Some questions about stockings

[Fivemoreminutes1]

How much do you spend (and how old is your child)?
Also, are you avoiding plastic stuff a bit more now?

It's...it's MAY!

As my DC got older I used to give them socks, pants, pens and stationery. One year I tried to be more inventive and they said they relied on me for supplies.

Mine are 6 and 9. I spend about £20. I usually go to Tiger and poundland and put in things like bath bombs, bubbles, novelty stationery, toy car, mini torch, sweets. Always put a satsuma in the toe! I don't avoid plastic any more or less than I do the rest of the time.

Spend... probably too much. But I put stuff like a book, socks, hair stuff, stationery etc in there, not cheap novelty items so it adds up a bit. Would rather spend a fiver on a book they would love than something cheap from pound land that breaks on Christmas day.

I did get them fake snow one year though, they loved that (3&5yo)

13- 24
About 30 pound. Try to do novelty Chrustmas things like socks, knickers/boxers, bath bombs, face masks, joke/quiz cards, Sweets always chocolate coins. Mine bit old for plastic crap now

About £30ish with little bits and bobs like toiletries, socks etc it's got harder as they have got older!
@DropYourSword don't click on the title if you don't want to talk about Christmas in May, some people have to budget and that means starting a bit earlier than others

One person's stocking is another person's pillowcase is another person's massive sack!

I do a stocking and a sack (mine will be 3 and 10 months at christmas). The stocking only fits about 5 small things like sweets, crayons, toy cars, socks, little figures. I'm not too bothered about plastic but if I'm getting plastic I want something that is useful or will get played with a lot, not "party bag" type stuff.

The sack has things like books, jigsaws, little games, bubble bath, rucksack, bath toys etc

Usually small stuff like hair bands, etc...
pits getting harder as DS gets older, even with dd she’s super girly so as she gets older it will probs be make up etc... DS is 14 and only into gaming so I usually put some game he’s asked for or roblox gc....depends on what I find

Are you aware it is May?!!

really?

sorry. So much to worry about before stressing about about Christmas!!

really don’t mean to be unsympathetic - but it is MAY.

@Workinghardeveryday and @DropYourSword its the Christmas board. What else is she suppose to chat about here?

Are you aware this is the Christmas board that runs all year round?

@BellyDancer124 no I wasn’t 😬.

thread came up in active and just thought noooooo 😂 - sorry @Fivemoreminutes1

So I have gone for the novelty items in the past but DS just isn’t interested and they end up in the bin. I want a reduced Christmas this year for environmental reasons so DS will have:

pack of Yoto cards (audio books)
chocolate coins
hot chocolate bomb thing
socks

All of those will be used loads or consumed. Am determined not to add other things on this year, they just go to waste and DS will be made up with Yoto cards and chocolate.

I spend about £5, we really dont go big with this as neither me nor DH had stockings as a kid but out kids love it on the day.

Includes:
A terries chocolate orange (for tradition)
A bag chocolate coins (for tradition)
A box of panda biscuits

• 2 other sweets of their taste (like M&Ms or Candy Sticks) 1 sheet of stickers 4 little/cheap toys

I only bought my daughters toys so far this year because its early but I saw them so picked them up. So far shes getting one of those tubes that groan when you flip it, a bath boat and a unicorn fan.

I did experiment and doubled the amount from 5 sweets and 5 toys to 10 sweets and 10 toys last year but half of it hasnt been used so back to just the 10 items this year I think.

We actually don’t do stockings. Honestly, in our society, most kids really don’t need more “stuff”. My DCs get one gift from me & DH, one or two from GPs, 2-3 from aunts and uncles, and usually a couple from family friends… it adds up shockingly fast! So I actively resist buying them anything else. (Bah humbug!)

That said, we spend a fair bit over the holidays on experiences - nice dinners out, trips to the aquarium, the Christmas market for hot chocolate and a couple one new decoration each year, an afternoon at The Nutcracker with my eldest…

DCs are 5, 3, 1.

