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?

@CoffeeChocolateWine that's so sweet! I have a 3 year old boy, he's very much into little pet type toys so may have to splash out. Everything else he's getting is second hand so I will justify it to myself that way

@CoffeeChocolateWine - I love the grandparents! So cute.

The knitted dinos and mammoths from www.tiarosetreasures.co.uk

Tip sign up to rewards points before purchase and get bonus points and can use on 1st purchase

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Ordered my boys a triceratops each

I haven't even started thinking about Christmas really until this thread.

I have 5DC,3 sons 23,21 and 18,2 Daughters 16 and 12.

Last year I bought both of the girls a really lovely handmade wooden handled umbrellas to go into they're stockings and they love them.

I usually include something they can eat,something they can drink(always something unusual that they wouldn't normally have)something they can wear,something they can use,something for the bathroom and something unusual.

I LOVE doing stockings and collect bits throughout the year. Actually I think I may have about 2-3 years' worth of bits stored up I hate plastic tat so always try to get nice useful things. But I don't really believe in giving toothpaste and brushes and pants - I strongly think stockings should be for fun play stuff and interesting things!

This year DD (6) will be getting:

• silk daisy chain daisies (National Trust shop)
• metal compass (also National Trust)
• mini binoculars (free from...National Trust )
• small game - this year it's Sussed (from Amazon)
• mini sequin notebook and pencil (Tiger)
• house-shaped pencil sharpener (Rex London)
• cat shaped ruler (Rex London)
• hair bobbles (Rockahula, in John Lewis sale)
• soap in mini tin with cats on it (TK Maxx)
• light-up yo-yo (Ripley's, from House of Marbles I think)
• CD case of miniature coloured pencils (Paperchase)
• book (Allan Ahlberg, The Impossible Cat)
• mini penguin soft toy (White Company sale)
• satsuma
• selected choc/sweet things - a Lindt Santa, candy cane, tube of jelly tots, a Maltesers reindeer.

I normally put in - something for the bath, something that lights up, a game or toy, a book, a mini soft toy, hair things, pencil or pen, something sciency they won't expect. And always the satsuma

In previous years DD has had: light up bath ducks, a proper harmonica, a mini kaleidoscope, a bug viewer, loads of pencils/crayons/notebooks, sticky markers, a mini crown on a headband, a purse, a wooden insect eye, mini soft toys, bath bombs, bath crayons, bath crystals, mini Lego packs, a skipping rope, Christmas slipper socks, seeds, stickers, a paper laser, bead bracelet kits, a mini butterfly kite, and tons of stuff from Tiger iirc....

For sweet things I rotate it between Lindt stuff, a Kinder mini Haus, candy cane or lollipop, tube of sweets/smarties/buttons, choc coins. When DD was about 2-3 we had much success with those cartons of vegan chocolate milk stuff which she loves. And occasionally I slip in a nutella and breadstick pot. Father Christmas knows nothing of Palm Oil.

• oh and cost: when DD was under 4 I used to be able to do the stocking for under £20, because baby and small child things are so cheap, and I spent ages looking for little bits in sales so would aim to get things for about 50p-£1 each and not more than about £2 at the most. Then it was cheep but still nice stuff like bubbles, glitter bracelet, paper fan, bath toys, and so on. Dotcomgiftshop (now Rex London) have fab sales where you can often get nice things, like sticky markers, mini colouring pencils and toys for £1 or less - and Tiger is great for useful stuff for a pound. You can get nice baby books secondhand or cheap in The Works or The Book People easily.

Now I find she already has lots of that stuff, and the things that she might like are more expensive. The stocking now costs more than £20 - probably nearer £35 unfortunately once the book and soft toy is added in - but I do still try to keep it down by padding it out with choc, a book, and anything free I come across. And I still buy things in sales and across the year when I see them. I've made a real effort this year not to get her plastic or faddy toys that won't get played with more than once or twice. Her main presents will include a wooden loom (which she wants), a sewing kit, new pyjamas, books, a Lego set (yes I know it's plastic ) and probably a secondhand bike. I've asked family for experiences, so my parents are getting her ballet tickets, my mother in law panto tickets, and my siblings are getting her books and a lamp for her room. In the last year she has stopped playing with as many toys as she used to, and now it's all about craft and drawing! Though I'm sad to leave the baby toy stage behind

So I’ve been looking for stuff for my 1yo DD’s ‘sensory stocking’. Haven’t bought much yet but stuck it on an amazon wish list for me to revisit . I’ve found...
Ladybird and bumble bee egg shakers
Different colour scarves
Scented crayons
Bubble bath
Water flutes
Foil blanket

Already bought mini Peppa Pig books and squidgy bath toys. Will buy something chocolaty too. Anything else I could pop in?

*squirty bath toys

Struggling to find stuff for dd - pre-teen so not into girly stuff/toys any more and not old enough yet for make up etc She already has tonnes of notebooks/stationery etc so can’t really go down that route.

