Cost of filling stockings

[Artandco]

How much on average Does it cost you to fill stockings? And what's in there roughly?

Iv just added up and both childrens are at around £50, dhs £75+... I don't think there is excessive stuff in them either

As an example, ds1 ( age 4) has:

• long sleeved t-shirt -£18
• roald Dahl book -£5
• mini Lego set -£10
• choc coins -£3
• small art Stetch book -£8
• mini stadtler pens -£8
• will add satsuma and walnuts - free from fruit bowl

That's similar each year, and ds2 has one of same vibe. I don't mind spending that, but it did surprise me tbh how quickly it adds up. I like them to be useful things that they actually need also due to lack of space!

hmmm our stockings look big enough but nothing much actually fits in them.
two dds each is getting a frozen doll one anna one elsa the soft beanie type ones, and a chocolate snowdog. ive also gotten them pink fluffy earmuffs and a pair of frozen slippers each. i may get a few crayons/stickers for in there too and thats it. i suppose about £30 each. they are getting plenty of main presents and loads more from family the place will be over run again. they also have gotten a stack load of new clothes for christmas and beyone. im get a little bit carried away with the clothes shopping.

i have got nothing yet for DH but i will get around to that this week. all his presents will most likely fit in the stocking.

Mosthighlyflavoured lady - we were relatively poor-not breadline- from when DD 1 was 5 until she was 13(DH made redundant and I was main, sometimes only, bread winner for 8 years) When he did go back to full time work I stayed working and by then was quite senior/well paid so I suppose the spending at Christmas was a bit of a reaction. But my DDs never actually expected a lot, and still don't . I remember going to the ballet one Christmas (paid for by MIL who accompanied us, and BIG treat) with DD1, aged about 10 . She whispered ' it's very hot in here mum. If it's not too expensive could I please have a drink' I think I realised I'd gone a bit far in the economising.. Mine too got very little except necessities during the year -but I don't think very young children notice . I was so glad we went through our lean period before they hit their teens , when it would have been much harder. We have a very small family and I suppose it was an attempt to make Christmas special and memorable. It was the excitement of unwrapping lots of small things they remember, not the actual presents

This is our first time of doing stockings, as last year 4yo DD got thoroughly fed up of opening presents and it became a bit of a chore.
So this year, she can open her onesie with matching dolly onesie on Xmas Eve, and in her stocking (unwrapped) is:

toothbrush
magic facecloth
make up compact
tube of Jelly Tots
Claires Accessories rings, bobbles and daft glasses (3 for 2)
Pinypon figure

Main present is dolls house and Elsa and Anna dolls.

I'm really trying not to be judgemental threepiecesuite but why are you buying a four year old a make up compact?

Oh maybe I've called it the wrong thing, it's this horrid thing, she's been coveting it all year. It's only lip gloss.

I try and get stuff they really want/need.

My dcs are all getting choc coins, sachet of hot choc and mini marshmallows, packet of Percy Pigs, finger lights we are clearly off the pace with those a little Christmas decoration and a satsuma. Total just under £6.

Dc1: facebox stencil set and tech gloves
Dc2: rugby gloves and torch
Dc3: rugby gloves and socks
That's about £12 each.

And a couple of DVDs each. They vary from £4-10 each. So about £30 each I reckon.

One main present under the tree plus some books (books probably stocking fillers really but they don't fit in the actual stocking. actually the DVDs may not either)

DD age 5

Mini Lego sets x 2 from newspaper £1.20
Art comic £3.50
Chocolate reindeer 99p
Satsuma 12p
Loom bands 99p
Disney princess kinder egg 82p ( this is definitely Santa as mean mummy would never buy one)
Hello kitty slippers £3.00
Plain white t shirt and fabric pens £6
Stickers £1
She will get new PJ on Christmas eve £8

Her main present is a bike, she will get 2-3 other small gifts ear muffs, DVD

Typical stocking (actual long sock) delivered by FC might contain:
Some underwear (socks or pants)
Bar of soap or mini bottle of shower gel
Small fun item e.g. mini torch/bookmark
Small puzzle or brain teaser
Hair clip/stationery
Chocolate eg Divine
Book at neck
Satsuma in toe
£20-£30

Usually keeps them busy til breakfast
Any other presents are placed under the tree and are from named individuals. Can open main present from parents before lunch. All others in afternoon.

We aren't doing a main present from us (as we are buying a present on behalf of in-laws in the UK) and they will also be receiving gifts from my mum, dad & stepmum, aunt, and my step-sister.

