It is June and I have finished the stockings for dh and kids

[ridingsixwhitehorses]

Ha! Mainly by going to museum ships me and the baby while on mat leave with the older kids at school and nursery. Not got the bubble bath, pants, chocolate components yet. But have got the toys.

Wind up slinky crocodiles
Cake shaped bath squirters
Dinosaur eggs that hatch a baby dinosaur
Cool pens
Glow in the dark planet stickers

(they will be 6, 4 and 1. 1 year old has just the bath squirters)

Just showing off...

[Artandco]

I don't even know what il have for breakfast this morning, let alone what anyone wants for Christmas! I do buy non last minute, but that's beginning December onwards

[DrSeuss]

Make sure your husband gives you a penny for the nail clippers. Things that cut can't be given as presents but it's OK if he "buys" them with a penny!

[CarlGrimesMissingEye]

I went to a fenwicks warehouse sale for a fridge. Didn't get that but got a huge pile of peppa pig and mike the knight toys for stockings, Christmas and birthdays (October and Nov birthdays).

I started buying in the Jan sales though. Always do. Stuff that's generic. Like I got a pop up pirate island / tent thing.

[ShesAStar]

Love hearing about everyone's preparations, has anyone else seen the dotcomgiftshop sale? Last night I bought a few things there, some real bargains to be had! I also got a load of bits and bobs for DD's stocking in the Accesorize sale a few days ago - 50% off in most cases. Also the John Lewis summer sale had a few bits, I got The Cube board game to play on Christmas Day for half price.

Phaidon books did a fab sale and I got a few books for cousins and my parents.

I've also bought tickets to see The Snowman ballet on the 22nd December.

Every year I start the stockings when the summer sales start, I love Christmas, all the planning and present buying. I'm hosting for the first time this year so looking forward to it even more than usual.

[TelephoneTree]

I've started ours too - giant marbles, finger lights, drinking straw glasses...

[Methenyouplus4]

Would be great if people could add links to the stocking filler stuff they've purchased.

[SillyMoomin]

I've found my home everyone in rl thinks I'm strange for already thinking about Christmas

[georgetteheyersbonnet]

Hahaha, I am so definitely not

Christmas shopping is for me a perfect displacement activity to distract me from my appalling inefficiencies elsewhere in life

[Floggingmolly]

You are efficiency personified, georgette

[georgetteheyersbonnet]

Oh my, I have found my people

I bought loads of stuff for DD's stocking last year and in the Jan sales. To be honest, I probably have enough for some for 2017 as well I love love love Christmas shopping and organising, and last year's Christmas was a bit grim for various reasons, so I guess I was distracting myself by shopping early in the sales. I always buy bits throughout the year, too (only yesterday bought some navy, red and sparkly gold hair clips, £2.99 in H&M, for DD's stocking).

Obviously I'll need to get choc nearer the time, but so far, I have:

• aforementioned hairclips;
  
• wind-up dinosaur in an egg, Paperchase sale
  
• sparkly bubble bath that looks like a snow globe, Boots sale
  
• an actual mini snow globe, Primark
  
• finger puppets from IKEA
  
• mini snowman soft toy
  
• light up disco wand from Tiger
  
• novelty pencil and mini notebook
  
• sparkly hair bobbles, John Lewis sale
  
• Christmassy stickers, Paperchase sale
  
• tiara-style alice band, mothercare sale
  
• plus a spare Charlie and Lola Christmas magazine that I bought last year and forgot to give DD (she won't notice the date!)
  
• fish game, Tiger
  
• penguin fingerless gloves, John Lewis sale
  

I'll also get some small bits of edible stuff nearer the time - choc coins, satsuma, apple and a couple of mini choc items. Wow, I have more already than can probably fit in DD's stocking Maybe I am going a bit overboard with this early Christmas thing

I've also got a Snowman and Snowdog book and toy, a couple more Christmassy books for advent, and DD's Christmas dress in the sales! Father Christmas will bring a tree present of reasonable size (possibly a bike this year). She'll probably get a few other small bits and pieces, like some clothes, a DVD or two, and some more chocolate from us, plus a larger present. We don't spend too much, and this year we are going to be skint, so part of my early present buying is to spread the cost throughout the year, as for various reasons connected to DH's job, we will be worse off in the winter than we are earlier in the year.

I've also so far got loads of things (also in sales mainly) for relatives' and friends' children - great Christmassy books and small gifts for pennies in some cases. Eg. in January The Works had Alfie's Christmas and some other nice Christmas books in their 10 books for £10 offer - I ordered a stash and they will make perfect toddler presents, along with with some Christmassy choc like a choc Santa or coins, and only costing £1 each!

Only problem is storing all the bloody stuff between now and December

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

I start buying Stocking gifts in October time , not specifically looking but if I see something they might like.
My DD is a June birthday (so anything I buy now goes in her Birthday pile)
My DS is December but likes money,games and more money (he saves everything he gets)

So things like Hawkins Bazaar bits (I got him a Zombie Mask last year), quirky stationary, books, jewellry for DD, bath bits.
Things that are useful, not expensive and no plastic tat .
He'll be 17 she'll be 14.6 this Christmas. Still not too old for Stockings.
Or Christmas Eve Hampers

[ridingsixwhitehorses]

That is very true Ovo. Puuuuurt!

[megletthesecond]

Marking my place to start doing this. I've already bought a couple of presents, should make a stocking list.

[SisterViktorine]

We don't do a stocking but have these sorts of things in Christmas Eve Box. I have bought one thing and have the rest on amazon list- I am held up by DS's August birthday.

[OvO]

My DC are going to have brilliant stockings this year as my local Hawkins Bazaar closed and had massive reductions. No-one outgrows fart putty.

[Ladybirdturd]

Well done! I got a few bits during the boxing day sales. I need to do a stock take

[NorbertDentressangle]

Reading this has reminded me that a few weeks ago I did in fact buy a stocking present. It is unlike me to start so early but it was one of those situations where I knew I wouldn't find that thing again ......trouble is I'm buggered if I can remember what it was I bought or where I've put it

[VulcanWoman]

This is great to do when the kids are young, but I found as my son got older, his taste changed from one week/month to the next, so I couldn't do this any more

[WhirlwindHugs]

I buy stocking stuff as and when (not food though!) and realised earlier in the year I had bought enough before christmas 2015 to not need anything this year!

They're getting:
Little colouring pencil sets
Make your own character box kits
Socks
Funky biro
Lego blind bag
(in december I will buy chocolate too)

[TheMightyFoof]

I've bought almost all DD's presents - she'll be 19 this Christmas so I'm resisting the temptation to go overboard as I always have done, buying so much stuff it takes over an hour to unwrap Just a few nice clothing bits, some very fancy shoes and a new iPod. I've also sorted her stocking. Guaranteed I'll be twitching come November though! Also bought a few things for DH - I bought him a beautiful silk and wool jumper in the January sales and have picked up books, whiskey etc over the past few months.

So pretty organised, not much else to do!

[Floggingmolly]

Ah, fair enough

[ridingsixwhitehorses]

www.canitgobad.net/can-chocolate-go-bad/

[ridingsixwhitehorses]

Yep! If they've not gone weird. In clear wrapping so I will be able to see. It won't taste weird - is not ok one day then bad the next just because best before says so. It's not meat... And it is dh. Not a stranger!

[Floggingmolly]

You're giving him chocolates that are (or will be) three months out of date?

[ridingsixwhitehorses]

Oh I will buy the cheese in my last
minute dash to buy knickers and bubble bath and the rest of the stocking stuff!