Stocking fillers - what worked?

[frogbull]

Hi,

I'm just starting my planning for next Christmas - I try to do stockings throughout the year. I've got two kids ( 3 and 6) so looking for ideas for next Christmas. Anybody want to share stocking successes for various ages?

For all of mine, torches were the big hit. I got each of them a Natural History Museum one, so they can project images of animals and sea creatures onto the wall. They love them. The oldest got a small Lego set as well, which he loved. The youngest liked her hair clips.

Any other good buys? Obviously particularly looking for ideas for four year old girls and seven year old boys.....

M and S ( I think) sold a tiny box of daft jokes, my 9 year old liked that.

Blind bags, Lego, sylvanian families, just the little suprise bags

Kinder eggs

Bath bombs

Another one saying bath bombs. I made mini stockings for the children I buy for (no dc of my own) and every single one has enjoyed the bath bomb (I used just my look - they had a grenade shaped one, a unicorn one and a dog one).

I hate stocking tat as it just clutters up my already insanely overstuffed apartment.
Mine is 4 and got a little teddy, an electric frozen toothbrush & paste, new Disney pants and socks, jelly babies, a Slinky and stickers.

DD is 6. I LOVED doing her father xmas stocking/sack more than her actual present off me and DH. I think I spent about £40 in total and it was a combo of things she needed like clips, bobbles, knickers, socks, couple of sweets/chocolatie treats and small things I knew she'd love.

The big hits were :-

£2 bottle of perfume from Primark

Pink dinosaur earmuffs, 'Hama' beads and story dice from Tiger

Notebook and fluffy pen

UNO Cards

I don’t buy a lot of stocking fillers, I normally use small presents she would get anyway.

In the past we had
Hair bands, clips etc
Bath bomb or other bath/body stuff
Small stationary she needs all the time
TY baby beanies
Small blind bag or small set of whatever she currently fancies like Lego
Books
Audiobook
Diary
DVD
Small travel game
One item of clothing, socks, T-Shirt or underwear (a joke one year), often character ones I normally do not buy.

My boys 4 and 7 loved their dinosaur dig kits, fizzy "eggs" with sharks in (like bath bombs), dinosaur grow-eggs, paint your own dinosaurs and whoopie cushions.
You are very organised! I got lots from a website recommended on here called Toys for a Pound, so didn't spend much but got lots of things they love.

Blind bags are a favourite with DSes (7 and 5). They get a Lego one, imaginext and playmobil ones. They have quite a big collection of figures now - pretty much a playmobil figure for every occasion!

They also love their beanie hats with a light on the front, novelty straws, and popping crystals for the bath.

I like the idea of electric toothbrushes. Might hunt a couple out. Earmuffs too.

B&M do kids electric toothbrushes for kids if you’re wanting a cheaper one. My two had Spider-Man ones that were pretty good

Blind bags were a hit here too. Plush character toys. Sweets and chocolate. Pack of cards. Pack of dominoes. Travel size games (guess who etc). Books. Magnifying glass. Snow globe. Binoculars. Art and craft bits. Mini lego sets. DVDs/Nintendo games. Mugs. If it's small enough to go in the stocking I shove it in there, even if it's a 'main present'.

7yo DS still plays with the mini whoopee cushion he got 4 years ago!

This year he got some wooden road signs (Tiger), 4 highlighter pens, a tippex mouse, Cars activity book (labrynths, wordsearches, spot the difference type stuff, he loves getting it out in restaurants and cafes, kept him busy in the morning of Christmas Day as we open main gifts after lunch). Minion socks. He got pants one year and was highly unimpressed, so we stopped that! He had a Playmobil blindbag, too.

So, basically stationery, a couple of activity toys and some chocolate/sweets. Plenty.

I have three DDs and they all loved these weird multiple bubble things that were so cheap from a tat shop.

Also loved a badge maker and a mini marble run

My big success was something I almost didn't give as I thought it was a rubbish present. Technically didn't fit in a stocking but it was a long cardboard cracker filled with small packs of Pringles. Stepson loved it 👍🏻

DS got a Natural History Museum torch as well (dinosaurs) and he loved it! UNO, Harry Potter Lego Surprise figures, Fantastic beasts Bowtruckle and bed socks were all a big hit here. As was slime, unfortunately!

Oh I saw those pringles too late. I was done and the queue in the shop was too long so I didnt bother. I think Ds would have liked them - next year!

Ds 6 - Lego. Kept him occupied all Xmas day am

Dd 4 - one of those hairstyling heads. Again kept her amused for hours!!

Card games
Magic flannels
Smiggle pens and key rings

These were the ones that produced excited noises and have been used and enjoyed since

My 8 yr old boy got:

Lynx shower gel
A mini football pinball thing
National geographic amazing facts book
Smart putty
Glow in the dark stars for his ceiling
Roblox mini character
Match attax tin
Choc coins and satsuma

I made the epically poor decision last year to put a Harmonica in his stocking. Do NOT do this.

Bath bombs and chocolate coins even though she had hundreds of them in December. Slime, Christmas rubix cube and snowman marshmallows from asda

Washi tape- 3 and 5 year old both loved it. They "have their own cello tape" and t has patterns in they like. Best f all it peels off quite easily when they stick it in random places. Very cheap too.

Also hair clips (which they need anyway). And last year hair brushes with their initial on it.

Chocolate orange, mini Lego people, post it notes and cake in a cup mixture were the big hits for this year . Also always have socks and pants and a new pen each year.

Paint your own Christmas decoration, new hats and underwear and personalised pencil cases were the favorites here. (Boys 3 and 6)

A coffee mug with a favourite photo from the summer holiday printed on it.

Bit early for this one but every September when the dc go back to school I hear about the amazing stationery other kids have and I pick it up at bargain prices. This year ds2 was hankering for emoji erasers from poundland so that was an easy win. Stationery was a bit meh until they started school but for a few years there they were genuinely thrilled and amazed that Santa got exactly what they wanted, particularly as mammy only buys the boring sensible stuff.