We also do a stocking and a sack... I see them as different things though but its always a source of disagrement in online chats.

For us the Santa sack has 12 toys of approx. £1 in (so £12 all together) and they are usually classics like a skipping rope, slinky, slide whistle etc... (always one annoying noisy thing to prove 'santa' brought it not us lol).

The stocking (as I mentioned above is 10 items mix of sweets and toys for about £5) isnt from Santa here though, its just done for tradition 'in memory' of Saint Nick (but St. Nick leaves chocolates on the 6th).

To us St Nick is a real person who is remembered like St Patrick or St David where as Santa is a magic being (like the easter bunny or tooth fairy).

Not doing a stocking as such this year but a small gift hamper/box for each kid with a theme. It'll have like 3/4 small items per box and a selection box. Think like stickers/ socks/ accessories.

I'm thinking for my daughter peppa pig, my son it'll likely be gaming, and lego for stepson.

I don't have a set "stocking" budget but I tend to put a couple of little figures in, like Schleich animals/ dinosaurs/ etc, then other small bits and bobs that don't quite make up a proper tree present. And chocolates and sweets! Usually some socks too. I don't buy "plastic tat" for them, only things I know will last and that they will enjoy.

I take the budget for stockings out of my usual Christmas budget for each child, which we save for during the year.

I generally put useful stuff in my kids. So hair bobbles, lip balm, pens pencils chocolate coins etc that I buy when on off or in the sale. Never spend more than £15 on it though

Mine are teenagers, they still put up a stocking for Father Christmas. Miraculously it gets filled every Christmas eve over night. Usually the traditional stuff we have always done such as chocolate coins, a tube of smarties, a toblerone, some novelty socks, lip balm, body puff thing for showering with and some scented soaps. I have sons so no make up/hair stuff etc. It is more a token thing than anything else.

We're adults and still get stockings, but now I do them for my parents too! ☺️

When they were little, about £15-20

But you can get a great stocking for about £10. Look in Wilko and Poundland for plasticine, craft items, a favourite Disney or superhero colouring book etc. Nearer the tine, add a chocolate orange or toblerone.

Look for good as new books in second hand stores and then add something like a mini lego figure.

I avoid novelty items. DH buys them and they get thrown away unopened after a few years of gathering dust.

But if they are interested, things like a packet of fast growing seeds are good.

This year I plan to bulk buy those powders that turn bonfires multicoloured as DC are now teens and love sitting around the firepit with friends. They are only 99p a bag.

Always go excessive on stockings since the year before last when I decided they would be the only thing Santa brought (which didn't work out!) but now love planning the stocking! It is still special and they have large stockings. I have to commit to a formula though otherwise I overdo it and cram a load of stuff in....

What I put in for everyone is:

Lush bath bomb
Sugar Mice
Chocolate Orange
Special/fancy jar of sweets
Christmas lollipop
Snuggly socks
Hot chocolate stirrer
Mini notebook
Stickers
Novelty pencil
3 -5 small gifts from places like Smiggle, Claire's, Rex London

If you haven't done them before and want to start doing them, do NOT hang them in your children's bedroom. First year I did them I hung them up in the hallway and they woke at 6am delighted to see them filled. Second year I hung them at the end of their beds and they were up at 4am :(

Mine have a sticking of little bits and bobs, and one or maybe 2 big/main Santa presents in a sack. The stockings are only small, traditional sized ones, and I go mainly by size rather than budget - if there’s something I’ve bought them that is small it usually ends up in the stocking! I guess usually about £30 ish though. It always has a pack of homemade gingerbread Santa biscuits each, and chocolate coins.

yes we keep ours down stairs hanging on door handles... as a kid they where more traditional decor (although they had nuts in them) and hung on the fireplace like on tv/films.

I never heard of stockings/pillowcase IN the kids bedroom until mumsnet... the thought of having to sneak in on my light sleeping super excitable toddler sounds like an utter nightmare lol.