Is it too early to ask about stockings?

[Monr0e]

Who am I kidding, this is in Christmas.

Every year we have the same staples. Chocolate Orange, underwear, socks, magazine, toiletries. This year I want to avoid bulking them out with cheap plastic tat that gets forgotten about before we've even had breakfast so I'm looking for ideas. DS is 11 and DD is 7, thank you

Yes it's far too early. Sorry

That sounds enough for a stocking, minus the plastic tat.

If there is still empty space enough to make your stockings flap then get smaller stockings.

5yo DS has a huge stocking that doesn't get filled with plastic crap.

Following for ideas :) DSes are 10 and 8 and like the OP I'm over plastic disposable tat!

We always include :

Chocolate coins
Variety size box of Coco Pops
Tube of sweets
Beano / Dandy annuals

Am considering gift cards (eg cinema /bowling / app store), but want some fun stuff too...

Smaller stockings might be a plan!

I don't want to cram them full with loads more stuff but would like one or two more items. The stockings are my favourite part of the day. The DC'S bring them into our room and sit on our beds and open them while we have the first coffee of the day. It's still dark outside, everywhere is quiet and calm and I love the sharing that time together, I like it to last as long as possible.

Coco pops! We always do that too. An individual box each. It's the only day we have them

Last year they got a personalised jar of nuttella each as well

I always used to get a tube of Pringles in mine. Also socks and knickers, soap or bubble bath, and a tangerine at the bottom. I still get the same if I'm back home for Christmas!

Someone of the bargain thread did a link to washable hair chalks which I will do for my 10 year DD. I got a lovely wax seal in DD'S initial along with wax from Amazon quite cheaply. Wonder Woman t.shirt from Primark.

DS is also 10. He has pokemon lanyard. Some joke things like fake poo, knife through the skull from Tiger. Pocket volcano and bear puzzle from M&S and Poop emoji magic towels from Aldi

I love stockings, DSS is 17 and DS is 3 so I have made stockings for pretty much every age group over the years.

For younger ones:

• coloured bath tablets
• bath crayons
• expanding magic flannels
• glow sticks
• Lego mini figures
• Road tape
• Lego tape
• train for Brio track (you can buy a very cute Santa and Reindeer version)
• crazy straws

For older ones:

• USB sticks
• USB cables (light up or extra long ones)
• American or Japanese sweets (ideally with silly names)
• funky stationery for school (highlighter pens, Post It notes etc)
• phone rescue kit (for drying out electronics if they are dropped in water)
• Stay Cool ice towel
• Bluetooth headphones
• corn on the cob for popping (you can buy different colours too)

Hair stuff

Magic trick
Some sort of puzzle

TBH I got all my stocking stuff at Tiger last year on 23 December

Simply what is coloured popping corn on cob exactly?

We loving stockings in this house & still love plastic tat but I'm trying to make sure it's useful plastic tat.

My DC are nearly 10 8 & nearly 3 some of the useful things are

Magic flannel
Glow in the dark headphones
Stationary
Dehydrated marshmallows (like from lucky charm cereals)
Books
Clothes
Teddy/plush

Plus loads of plastic tat that I said I wasn't going to do!

Stabby here you go www.zaramama.com/collections/pop-a-cobs

My lb only 4 so may not be much help. Weve got minion top trumps the mini ones got from home bargains for 39p, another card game its a masie snap game, he really likes games and im getting him some board games for bigger presents, bath bomb he really really loves these so might get another, pack of fizzy stuff for bath, you know thoses egg you get that you put in water and it hatches? A dinosaur one of those, also a dinosaur in plaster you dig it out, both from pound shop, hes also interested in planets so a little set of glow in the dark planets for hos room and a magnet his childminder has one and he likes finding out what is magnetic. Oh and a bookmark. I think he will use it all so happy with what ive got. Other ideas is poundshop does packs of stickers, crafty bits, pens, crayons ect, also saw some emoji stationary i recently got a little keyring poo emoji from home bargains for my friends little boy it was a big hit!

Last year mine had

A magazine
A mini torch
Stickers
A test tube of magic snow
Nail varnish
Some sweets
Mini book

Brilliant, thank you. Lots of ideas. I know I'll have no trouble with DD, I like the coloured hair chalks and bath crayons for her. It is more DS I struggle with as he has outgrown most of my previous ideas. I'll definitely look into the phone rescue kit and Bluetooth headphones as a start.

We always got a book in ours. And a little activity thing like those make your own stained glass windows or decorate a xmas bauble.

Never to early !

Far too early - Christmas is 2 days at the end of December. Enjoy the summer while it's here

Not for me it isn't madcat. We enjoy the season all through December.

As for talking about gifts so early, my very tight budget means I cannot afford to buy everything a couple of weeks before, I have to spread the cost out and start picking up bits and pieces as early as I can. But I am still very much enjoying the summer holidays.

Thank you simply. There will be some in everyone's stockings!

I also have to start buying Christmas gifts about now or I wouldn't be able to afford them. Doesn't help that dd2s first birthday is in November. She probably won't get any stocking stuff but I have no ideas for 3yo dd yet. She got bath crayons last year. Can't remember what else.

We generally start shopping / planning in September each year - DS1 has his birthday in January, so we buy for both xmas and birthday at the same time and split it up when it comes to wrapping.

I start quietly planning in august though as that's often when the best sales are on!

Throw in we are due DS2 in November , this year is going to be planned and boxed off by the beginning of November!

You're welcome stabby, it's a few years since DSS had one so I think I will buy some again this year.

Never too early, especially not on the Christmas topic... I've bought and wrapped the kids gifts with exception of 4yo DD's main gift as she will probably change her mind!

My DS is 11 too and like you I found stocking a bit awkward but he has:
Hexbug Scarab beetle
Funky socks
Gaming t-shirt
Reese's chocolate and peanut butter spread
Lynx body spray
Lynx shower gel
Chocolate coins

Might look a lot but it was all picked up cheaply and I didn't want lots of crap in either :)

Bath colours. Tinti do great ones that don't stain the bath, tiles or grout.