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?

Chocolate Brownies are a good non-tat filler! These ones are to die for, buy them every year for the kids at my local Christmas market...

Chatley Farm Brownies

My stockings are normally small volume wise but quality, so always a pair of PJs, pants, socks, shower/toiletries, brownies and some chocolates.. My kids are a bit older though!

4 year old is getting:
Pjs
Socks
Pants
Slippers
Bubble bath
Bath toys
Book
Sweets
Chocolate
Maybe a movie if I can find something he will watch!

18 year old
Pjs
Boxers
Socks
Deodorant
Shower gel
Wireless headphones
American sweets & cereal

They get them on Xmas eve as opposed to Christmas Day. I don’t spend much on them, and tend to grab bits as bargains through the year,

I have finally started the stocking fillers for this year (I usually have a good few by now) - Lidl had sets of those sticky tabs for marking pages in their middle aisle this week, in different designs (not just plain colours) so I got 2 different sets for DD (in an exam year in school so will be well used).

And I have found a pattern to make her a small zipped pouch to hold her earbuds safely in her schoolbag (she uses them for coding).

People use the phrase "stockings" to refer to different things though don't they. Our stockings are just normal sized stockings that hand on the mantlepiece. You couldn't even squeeze a book into them. Some people seem to use it to mean all presents.

We have stockings at the end of the bed (little things - getting more difficult now they're teens) and then main presents under the tree.

hang on themantlepiece

For DD2

Stacking crayons
Toothbrush
Hair brush
Toadstool light
Magic facecloth (got 4 last year for a bargain 20p each)
Bath book
Bubbles that you can hold /catch (Hobbycraft)
Chocolate coins
Satsuma

HasaDig yes, our stockings are actually stockings. I can't understand why someone would call a Santa sack a stocking - surely the'yre holding the main gifts?

Our stocking to DS has things to keep him amused until after breakfast, showers, a dog walk and making the post-dog-walk cup of tea, when we open the gifts under the tree.

This year's presents to DH will fit in his stocking as they're all small. I may have to wrap the book seperately, but that's about it.

We don't do 1st December box, Christmas Eve box or any other kind of box, it's just stockings and presents.

Any ideas for body/bath type stuff for a nearly 10 old boy? There doesn’t seem much between Thomas tank bubble bath and Lynx! Not quite at the smelly teen age but stuff encourage into bath room nevertheless.

B&m had some wwe bubble bath sets if that's something he's into? @Akire

What’s WWE?

Wrestling

DS (1) is getting:
A toot toot car
Jumbo crayons
Tube of Milky buttons
Pocket library
Bubbles
Bubble bath
Maybe a little teddy to poke out the top, if I can find one small and cheap enough.

I'm completely aware that this stocking is really for me

We put painkillers in for the adults and vitamins in for the kids.

Interesting to see the different ideas on the stockings. A lot of it sounds like stuff I'd be bagging up and binning on the 27th though. I think I'm missing the point of it though as so many people sound like they love giving and receiving them.

I've noted some stuff down and going to try stockings this year!

surely the'yre holding the main gifts?

We had sacks until the kids got older with family gifts under the tree and now have stockings from FC and presents from us under the tree. They are teens and love the stockings. Small gifts they’ve asked for.

I foolishly bought DC1 a sizeable stocking without thinking about having to fill it. Then I had to get a matching one for DC2. They are beautiful though.

A whole tube of Pringles - fills space, DS loves it! Or Marmite Cashews, or both
Reese’s peanut butter cups, other US sweets
Fancy shower gel - DS is young enough at 12 to be impressed with Original source
Microwave popcorn
Pencils with their names on
Cartoon socks and pants
Books
Used to do Top Trumps, but the dc are possibly a bit old now
Water bottles
Big Bobble Hat
New flannel in favourite/team colour
Torch, headtorch

Along the Pringles line , I saw some triangular tubs of Dorittos . Quite ££ though .

A huge tub of popcorn takes up a lot of space...I think Asda does them

@PhantomErik
You mentioned retro games in a handheld console. Do you mind me asking where you might get that / what you might get. I've a 7 year old who would appreciate one of those handheld video games people had back in about 1990 (not me, clearly, I can't even remember the name to Google it!)

Are you thinking of a Game Boy @Love51 ?

@73kittycat73 thank you, yes I was trying to think of Gameboy. My head got as far as 'olden days Nintendo DS'.
I've never owned either!
Living vicariously through the kids!

Lol, no worries. I've still got a Gameboy Colour somewhere. Used to play Pokemon on it.

Love51 this is the retro game I've bought from Oliver Bonas.

Hoping it amuses DS!

Thanks @PhantomErik
I'm tempted to go the whole hog and get a £17 one off Amazon.