Kids are 4 and 1 (2 in January) and are getting:
Toothbrush ($3)
Sunglasses ($9)
Jandals ($4)
Animal whistles ($4)
Wooden animal puzzles from Tradeaid ($5)
Stickers ($1)
Balsa plane kit (if DH actually buys them like he intended)

About 12-15 pounds in total (we are in NZ therefore the sunglasses and jandals are practical at the moment)

Stockings are my absolute favourite part of Christmas. I have to stop myself buying stuff. I love them. Dc only get one main present, this year it is bikes, second hand. I think I feel they need these anyway, as they have been using their almost comedically small bikes for the last couple of months, and they are enthusiastic bikers, dc 3 bikes to school with his knees knocking the handlebars. So for me the bikes are not a luxury item.
So I have let myself go a bit this year, usually I would spend about £40, this year I think I have spent more, but I don't want to add it up as I think I would lose my happy glow.

Well FC does our stockings, so they get the present they ask for (usually) and then chocs, stickers, a pen, etc. This year dd1 has some dress up (Frozen) jewellery & they both have a battery operated t/brush that was an end of line bargain at $5!

can I ask. Do you wrap everything in the stocking? I do, but I mentioned it in conversation at school and another mum said I was mad. she just put them all in.
l think the unwrapping is the fun part

I use tissue paper, so it's not the same as other presents. Got some lovely gold star stuff this year. But yes, definitely wrapped, that's half the fun.

I use coloured tissue paper - one colour for each stocking so it's easy to fill them quickly late on Xmas eve when a little tipsy from Baileys

There's no way I'd have them unwrapped - just tipping everything out onto the bed wouldn't be the same!

Our DDs are in their 20s. They still have stockings and the maximum price per gift is £6. But only one or 2 gifts are supposed to. cost that much. I manage to get good gifts for less than that by buying 3 for 2 or by one get one free bargains. Stocking presents are not wrapped here.

£5 each. DP's family are all here for Christmas, so we're doing stockings for 5 nieces/nephews as well as DP's daughter. I went to Poundland, so they each have 5 things, e.g. stepDD (age 2) has a pot of playdough, a magnetic drawing board, a toy snowman, a plastic 'Frozen' bracelet, and some chocolate coins.

But they'll get plenty of other gifts. We just give a few little things in the stocking, but I would probably give more if it was just for stepDD. We wanted to do stockings for all of them because a lot of DP's family live in a country where they don't really have Father Christmas so we wanted them to experience it.

And we wrap the stocking fillers, but in a different colour to the other presents because why would Santa have the same wrapping paper as us?

My mum is stopping over this Christmas and she's decided that she's not buying for adults anymore, just Grandchildren.

I thought fine but I'll just buy her something from the kids and do her a stocking, it will be cheaper .

I've spent more on the pissing stocking fillers than I would if I had bought her a normal gift!

My girls see the stockings as mainly choc goodies so they each have:

choc reindeer and santa (aldi) £2.29 each
two more choc packs £2 each
bouncy ball with character in from disney
store £3.50 each
one direction stationary mega clearance from sports direct lots each £4 each
poundland stationary £2 each

So maybe £15 each just hope they all fit in stocking.

Ours are over £50 each but they are huge and are entirely edible, practical or good quality. I haven't done plastic tat since my eldest ones were little. So my teens have underwear, shower gel, shaving stuff, hot choc/coffee, beer, American candy, school stationary etc and the little one has a few mini Piny Pon and Lalaloopsys, underwear, hair bobbles, felt pens, glue sticks, pipe cleaners, colouring book, chocolate, novelty plasters, cuddly Olaf and Sven from Chinese eBay seller.

DS is 4 and his will contain:

Toy story bouncy balls £2
Chocolate Santa £1
Tube of Smarties £2 (the big ones)
Toy Story Lego mini figures £20
Bath bomb baby robot £3
Disney Planes waterfall cup £4
Christmas boxers £4
Crayons £5

Mine would have come in around £20 but the Toy Story mini figures I saw today and I know he will absolutely love them, and £20 won't break the bank so I had them.

mosthighlyflavouredlady but that's your christmas, why feel deflated? I bet you all enjoy yourselves. It's down to each parent really. My colleague mentioned he and his wife were trying to cut down, but they're buying their DD(13) a laptop because she needs it for homework, and apparently it's all accessible online these days or something via the school website. They have bought their second DD a camera, both items I would consider real luxuries and not something I could afford if I was cutting back! But it doesn't make me feel flat. It makes me feel glad that my DS isn't at the age where he wants a camera or a laptop

We are going to have the BEST day on Christmas Day! I love it all! My son's excitement is enough.

Love the idea of wrapping in tissue paper!!

And zeeboo american candy is a great idea for stockings! Why haven't I thought of that?!

I haven't added it up until now but both have:-

Balloon helicopter - 2.50
Cadbury choc machine - 5.00
Annual - 3.00
Onesie - 8.00
Lego figure - 1.50
Dvd for dd, hat for ds - 3.00 and 10.00

So 23 for one and 30 for the other