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Christmas

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Original poster

If your DC wake in the night, when do you fill their stockings?

23 replies

Bubbinsmakesthree · 13/12/2020 14:56

In previous years we’ve filled DCs’ stockings after they’re asleep, just before we go to bed and they’ve woken up at a normal time in the morning to open their stockings.

3yo DS is currently waking in the middle of the night most nights (normally wanders into our room and sleeps with us). And if he wakes and finds the stocking, that’ll presumably be it for sleeping.

What do other people do if you can’t rely on your children sleeping through?

OP posts:
lorisparkle · 13/12/2020 14:58

In the past we have 'hidden' stocking under the bed so that it does not get accidentally discovered too early.

Bunnybigears · 13/12/2020 14:59

Let him sleep with you all night then he won't get up? My kids always sleep together on Christmas Eve even now they are 13 and 10.

TheGriffle · 13/12/2020 14:59

As he’s only little could you have the stocking in your room? Hide it under the bed or similar and whip it out in the morning when he’s not looking or still asleep or if he comes into you, one of you say your going to the loo and quickly pop it on his bed?

2tired2bewitty · 13/12/2020 14:59

No guarantees, but I’ve found that when mine were small they wouldn’t spot a stocking (particularly if it was at the end of the bed for eg) if they woke in the middle of the night - I suspect they are not fully awake when they come into me

wishfull888 · 13/12/2020 15:00

Does he come out of his room when he wakes? If not & you go to him, you could just lay it outside his door so when he does get up, it'll be the first thing he sees.

wishfull888 · 13/12/2020 15:01

Oh sorry not useful at all, Just re read your post op!

MrsMigginsMate · 13/12/2020 15:03

Hide it in his wardrobe, make game of trying to find where silly Santa left it in the morning?

Our stockings are always downstairs and with a baby gate at the top of the stairs my son won't be able to see it.

NoSquirrels · 13/12/2020 15:03

Stockings downstairs by the fireplace, so no chance of this in our house.

I’ve seen sensible MNers recommend having a pair of identical stockings, so you can leave the empty one right til the last moment and just substitute the filled up one quickly when it’s convenient (after the middle of the night wake up for you).

Bluntness100 · 13/12/2020 15:03

We hid them in a cupboard then I’d set my alarm for early morning and sneak in and leave them on her bed, about five am.

As she got old enough to hear me, I then left them on the floor by her bed, and then left them outside her bedroom door.

Tomcullenisahero · 13/12/2020 15:03

We always hung our kids stockings by the fire, then we filled them when we went to bed. My two never missed having stockings in their rooms as they were used to keeping them in the living room.

Bluntness100 · 13/12/2020 15:04

Sorry just reread if he sleeps with you it’s an ideal time to sneak into his room and lay it on his bed, say you’re going to the loo.

NoSquirrels · 13/12/2020 15:05

If he comes into you, stick the stocking on the end of your bed (cos FC knows where he was sleeping) and if he doesn’t, set your alarm for after 4am and put it in his room?

Honestly, downstairs takes all the faff out of it! I hate being the Tooth Fairy for this reason.

FestiveChristmasLights · 13/12/2020 15:05

In your case I would leave the stocking in his wardrobe and then when he wakes, tell him to go into his room and have a look in there.

Original poster
Bubbinsmakesthree · 13/12/2020 15:14

Hmm maybe hanging by the fire is the answer...though I do like to keep them away from the ‘tree presents’ in the living room until later (I like to put enough presents in their stocking to keep them occupied all morning (traditionally we don’t open our tree presents until after lunch).

OP posts:
Original poster
Bubbinsmakesthree · 13/12/2020 15:17

@2tired2bewitty

No guarantees, but I’ve found that when mine were small they wouldn’t spot a stocking (particularly if it was at the end of the bed for eg) if they woke in the middle of the night - I suspect they are not fully awake when they come into me
Yes I expect you might be right here...he usually wanders in jumps into bed and is asleep again with seconds, he’s not very awake!
OP posts:
UndertheCedartree · 13/12/2020 15:22

My DC have always hung their stockings on the fireplace downstairs so I've never had to sneak around or worry about them waking up!

stepawayfromthekeyboard · 13/12/2020 15:30

I put it on the floor.
As it's dark when they wake in the night, they haven't ever noticed it in previous years.

UndertheCedartree · 13/12/2020 15:30

Also mine are perfectly happy with their stockings til we do tree presents later. I put the presents under the tree as I wrap so they know they're there!

jellybe · 13/12/2020 15:35

Our kids leave their stockings down stairs by the fireplace. We fill them before we go to bed and then even if they wake early they come into us first so we either bring them into bed with us for a bit or put them back to bed.

Lovemusic33 · 13/12/2020 15:35

This is why we now do stockings downstairs. My dd2 has ASD and is a poor sleepier, we had several awful Christmas’s where she didn’t sleep at all and others where she has woken at 2am and found her stocking then refused to go back to sleep. Stocking is now downstairs and no ones allowed to open anything until 7am.

Friendshighschool · 13/12/2020 15:44

Stockings are in the living room, not bed room.

SpeckledyHen · 13/12/2020 15:44

My boys had their’s left by the fireplace . I didn’t want my poor sleeper son being disturbed by Santa’s arrival.

Maskedcrusader · 13/12/2020 16:09

Yep, agree with PP. Stockings downstairs Father Christmas doesn't go into bedrooms. Mine head down to get stockings and take them back to bed (stopping to flick the kettle on for mum)

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