What's going in the stocking?

[ArriettyMatilda]

So far it's just socks for nearly 3yo dd. I am sure she'll be thrilled I'll get the traditional chocolate coins and a satsuma but I am really stumped for ideas. Obviously it can't be huge gifts and I don't want to get things that will be discarded before Christmas day is over! What are you putting in your dc's stocking and how old are they?

[BowiesBlueEye]

Posted too early!

LED disco ball speaker
Xmas socks
Manga art set
Art journal
Dan TDM book

[BowiesBlueEye]

DS2(5)

Dan TDM plush
Lego juniors small set
Elf socks
Gummy pizza
Giant cola bottles
Kinder Santa
Choc coins
Minions coin purse
Play money
Smiggle snake puzzle
Smiggle star light
Little tykes mini activity set
Hot wheels car pack
Wipe clean maze book
Headphones
Turbo DVD
Marvel busy book
Jelly tots tube
Mashems surprise egg thing
Lego mini figure blind bag
Pencil case
Sticker sheets

[maamalady]

Oh, I forgot, my kids will always have a Lindt chocolate Santa as the top stocking item. Every year I had one poking out of the top of mine, I loved it and am really looking forward to doing the same with my children.

[BiddyPop]

DD is 10.

Every year, she gets fruit and sweets (a mandarin, a perfect red apple, a perfect green apple, a banana, and maybe 1 other piece of fruit, and a proper treat type of sweets).

Every year she gets at least 1 book - a reading book she'll enjoy, and sometimes a more reference type book that she'd enjoy too (to do with a hobby or adventures or something) or a book of jokes or an Annual or a seasonal copy of her current favourite magazine/comic.

Every year she gets something "useful" - hair bobbins (we go through LOADS!), nice knickers, socks to make her laugh, sunglasses (lots of outdoor hobbies), or something else to do with her hobbies and sports activities. Magic flannels have made appearances some years, and gone down well. I know lots do new toothbrushes. Usually such items are "not quite" what we would get her, character items when smaller or maybe a step up brand-wise etc.

And then there are always quite a few fun things.
When she was that small, things like small garden tools (little shovel and fork and gloves) went down well for digging once the weather was dry. And were great in the sandpit too.
Bottles of bubbles to use outdoors - can be used on Christmas Day if fine, but always handy.
Colours - pencils, crayons, chalks for outdoors, ...maybe even paints if you are brave enough. Or other craft materials (glue sticks, coloured paper, lollipop sticks, stickers......all sorts can be used to bulk out the stocking and used for rainy days over winter/spring).
Small jigsaws.
A set of clothes for her doll (if she has one) or extra accessories (different food for a kitchen/shop, bottle or new nappies for doll, an extra few pieces for Playmobil or Fisher Price or Duplo sets, that sort of thing).
As she got older, some smaller toys that would get used, small cars, a stuffed animal, blocks, lego, and more recently things like slinkies and "grow your own crystals" set.
A little torch has been handy a few years, the one she powered herself (press the handle to charge the light) was the one she preferred most (and I didn't have to keep replacing batteries).

I haven't tended to get a lot of cheap tat for the stockings - more things that I know will get well used over time. So spending maybe €15/20 on the gardening set seemed extravagant to lots of my friends, but she has got years of use from it!

[BiddyPop]

I've found that, other than Tiger for cheap things, there can often be more pricey but interesting and good things in places like the Museum (regular or Natural History) and National Art Gallery shops - which are nice and aimed at DCs but interesting and some bit educational.

Craft shops can be good.

For older DCs, packs of the cards they are into (soccer, rugby, the latest films or whatever) or a couple of Lego mini-figure packs or similar can be good to bulk it out a little. The type of things by cash registers in stationary or toy shops.

A pack of coloured erasable pens (not just the boring blue and black they need for school) or decent markers.

Some years, I have put a Christmas decoration in there too - not every year. Once it was a mini snowglobe - as she loves snowglobes!

The old fashioned transfer-art (rubbing) sets, or things like bouncy balls have gone down well. And the "alien in an egg" as there was NO WAY I was buying one of those, EVER!! (She'd been asking me to buy one, or let her buy one, for months and they are awful looking yokes so I kept saying no!).

