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Christmas

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My 8 year old has never had a stocking...

43 replies

EarlGreyTeaAndToast · 25/10/2016 08:49

Well, I think she did her first year as a baby but she can't remember and neither can we really Blush To her, this has suddenly become a travesty of the highest order and she has started telling people with a dramatic tearful quiver (wannabe actress!) that she has never one 😏

And so I was thinking I would buy her one this year. Where sells the nicest most traditional stockings? I guess I ought to get one for the teenager too? I don't want a massive one, just a normal sock size I guess but a bit nicer?

Also, does anyone have any ideas when would be the best time to do it? We are in Austria every Christmas. Christmas Eve morning we ski, then we decorate a tree in the afternoon and in the early evening we tramp around the mountain in the snow with candles singing German carols. Then we go back and the "Christ Child" rings a bell and all the presents have arrived. The kids open everything and we get changed and have a big dinner.

Christmas Day we just get up, have a normal breakfast and ski all day.. The little one normally does ski school and isn't even with us. I guess Christmas Day morning would be best as that's normal in the Uk, and I will just save some little things or extra things back for then. To be honest, we buy them very little indeed anyway. Although if anyone ever needs to know this, there are very few stockists of sylvanian families in Austria and after a fruitless search around last year the christ child had to leave a note and some money instead to buy them later 😂

She is 8 and still believes I think although her thoughts are muddled with Father Christmas and the Christ Child. She imagines they combine forces I think 😏

OP posts:
user1477282676 · 25/10/2016 14:15

OP what you do, is fill the stocking when she's asleep...having FIRST asked her to hang it near the fireplace. NEVER on her bed...you have to sneak around then.

When she's well and truly asleep, fill it up for her to find in the morning.

LittleReindeerwithcloggson · 25/10/2016 14:30

Or you buy 2 stockings the same and switch the full one with the empty one when she's asleep!

CarrotVan · 25/10/2016 14:34

Fireplace or door handle of the room if you don't have a fireplace

UniversalTruth · 25/10/2016 15:58

I'm sorry for your loss EarlGrey Flowers

Just to be clear, I think it's lovely you want to do a stocking for her, I just don't think she's missed out in the past as much as other posters would have you believe! Whatever you do, she'll know that you listened to her and wanted to make it the best Christmas for her because you love her Smile

nilbyname · 25/10/2016 16:13

Stocking staples-
Some sort of puzzle book/game
Stationary items but fancy ones
Keyring
Bath bomb
Chocolates
New books
New underwear
Small toys like a Rubik's cube or marbles or dominos
Some sort of gadget- torch, invisible ink pens, spy glasses.
Giant gingerbread man that I make myself and is left Naked for the kids to decorate later in the day.

NickyEds · 25/10/2016 16:40

I'm 37 and have never had a stocking! We just didn't do them in our house- Santa brought present and left them under the tree for Christmas morning. However my 2 year old and 1 years old will have them as MIL was shocked that I wasn't planning one last year and bought them presents to go in the stocking - not presents from her, they were separate, these were in a carrier for me to put in their stockings for them. Obviously I felt so guilty I got them one each. Dd was five months old!! In dp's family they did Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve, then stocking in the morning and main presents later. This was because MIL was a nurse so often had to work Christmas day.

flapjackfairy · 25/10/2016 16:51

Oh earlgrey so sorry you lost your boy.! And at christmas as well!
I think you do very well to create such a magical christmas for your dd. Personally i have never had a stocking in my life! We had a pillow case and i didnt feel the least deprived and have wonderful memories of childhood christmases.

KC225 · 25/10/2016 17:33

We moved to Sweden two and half years ago. Santander presents and presents from farmor and cousins are after dinner on Christmas eve. Stockings are left on the sofa for when they get up on Christmas morning. We have a lie in then it is presents from English side.

Swedish neice and nephew were curious about 'the stockings' so I made them one each last year. I got nice ones from amazon. The loved it so much I got the stockings back and will be doing it again this year. I usually do 7 things, chocolate coins, tube of sweets, some Christmas lolly and a satsuma. Most expensive thing in it would be little bag lego and a reindeer photo frame, also finger tattoos, light up shoe laces, top trumps cards, fabric pens and plain t.shirts etc. Tiger and paperchase are your friends. All light and packable.

Good luck OP

Soupandasandwich · 25/10/2016 17:49

I had a stocking at my grandparents'every year until the Christmas before my DGF died. By then I had a steady bf who left a stocking with my mum on Christmas Eve for her to give me on Christmas morning. BF eventually became DH and we have always done stockings for each other and, as they arrived, dcs. One of the dcs now lives with their partner, so this year, I am making a stocking for each of them which obviously I will fill this year and they will do it in the future. I can't imagine Christmas morning without a stocking. I'm mid 50's and don't remember a Christmas without one.
Hope you find a lovely one for your dd.

deste · 25/10/2016 18:26

My thirty year old still has one although it is half hearted.

anyoldname76 · 25/10/2016 18:28

i had a stocking knitted by nan on my 1st Christmas, im 40 now and my dd uses it. my 2 ds both have crocheted stockings made by my dh nan. i always put a bag of choc coins, a satsuma and a drink in, plus 5 little gifts

fluffiphlox · 25/10/2016 18:33

I'm 58 and have had a stocking every year. Eats, smelliest, socks, daft things etc. Nothing hugely expensive. I'm not suggesting your daughter is deprived in the slightest, but no stocking?!

gillybeanz · 25/10/2016 18:39

Your Christmas sounds wonderful, what is the story with the Christ Child.
I know I could google but you sound lovely with your lovely description.

Haudyerwheesht · 25/10/2016 18:41

Stocking essentials in my house;

Bath sponge
Hair bobbles
Mini make up set
Electric character toothbrush
Notebook
Nice pen(s)
Lots of sweets
Satsuma
Monkey nuts
A few pound coins
Socks
Pants
A little wooden toy like a kendama or similar
A book

WinchesterWoman · 25/10/2016 18:44

It's quite sweet to have presents on Christmas eve and then a stocking for Christmas morning. It would be your own, special, unique tradition.

Stevefromstevenage · 25/10/2016 18:46

We had stockings and my kids have stockings but they just are not a big thing. They have bits and pieces of tat in them but they were/are not the big Santa present or even the yummy back in the day Cadburys selection box. Am I missing something? What is so special about stockings and why are people seeing them as must have?

EarlGreyTeaAndToast · 25/10/2016 20:28

I hope I am not too late to start a tradition now with the stockings 😉 I think it will work really well and I feel rather bad I haven't thought before now but it's been just a muddle through really for the last few years.

The Christ Child or Krist Kind as it's pronounced is a lovely tradition in Austria and one my children seem to have utterly embraced. It is supposed to be the baby Jesus and when he has come and gone, a bell rings. So after we have tramped around in the snow we wait outside until we hear it. To be honest, there is no bell at all where we are and the adults just pretend to hear it because we want a drink but the kids all swear to have heard a blooming bell.
We then set light to sparklers on a Christmas tree (I swear Austria has zero health and safety!!!) and sing and open the presents.

Thank you, you have all been lovely. I feel ready to try and embrace Christmas again this year 🎄

OP posts:
Artandco · 25/10/2016 21:01

Remember Austrian children basically have a stocking equivalent on the 6th December anyway when they receive gifts from St Nicolas.

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