So far have got:

Bath bomb
Chocolate
Harry Potter socks
Book

Any ideas?

Pages ago, but a sellotape dispenser will go down well with my 3 year old
He’s also having a little calculator and magnifying glass
I love the sensory stocking for babies ideas.
I like to put a fruit pouch in baby stockings so they don’t feel left out not getting chocolate

@tabbiemoo What about a grown up purse and a proper bristle hairbrush and nice clips? Look in Accessorize for inspiration.

Hobbycraft have great craft kits suitable for that age group.

Body shop type bubble bath.

Chilly bottle (or a Wilko dupe)

Fairy lights for her bedroom.

@tabbiemoo

Lip balm
Posh knickers and/or tights
Key ring
Mini torch
Gloves
Fake coke can (or similar) storage tin, maybe with a fiver or something else smaller inside?
iTunes voucher
Nail varnish
Face pack
Little book of smoothie recipes (if you have a blender she could use)
Candle
Tweezers, if she doesn't already have some
Nail file
Christmassy tissues
If she's an only child, a Christmas themed scratchcard
A small game, maybe pick-up-sticks?
A pocket kite
A purse/wallet
A cute/cool fabric shopping bag that folds away
A mini photo frame
Jewelry

Thanks @TheWoollybacksWife @FurrySlipperBoots some great ideas there!

DS is 5:

• Lego minifigure in a surprise packet
• Lush ‘fun’ (soap dough), just a small pack
• patterned washi tape (multipacks in Poundland and B&M with themed patterns)
• a new “gemstone” for his rock collection
• new beanie hat, probably a gimmicky or character one he’s begged me for
• ‘I-Spy...’ game pocket-sized book (Collins, £2.99 at WHSmith, in various themes). Just discovered these and think they’re brilliant.

He’ll also get a packet of beef jerky or a small themed chocolate figure, nothing major as there’ll be plenty of treats around Christmas anyway.

@tabbiemoo, my niece is 13 and for her pressie last year I put together a little basket of baking bits as she’d got into it. Things like fancy icing nozzles, nice cookie cutters, really pretty sprinkles, decorations and cases. Really stylish stuff not for young kiddies and she loved it. That kind of stuff might make nice stocking fillers?

There’s some nice craft kits in Hobbycraft...cross stitch, sewing, knitting etc.

Jewellery, mug, nice body spray, coloured hair chalk/mascara, a pack of spring bulbs or flower seeds, cinema voucher, candle, puzzle or game, purse or small bag, alarm clock, disco ball light bulb, winter hat...

Shameless placemarling to read later.

Lip balm in a tin

@tabbiemoo - wire LED string lights, glitter photo frame, Lush shampoo bar, mini spray perfume, personalised bracelet, sticky marker set, book plates, grown-up magic gloves, LED tea lights, craft kit? Yes too to special knickers, Miss Selfridge used to do individual ones in cute fabrics that tie at the side in a bow but I imagine you can get that kind of thing loads of places now. A grow your own plant kit.

Places to look - Rex London sale section, Oliver Bonas, Sass & Belle, Neon Sheep, Lisa Angel for personalised bracelets.

(oh and I definitely don't mean the overtly sexy kind of bow knickers - just that I remember teen girl shops doing some with cute prints that weren't like something out of Agent Provocateur )

I saw the cutest Plan Toy Balancing Cactus which I think even my older children will love.
I'm getting sets of personalized color pencils for school,
a purse with initial on,
bath bombs,
wooden game or puzzle (ie the cactus)
a new baking apron
Slipper socks
Chocolate orange
Scrunchies for the long haired dd
Clips for the short haired did
Hair gel for D's
a Boden x HP House Colors Tee.
AND....
Maybe socks or pants??

I was in the NT gift shop the other day. They stock stainless steel straws and bamboo ones, a childrens bug box, to look at insects and chocolate orange sticks to make hot chocolate orange.
Mind you the local deli has the sticks to make real hot chocolate with marshmallows or a salted caramel version.

Hot chocolate stirrers
lip balm
Emery boards, nail polish etc
USB sticks
Top Trumps
Ear phones
Plectrums /drumsticks etc
Slipper socks

Most things we give have already been mentioned.
For adult dds:
Knickers
Funky nail files
Nail varnish
Votive/candles
Notebooks
Cheap earrings
Booze miniatures
Fairy lights
Chocolate
Fluffy socks

For teen dis
Socks
Boxers
Toiletries
Sweets
Joke things like fake dog poo
Puzzle
Gadgety,fiddly things
Costa voucher
Football magazine

Since my kids have left home, bar one, they only get one stocking present plus a chocolate orange. DS has some chilli mayonnaise and DDiL a selection of different salts. DD will either get a pair of fluffy socks or a book. Not sure what we're getting DSiL but it will be a sciencey thing

Small torch
Folding comb or hairbrush
Coin purse with some change
Chocolate orange
Wooden puzzle
Cheap harmonica
Yo-yo
Paperback book
Socks (I split a pack) and pants (ditto)