Oh, and as she actually likes cooking and baking, there was an apron one year which she really liked. And we've often gotten a new water bottle - outdoor/navigation/nature/camping gear would be good for older DCs too and you might still get it on end of season deals if you're lucky.

[cheapandcheerful]

Those of you who have toddlers with huge stockings to fill...can I recommend bubblewrap? It was my 3yo dd's favourite things in her stocking last year

[NotCitrus]

Bubble wrap! Genius! Ds age 8 loves it too!

Best hit for 3 and 4yos was retractable tape measures from the pound shop. Bonus that we can actually find tape measures nowadays...

[BiddyPop]

On that theme, I did see suggestions before of a blown up balloon as well - just ordinary balloons not necessarily a helium one. Especially for smaller people!

[1122christy]

I'm pretty much finished my stockings though think Iv as usual bought too much lol Santa brings their stocking (unwrapped) which gets opened in bed then downstairs santa will have left a main present and extras are from us and family members.

Ds (8)

• hulk & whale from finding dory Pez bought from primark
  

• Pokemon rubber wristband - Aliexpress
  
• rolls of bubblegum - poundland
  

Five nights at Freddys keyring - eBay
Blind bags - ghostbusters , Lego mini figures, marvel bagtag, marvel 500, Star Wars.
Still to buy - Pokemon go book

DD1 (6)

• 2x Pez - snoopy & dory
  

Roll of bubblegum
Shopkins diary (poundland)
Snoopy mirror & lipgloss (Primark bought last year for stocking and forgot )
Shopkins blind box
Finding Dory bath confetti - Poundland
Shopkins shower gel pouch - Primark
Shopkins roller ball perfume - Primark
Pikachu necklace - Aliexpress
Blind bags - num Noms , ghostbusters, playmobil. Finding dory mashems, Care Bears , trolls.

DD2 (will be 4 Nov)

• 2x Pez Anna & octopus
  

Nemo shower gel pouch
Tinker bell roller perfume - Primark
Bambi bath confetti - poundland
Lego rapunzel bag (got last year in the free Lego from daily mail)
Finding dory mashems
Pokemon rubber bangle
Blind bags - trolls, playmobil, my little pony, ghostbusters, num Noms.

Still to get some chocolate pieces and I am getting them all a projector watch from Aliexpress. They are around £2, the 2 older ones are getting Pokemon ones and the youngest is getting a my little pony one.

[Onehellofaride]

DS
Choc coins
Legend of Tarzan DVD
Chewing gum
Socks
Joke
Felt tips
Small Lego
Now CD
Pocket telescope
Lynx shower gel
Novelty notice board pins
Chocolate crepes
Adopt a yeti
Blind bag
Bookmark
Disposable camera
Mini jam
Bike bell
Aftershave

DD
Choc coins
Alice through looking glass, secret life of pets and BFG DVDs
Mini ted baker body wash
Knickers
Blind bag
Blo pens
Diffuser
Lip balm
Pop party CD
Novelty notice board pins
Mirror
Nail file
Disposable camera
Nail varnish
Perfume
Bike bell
Olaf tsum tsum

DSS
Choc coins
Ghostbusters DVD
Chewing gum
Socks
Joke
Small Lego
CD
Spy pens
Lynx shower gel
Novelty notice board pins
Adopt Bigfoot
Blind bag
Disposable camera
Cricket ball
Tin can alley bath game
Brief notes
Bike bell
Sweets

DH
Choc coins
Caramel nuts
Mini brandy
Socks
Voucher
Hand washer for garlic
Lush soap
Hotel Chocolat chocs
Boxers
BBQ thermometer
Lottery ticket and scratch card
Car air freshener
Poo pourri
Telephone book
Spicy sauce
Middle class problems book
Oasis CD
Chocolate coffee beans

Sorry that was long

[Haudyerwheesht]

I haven't really thought about it yet tbh but probably(ds 10 and Dd 6)

Torch
Sweets
Socks
Hair stuff for Dd
Pokemon cards for ds
Toothbrush
Water bottle
Stationery
Wooden monkey toy thing
Glider
Playdoh or plasticine for Dd
Book
Disgusting jelly beans
Sponge and facecloth
Watch for Dd (ds has one)
Stick on earrings for Dd
Goalie gloves for ds

[maamalady]

Hurrah, 2yo DD1's stocking is pretty much done, aside from the chocolate and satsuma.

