Can we compile a list of decent stocking fillers - no plastic tat?

[CamdenTownie]

So after reading the what won't you be buying this year thread it got me thinking about all the rubbish that I buy every single year, and most of it goes into the Christmas stockings.

What would you put into the stocking that isn't plastic tat, but maybe a little more expensive than the usual Poundland stuff?

My kids are all senior school age or older so I was thinking of a nice stocking with stuff that will actually be used( maybe even appreciated...)

So far I've come up with more for dds than dss,

Ethique shower bars
Chocolate truffles rather than coins
Bamboo socks
Eyeshadow pallet
Body shop camomile cleansing balm
Good quality pen

Any more ideas?

These are cute: www.notanotherbunchofflowers.com/products/christmassy-hot-chocolate-spoon-santa-snowman-or-gingerbread-man

DD7 will get a book and/or a puzzle book, bath stuff, pencils, chocolate, a little felt fairy doll - and a £1 coin, an apple and a satsuma of course! Doesn't sound much but she gets a Christmas Eve box with pyjamas and slipper socks and reindeer food and something to keep the grandparents her busy while DH and I do all the church and home stuff on Christmas Eve.

My DDs (5yo and almost 2yo) get a proper stocking (old hockey sock type sock) from Santa, plus bigger toys that they’ve asked Santa for, which are wrapped up and put next to the stockings. This year for stockings I’m planning on:

-Satsuma
-Chocolate coins
-Haribo/Percy Pigs for 5yo, Bear Paws for 2yo
-Novelty sponge (they prefer sponges in the bath so we go through quite a few)
-Gorgeous handmade wooden wand that my 5yo will love and my 2yo will love to bash on things
-Wooden Holztiger/Ostheimer animals for 2yo
-Lip balm for 5yo
-Play Doh for 2yo
-Bag charm for school bag 5yo
-Kids torch for 2yo (she plays with her sisters all the time!)
-Sylvanian rabbit family for 5yo
-Felt fairies for 2yo
-Small Lego Friends set for 5yo
-Bubbles for 2yo

It doesn’t sound like a lot but they do get wrapped bigger gifts from Santa (and us!) too and I think too many presents get overwhelming for little ones. My eldest gets so excited as it is, I don’t know that a pillowcase/sack full of extra gifts would make her any happier.

Cottage toys do a lovely wooden boat with a seal or polar bear sailing it, to use in the bath. £12.95 but adorable.

At the weekend I picked up two packs of metal straws for DD's one gold and one silver, they were £2.50 for 4 in Primark and I think they come with the little cleaning brush too.

Make a great stocking filler for teens.

My dd finds the metal straws very hard on the teeth. I picked up silicon ones from Lidl a while back. She find those much better.

We've got the silicone ones but they get a bit smelly!

Interesting. I haven't had that problem with them. Maybe different brands? I also leave them standing upright to dry.

For teenagers:

eos lipbalm
reusable drinks bottle
bamboo carry out cup
pastel highlighters
nice lipgloss
nail varnish
notebook
pens
earphones
cooling eyemask (from primark)
facemask
chocolate santa/snowman
tubes of sweets
hairmask tub
chocolate stirrers

Loving this thread. I’ve never been one for plastic tat in stockings but I really need to keep the cost down this year so there’s some lovely ideas I wouldn’t have thought of here.

Books, stationary, bubble bath or bath bombs are usually staples. Previous big hits are book lights, electronic bookmark with dictionary, not cheap but Maileg mice in match boxes are gorgeous, slipper socks, hats and gloves, hair accessories, nice pens, purse/wallet etc.

In case it helps someone else, my DD (7) loves gymnastics and I ordered these for her. They arrived yesterday and are absolutely gorgeous. I’m so pleased with them!

I’ve also bought some lovely little cake decorating nozzles for her and an little alarm clock for my DS (11). Someone suggested a sensory stocking for babies...I love this idea for my 1yo. What could I put in it?

