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?

Any suggestions of toiletries for teen boys? Not Lynx!

Place marking. My DDs are starting Uni and my head is currently scrambled with the associated stress. I’m sure they’ll need small things.

@sparklinglime

Boots have loads of different ones in the 3 for 2. Fila, mens dove, mens no 7, baylis and harding, topshop, fcuk etc. You may find some in supermarkets as well.
Lush have nice mens stuff in terms of shower gel, soaps as well as bath bombs etc.

Thanks, @cherryrainbow. I’m just unsure as to what’s cool or acceptable to 14-year-olds!

We have pillow cases, one per child, under the tree. They contain a mixture of larger presents and tiny, stocking filler type presents. The kids dip in during the day and open a present roughly every hour. I found this was the best way of 'spreading out' Christmas and preventing that awful anti-climactic feeling that sets in around 3pm when everything has been opened. They actually pace themselves pretty well, and always try to leave something large to open just before bed!

Mind you, they are adults now, but they grew up doing it this way, and think it's a brilliant way of making the excitement of the day last all day!

Some really good ideas on here.

For DD1 I’m thinking of the following

Coffee syrup, can’t remember the brand name atm, the type they use in coffee shops
Coffee shop gift voucher
Garnier facial masks
Lip balm
Lipstick

DD2 isn’t so easy to buy for
Nail varnish
Lip gloss
Lip balm
Coffee shop gift voucher

Both are going to Uni this year, one moved in this week in Cardiff and the other moves into Liverpool next week.

@ANewHope18 thank you for the bubbles idea! Ds is obsessed with bubbles and gets upset when we have to put them away

@HasaDigaEebowai

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.

I agree!

Our are all small - almost like a knee high sock.

My children are all teens and older so stockings are getting harder to fill, up until last year they all had a sack as well as a stocking, but I've done away with those now that gifts are getting smaller and more expensive.

Two things I've picked up that I think are a good idea are Fjallraven Greenland wax and Dr Martens Wonder Balsam, both useful and a little bit different.

17 year old ds has a wireless charger, socks, shower gel, card holder and a dock&bay cooling towel ( it's in a tiny pouch about 4 inches long) I'll put some chocolate coins and other sweets in too later on.

Dd1 has a hair turban - dock&bay, some cookie cutters, socks - the wax and balsam are for her, and I'll pick up something from Lush too.

Dd2 and Ds1 don't have anything yet, both are quite tricky to buy for.

All four say that they love getting a stocking and it's the best part of the gifts, I like putting them together and they know it takes a lot of effort to make sure it's stuff they like/need, I don't think I'll be stopping anytime soon.