Still struggling to think of things for DD2 though, who will be almost 9 months at Christmas. Ideas gratefully received!

[1122christy]

For a 9 month old how about finger puppets? Or board books. Wrist rattle
Fill out the stocking with a Xmas bib, Xmas socks, Xmas hat and gloves.
Happyland and playmobil 123 figures.

[elQuintoConyo]

When DS was 3yo he got:

Slinky
Schleich animals (flamingoes and okapi, his fave!)
Small torch
Wind up chattering teeth
Whoopee cushion
Choccy coins
Pants! So exciting!
New toothbrush
Wooden snake

The slinky, teeth, whoopee cushion and snake get put back in the stocking on 7th Jan as i'm packing away - and he gets them again the following year! He loves it - like meeting old friends

[MrsMoggy]

So far for my 4 year old DS I've got for the stocking:

Gruffalo gardening fork
Gruffalo gardening rake
Zootropolis judy figure
Zootropolis Nick figure
Paw patrol lunch stacker set

So still a few more bits I need to get including chocolate/sweets

[wonderingsoul]

I really diskike partybag things in stockings as i dont have money to waste for a 2 minutie play never seen again item

So i like to put slightly more dearer things in

Pjs
Dvd
Dressing gown (if they need new ones)
Small toys like action figure
Tattoo pens

They also get a potaotoe instead of coal and i always put one in which they find funny so this year i found spud guns to go with the potatoe.

[elQuintoConyo]

Pjs and a dressing gown? Holy cow how big are your stickings?

Tbh for us those would count as under-the-tree presents (along with Playmobil and bikes etc, main gifts).

This year DS has got some random playmobil figures i have picked up from our weekly fleamarket for 50cents each and he is very into his figures so they'll go down a treat.

I saw a bug-examining thing the other day which I might also get (little plastic pot with a magnifying lense on the top). That'd be right up his street.

Oh and he has a Paw Patrol toothbrush!

[JasperDamerel]

I started buying stuff today, with a notebook for DD and some scented felt tips for DS.

[wonderingsoul]

Pjs can be squished down small lol

But my kids also have a tree in their room which their santa/stocking goes under. Their stockimg is a pillow cover so quite roomy.

[jennymac]

For DS (8) the list is:
tube of smarties
themed socks
Matey bubble bath
toothbrush
Satsuma
some arty stuff e.g. pencils, new paints

DD (10) gets:
smarties
bath bomb
lip balm
new gloves
toothbrush
Satsuma
hair accessories

I like to get things they will actually use/and or eat!

[troubleinstore]

DD16 (!)
Make up brush cleaner thingy (rubbery plastic thing??)
Christmas socks
Mascara
Bath bomb
Satsuma
DVD - not sure what yet
Harrys Hot Chocolate

[oobedobe]

This thread is great for ideas, sharing mine, here

DD1 8
Jelly Belly’s
Metal slinky
Rubiks cube 2x2
Small Lego set
Sparkly Make-up set
Washi tape set
Make Clay Charms craft book
Fingerprint doodle book
Chocolate coins
Chocolate buttons

DD2
Jelly Belly’s
Power Ponies Pack
Fairy Sticker book
Crayola stamp markers
Chocolate coins
Smarties train
Playmobil blind bag
Pink owl beanie boo medium
Hair clips

Just need to add a few more silly/odd things - I did years of 'good quality' stockings but craft sets and jigsaws get a bit boring - now I try to put lots of silly random stuff in their too. They both still play with a stretchy lizard that was in a stocking 4 years ago!

[Freezingwinter]

A little set of safari animals I picked up from Tk maxx
Little Christmassy book
Chocolate coins
Christmas socks
Christmas woolly hat

[Pengweng]

DTs are just turned 4.

So far i have:

Choc coins and a choc snowman
Bath fizzers
Rubber duck bath toy
Lip balm tubes (so they stop stealing mine)
Socks and pants
Glitter playdoh (got a 6 pack for £2.50 on amazon so just going to open it and put 3 in each stocking)
Mini sweetie pizzas
Stickers
More chocolate

I will probably get some more bits and pieces but their stockings aren't very big so not much more would fit in.