Christmas stockings for teens. Do you bother?

[nancyclancy123]

I have twin boys of 15 and a son who will be 20 by Christmas. Almost 20 year old has a full time job and 15 year olds both have evening/weekend jobs, so tend to buy a lot of stuff themselves.

I obviously plan to buy them presents for Christmas but when did you stop with the stockings, just seems so unnecessary.

My DC 22,20,17 still love them, they are the best part of the day. Christmas last year was the first one post split with my DH of over 23 years (we had always done them for each other), when the Christmas decos came down from the loft along with the stockings my lovely DD 20 announced that she would be talking to Father Christmas this year about my stocking and I had a lovely one on Christmas morning (yes it did bring a few tears to my eyes...) I only found out last week that all 3DC pitched in for it. I can’t imagine Christmas without one, I’d have been very sad!

..

Don't think I ever would (also don't think I'd be let stop them). My kiddiwinks (15, 17 and 23) seem to really enjoy them, fill stockings for my DC, DH, daughter's boyfriend and Mum in Law [santa]

User my DH is crap at doing them too, but he tries bless him. Usually I fill them with Lush and Body Shop stuff, fluffy socks, sweets, Hotel Chocolate Choc bars, Costa/Starbucks/Kaspa ice cream vouchers, toiletries, mugs, keyrings, dvds and of course the obligatory Chocolate Orange.

In my house if I try to stop the 17 year old will argue that her 24 year old brother has had 7 more years of them. If I say I'll stop for him she'll get upset that she can't possibly open one on her own!

Our three (24,22 & 13) love them - sometimes more than their 'actual' presents

Mystery I think my DCs would say the same

I've never had one.
Not sure my kids love them as much as other peoples seem to. Maybe I'm just bad at stockings!

I'm still doing stockings for my 5 DD's who range in age from 42 down to 26. I tried to stop it a couple of years ago and the poor DD's were horrified "Oh no Mum, not the stockings - anything else but not the stockings!" So the stockings stayed, along with the Christmas Eve pyjamas, the themed hampers and the presents under the tree. I love doing it all too - it just gets harder to think of different things to put in them each year that's all.

What do you mean? 'Do the stockings?' Surely Father Christmas does them?

I still have one and I'm 50. My DP does mine and I do one for DD x 3 and DS x1 plus son in laws. Eldest is 32, down to a 6 year old.

My DM still does one for me (and DH and DSs) that are now ‘Boxing Day presents from Granny’ (DH does my real one!). DM often fills them with charity shop finds (I got a new butter dish last year as I’d broken one and there’s always a second hand book).

Other things have included:
Posh mixers
Mini alcohol bottles
Tea towels
Seeds
Knickers
Socks
Mini toiletries
Chocolate
Snacks (I have cashews and have done for the last 30 years)

Reckless we also do Christmas Eve pyjamas, and also calendars for the year for them of their favourite musical artists which they also love. We have many traditions that I think they expect to carry on year on year [santa]

My DCs also buy a couple of pressies for each other in their stockings, and I think it makes them enjoy Christmas even more.

Just you and me then @notso. Stopped doing them when the kids were in their mid -teens and they minded for all of 5 minutes

Mine will be 20 and 17

DS ( DC1) likes money so his stocking is his gifts . He gets a Dec1st hamper for his PJs/robe/underwear .
DD gets a Dec 1st hamper ( same as DS) and Beauty Advent ( I make) with small beauty gifts 1-24 but not the tat you get in shop ones .

So they don't get gifts under the tree .
Their presents are small gadgets , jewellery , gift cards type .

And I think our new ,very lovely cats would shred any gifts left out (because they are little vandals )

Ah my mum still does us stockings (even for DH and DC) and I'm 32.. I get a few big gifts and then jewellery, perfume, lush stuff, make up, fluffy socks, tights ect in a stocking.

I am going to be the voice of dissent and say my mum dropped stockings when we were teens. I really wasn't bothered and certainly wouldn't want one now.

We all get stockings. I do 99% of the stuff for the DC and DH and one of the DC does 90% of mine. And they are a total hit every year. Youngest DC will be off to uni soon so is getting stuff like a garlic press. A DC who will moving a lot will find herself getting consumables like soap.

I remember a thread about stockings for older kids led to claims you were infantilising your children.

Dd would go crazy if I stopped her stocking, she is 20. It will contain some of the following:
Stupid socks, she lives in DMs, her favourites are ones with pictures of bums on them her second favourite say fuck off.
Fluffy socks.
Badges for her to sew onto her multiple denim jackets.
Pin badges for the same reason (wish is your friend)
Sweets and chocolate.
A nice pen, she loves fountain pens.
A silly mug.
Banana shampoo and conditioner from the body shop.

The one stocking tradition is a magic facecloth, it was her favourite gift when she was 3 and she has had one every year since.

I’m one of the few who never had one myself and haven’t done on for my dc’s. We’ve always done Christmas sacks with all the presents in, big and small, and I would struggle to fill it if I put some of the things in a stocking. Anyway, I don’t feel guilty, they get plenty!

I’ll never stop!! My DD is 30 and works full time but I still do her a stocking, well it’s more of a sack really. The presents have got a lot less over the years, but I enjoy it. She’s kind to me and DH too and is thoughtful with presents for us.

Have always done stockings if they're here, regardless of age (dd1 over 40 now). Regardless of age everyone staying in our house gets a stocking (albeit maybe a very little one consisting of one sock with the other stuffed inside plus a few bits).

12 yr old was begging to still do stockings when her 10yr old brother finally says he no longer believes in Father Christmas and probably hasn't for years looks as if they are here to stay a little longer.

I’m planning on doing stockings until they move out.
It gets harder each year to think of things to go into them! I have 2x ds’s 17 + 13

We don't do stockings for me or DH but no plans on stopping for DC, DS1 is 17 but still loves a stocking! Kids always end up in one bedroom opening them together no matter how old they get, it's lovely to see

We've always done quite budget stockings though, they're not huge so easy to fill! Usually include socks/boxers, suduko/puzzle book, chocolate and sweets, shower gel (bath bomb for the younger two) and a card game.