Stocking up on tat-less stocking fillers.

[ChooksAndBooks]

My kids haven't decided what they want as their main Christmas presents yet (it is only September!) but I'd like to start getting in stocking fillers and smaller presents.

I'm fed up with awful tat that no one needs or wants and that ends up in the bin weeks later.

Has anyone else started? What's everyone's ideas?

I love Christmas stockings, it’s the best part.

@BiddyPop thank you so much! I wanted to do the categories thing this year but didn't no what to get or have any ideas. I'm saving your list in my notes. Your great x

@PhantomErik could you possibly share a link to the minecraft joke book and socks you've got?
My nephew is obsessed & has his birthday and Christmas coming up

Christmas stockings are the best thing about Christmas for us. I love doing them for my dc and its the highlight of the day for them.

Lots of Minecraft stuff on Amazon @MsSquiz

Stockings are a big thing here. A couple of years ago I mentioned stopping them to the older teens. Omg, anyone would have thought I had threatened to kill them from their reaction. As they've gotten older they also add a couple of things in each others and sort out stuff for mine.

Playdoh
Things like Hamma beads
Jewelry making kits
One year I'd run out of ideas especially for the older teens. Put some old Christmas stuff on memory sticks for them from when they used to believe in it all.
Multifunction pen/pencil and phone stylus.
Temporary hair dyes.
Nail varnish and mani/pedi kits
Small screwdriver sets
Chalk board sticky stuff and pens
Travel bottle, cup, pillow
Novelty ice cubes

Obviously not from me to the kids, but these have also featured in stockings chocolate boobs, edible knickers, nipple tassle, flavoured condoms, blow up dolls, cock shaped ice cube makers etc.

MsSquiz I can't link from my phone but this is a screenshot from amazon. I actually paid £2.49 so worth watching it if you're not in a hurry.

The minecraft socks were from Primark that I bought in January.

Attaching it would be handy!

This is making me feel like I'm lazy 😂 I put chocolates, sweets and a little toiletry in ours. They are just stocking sized for a start. I do put a clementine in as well, have to check they eat it, or it's a unwelcome surprise in the new year...

This thread has given me some ideas anyway.
Just to clarify, the dds are 19 and 16, but their stockings are small!

Photobooks

Place marking because my Christmas planner arrives tomorrow. Eeeek

I always had a stocking as a child and now my DC do. It’s often their favourite bit of Christmas. Our stockings are small though, so no big gifts. A chocolate organic usually features, a bath bomb, make up bits, bubble bath, Lego, stationary so nothing amazing but the kids love them. I think family traditions are comforting.

Fun soap (goes with everything). Chocolate orange. Socks.

And grandparents always buy one gift x

How big are the stocking people use? Or is it more of a concept stocking with piles of random stuff together for 1 person?

@Zucker

We have big santa sacks rather than stockings...I go slightly mad and get about fifty presents per child..to be fair some of them are tiny like packets of chewing gum or sweets, but it's always a huge pile, though I try to avoid tat and buy useful stuff they'll actually need at some point.

How big are the stocking people use? Or is it more of a concept stocking with piles of random stuff together for 1 person?

Quite big here. My mum made mine for my first birthday (she still fills it), dc1 inherited my dad's and I made dc2's and dh's. I consider it a bit of a challenge getting as much as possible in, plus their annual sits next to it and there will be a soft toy or similar topping it. We tend to like leisurely Christmas mornings so the proper presents might not be touched until gone 12 so I like/need them to have plenty of distractions.

Socks and pants
Pens or similar
Bath bomb/bubble bath
Lego mini figure or other blind bag of something they collect (playmobil, imaginext etc)
Funko pop figures
Key ring
Lip balm

My kids stockings are huge (I lacked foresight apparently) and I used to feel pressured to fill them up with a lot of random stuff. Now I limit it to no more than 10 things each and pad out the rest with snacks that are quite bulky like pringles or big bags of popcorn or similar.

Ds stocking is small so doesn’t need loads to fill it! I’ve bought;
Slipper socks
Card game
Set of highlighting pens
Bag Percy pigs
Terrys chocolate orange
Schnauzer key ring (guess what dog we have?)

Christmas stockings are the best part of Christmas! DMum provides a second sticking on Boxing Day. All adults get one too.

Things we have had:
Small Lego sets
Annual
Books
Character PJs (outside stocking from Santa)
Character pants and socks
Brio trains
Top trumps
Toiletries (character for DC, posh for us)
Xmas decoration (named)
Personalised pencils
Chocolate
Nuts
Kitchen stuff (whisks, kitchen knives, mugs, a nutmeg grater one year)
Embroidery thread
Voucher for a haircut when I was a student
Craft kits
Seeds
Alcohol for grown ups
Gloves and hats

Everyone hangs up a sack in our house including me and DH. I have 2 adult ds's who are hard to buy for. A Marvel T shirt or sweatshirt, pants, shower gel, Star Wars car air freshener, socks, chocolate orange, selection pack, wallet, character bottle opener, gel insoles, large fleecy blanket for top of bed, electric toothbrush. 14 year old boy with special needs 6 new cricket balls, shower gel, trainers, socks, selection pack, tub of Haribo, head phones for music, memory stick, ruck sack, character sweatshirt, non fiction book on space facts, electric toothbrush, pants, Star Wars pencil case, Star Wars boot bag for cricket spikes, Rubix cube, dressing gown, pen.

None of them have asked for any particular gift but might get 14 year old got bit as he is madly into sport and running. He had all new cricket gear for birthday otherwise I would have got him that. Last Xmas he had golf clubs and bag.

DH will most likely want a new power tool.

I made my DC stockings myself, so made sure they were wide enough to fit a picture book without bending. So basically, they are the size of a picture book with an extra bulge for a toe.

If something didn't fit, I'd put it under the tree from me and DH.

I don't feel the need to stuff them to the brim anyway - reaching in and rummaging around at the bottom is part of the fun.

Try celebrating St Nick as well (6th Dec) when kids essentially get stocking fillers .

Stuff like magnetic putty and small kits from places like Home Bargains are my contributions. Oh, and a board game or similar.

And clothes, but DS isn't impressed

Between two ds’ I’ve picked up:

Pants
Slipper socks
Funko pops
Themed stationery
Desk calendars
Ripleys believe it or not
Mini nerf guns
Bath bombs
Nano blocks
Magic flannels
Themed face masks (what else in 2020!)
Rugby / football socks
Water bottles
Aftershave
Paperback
Novelty bookmark
Head torch
Snapback
Football pump
Hover football
Pokemon cards
Mini binoculars
Very old rubbish Pokemon dvd ds1 will love