Calendar

Calendar was a general suggestion, not for the baby sensory stocking!!

Great thread!
Sorry if mentioned but Costa gift card.

@CoffeeChocolateWine I love Maileg matchbox mice, dd2 got one last year in its little bed with a pillow and blanket, I thought about getting her another this year but she's 12 so maybe a tiny bit too old.

I try to buy things they might keep forever, and I hope that it's small enough to either keep here, or for her to keep and remember, I'm not really one for keeping loads but I do still have my carebear from my 5th birthday 😊

Last year Dd got:
Snowflake Bath bomb
Stickers and a nice pen to go in her diary/planner
Some temporary tattoos
Pair of slipper socks
Dr Who Mug
Hot Chocolate Sachets/marshmallows
Dig for Egyptian Treasure kit.
Christmas Headband
Pikachu Money Box

DS got:
Robot Bath Bomb
Lego Character Blind Bag
Dinosaur Mug
Slipper socks
Dig for Dinosaur Bones Kit
Slime
Baymax Money Box
A fidget spinner

Just here to nick ideas instead of offering any. So many good suggestions here that I don't want to lose the thread.
The stockings are what I'm most excited about this year! And reusing one of my beauty advent calendars I saved from last year for the kids to take turns opening (alongside their own calendars). Most boxes will contain sweets, chocolate or individual bags of nuts/snacky things but some will have stocking-type little presents inside or gift cards to be used on their way to school.

Some brilliant ideas on here!

@FilthyforFirth

How about wooden (or second hand plastic) cotton reels and a fancy string to thread them on? You can make a 'bobbin posting box' out of one of those tubs you get snacks (mini cheddars, twiglets etc) in at Christmas. Just cut a circular hole in the lid just big enough to post the cotton reels through. Preferably a tub with a lid they can take on and off by themselves. You can do various activities with cotton reels - stacking rolling, counting, printing with paint, use them to make patterns in playdough etc.

Brilliant ideas here. Our stockings are always just crammed full of the 4 bars for £1 chocolate but I often need to make the money up so some of these suggestions are great for cheap ideas.

I've got a bubble face mask for both DD's, will easily fit in a stocking and will 100% get used, I'm either putting Hotel Chocolate penguins/reindeers in or if dd1 is lucky some Charbonnel Et Walker truffles!

I've got lots for DD's but nothing for ds's they like food lol so will probably be sweets chocolate and some other bits.

This was on the Bargain Thread (#3?) recommended by me and several others -
Contigo travel mugs

They are ££ at £12-16 depending on size but they keep drinks hot, don't leak and mine has lasted for over 2 years being used 2-3 times a week at least.
You can get them in Tesco & Asda (as well as the "A" place) and v occasionally seen them reduced, but at full price they are definitely worth getting for a commuter

Cards of humanity is a good one for older teens or adults. I got it for my 16 year old last year. He plays it quite a bit with his friends

Some fab ideas here!

Mine will get a lot of consumables & games. They will love a trump mask etc.

I've recently got into peg dolls as I childmind & thought they would be good for my toddlers. However my 6 & nearly 10 year old & their friends love them! I'm not that creative but lots of ideas online & easy & fun to make-hers some of my Halloween ones

I have never heard of the maileg mice before but they are lush! 😍

@hannahbanana2007, I randomly bought my daughter one when she was 5 for a stocking filler and she just adored it. It was the big sister mouse. The following year she wrote to Father Christmas and asked for the big brother mouse (as she had a big brother) and then last year she wrote to Father Christmas again and asked for the baby sister mouse (following the birth of her baby sister!) It sets me back a small fortune every year but oh my goodness does she love them! This year she’s already told me she’s going to ask for the Mummy and Daddy nice which I’ve looked up and they cost an eye watering £50! I might try and plant some other ideas in her head otherwise this Father Christmas will be going bankrupt!