sootgremlin · 16/11/2014 09:11

Yes, I know what you mean, Pagwatch, it did just make me giggle.

I think, like blibblibs says, if it's something you'll enjoy doing, and you can see it as an opportunity to get yourself some stuff you want then do it. If it is going to make you feel sad and annoyed at Santa DH for not doing it then don't bother.

Would your DH respond to a £20 challenge or something?

marne2 · 16/11/2014 09:16

We don't do stockings but we quite often chose our own gifts, dh is useless at buying me things unless it's a mobile phone, so I would rather chose something I will get use out of.

EhricLovesTheBhrothers · 16/11/2014 09:18

Sorry, I suppose I shouldn't weigh in on Christmas threads to be fair since I have a different perspective but come on! Buying and wrapping your own stocking at the age of 30 whatever? The thought makes me sad. If nobody wants to make you a stocking (and that's fine, not a sad thing per se) then it's so contrived to force the issue.

Neeko · 16/11/2014 09:48

Thank goodness we aren't all the same. What a boring place the world would be Smile.

Hope you have a happy Christmas whatever happens, op.

BreakOutTheKaraoke · 16/11/2014 09:57

I generally do. I am a single parent, and have a daughter who got VERY upset the year that FC didn't bring me a stocking.

DamselNotInHerDress · 16/11/2014 10:13

Sorry to whoever I bothered up thread! Regarding fc only bringing presents to the children, that's what I'd say to the dc if they ever asked why we didn't have presents.
Dp and I don't sit and write a letter and send it up the chimney. It's make believe, yes, and we go along with it, but you've got to draw a line somewhere. They accepted without question that he only brings presents to children in our house.
If you (general you, not a specific poster) and your dp are happy making stockings for each other, then fine, that's lovely, but the act of pretending in front of the family is a bit sad IMO. I'd rather have nothing than have to do a cringey performance.

GoAndDoSomeWork · 16/11/2014 10:14

Hawkins bazaar do filled stockings for £20 and am pretty sure other places do similar - maybe you could buy one of those on his behalf so at least you get the surprise and fun (and probably some of the what were you thinking ...!) element of a stocking.

inchoccyheaven · 16/11/2014 10:15

I always used to buy and wrap my own stocking fillers too and most of my other presents and exh would buy me a couple of things he had thought of himself. I did it because it was traditional to our family that every one got a stocking and I didn't want the dc questioning why I hadn't got one.

This year my new dp is going to do my stocking and vice versa and I am very excited. She says I am never going to be buying or wrapping my own presents again.

Sootgremlin · 16/11/2014 10:20

Go on, damsel, send a letter up the chimney, you know you want to Grin

They are just containers for presents when it comes down to it , whether you do them or not isn't a problem but if it's something you would like, then why not.

EhricLovesTheBhrothers · 16/11/2014 10:21

Pre-filled stocking? Shock

Choccyheaven i wonder whether that has anything to do with their respective genders? Gift buying seems such an overwhelmingly female thing in our culture. Don't get me wrong I love buying and giving gifts but lots of men don't seem to feel the same. I'm going to raise my son differently if I can :)

AliceinWinterWonderland · 16/11/2014 10:23

I do, as I am a single parent. Dcs would be upset if I didn't get anything for Christmas, and they are still too young to shop for something for me by themselves. I also buy a gift or two for myself and put it under the tree, and the dcs know it's from my mum as she gives me money to buy gifts for all of us, as she is abroad. At least I know I'm getting exactly what gifts I want. Grin

Longdistance · 16/11/2014 10:26

Why don't you just email him what you want for Xmas? If he can't be bothered to sort that, he can't really be bothered at all tbh.

My dh is useless, but he'd never get away with not getting me anything and making me do it all. He's a 42 year old grown man, who is more than capable.

RaisingSteam · 16/11/2014 10:29

I've done it before when DH has been too busy in December to get near shops. I have a happy hour in John Lewis picking up bits of stationery/haberdashery/kitchen/makeup stuff, then he wraps it. Makes sure I have at least some presents I actually like - being a middle aged female I just get "gift sets" from everyone else. DH has always had a Christmas stocking and we don't really buy big surprise presents for each other, it's just a bit of fun.

For some reason we never had stockings as kids, just pillowcases (70s) so I feel entitled to make up for lost time!

bootygirl · 16/11/2014 12:49

This is first year either of us will have stocking always did one for ds's that went with their Santa present.

I think I will make a list to pick from but will ask for ideas from dh too. I want the DS to pick something small for each of us. No Santa this yr and I want them to learn to give to others.

I am the one who finds it difficult to buy for him!!