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Original poster

Does anyone not 'do' stockings?

107 replies

Stressfordays · 19/12/2022 14:40

I'm wondering if I'm the strange one but we've never done stockings? No one I know does them either? Presents get wrapped and put under the tree. I didn't have them as a kid and my parents didn't either. We call the cheaper bits you buy stocking fillers but don't actually put them in a stocking. Am I doing Christmas wrong? 🤣

OP posts:
SusanPerbCallMeSue · 19/12/2022 17:11

I didn't have stockings as a child, and nor did my ex. His kids didn't either. Mine didn't to begin with. I think I started them when my oldest was around 4 or 5. No idea why!

I remember the second year I did them I put them by their beds. Big mistake! I woke DS1 up, who was so excited to see them full he woke his brothers up. At 1am. I did not get any sleep and they were left downstairs after that (better when we moved to a house with a mantelpiece to hang them on)

mathanxiety · 19/12/2022 17:11

Never had any as a child (in Ireland) and my DCs don't have any either.

Presents are under the tree.

We have tiny (5 inch) stockings that I fill with chocolate coins and little chocolate Christmas figures from Aldi. They basically decorate the mantelpiece.

cptartapp · 19/12/2022 17:18

Never had a stocking and neither have the DC.
All presents wrapped and in pillow cases under the tree on the day.

Tiredmum100 · 19/12/2022 17:37

We also had stockings as kids, and I've carried on the tradition with my children. I use to love feeling the heaviness of the stocking on my feet. We'd go in to my mum and dads bedroom and open them, before going downstairs to find the presents on the sofa. I love my dc coming in to my room now and opening their stockings. Everyone has their own traditions..we don't have the presents under the tree for dc, as others do (they are presents I'm giving to family etc). I know of 2 other people who say santa has left presents at the grandparents houses, that's something I haven't done. I guess we all do things slightly different.

Dreamwhisper · 19/12/2022 17:49

SusanPerbCallMeSue · 19/12/2022 17:11

I didn't have stockings as a child, and nor did my ex. His kids didn't either. Mine didn't to begin with. I think I started them when my oldest was around 4 or 5. No idea why!

I remember the second year I did them I put them by their beds. Big mistake! I woke DS1 up, who was so excited to see them full he woke his brothers up. At 1am. I did not get any sleep and they were left downstairs after that (better when we moved to a house with a mantelpiece to hang them on)

Oh no 😅 This exact thing happened to me last year, except it was 4am. DD (7 this year) asked if we could hang the stockings in the bedroom again, it was a firm NO from me.

Sent them off to bed with their stockings and a Disney movie and I couldn't stomach opening the Christmas tree presents so early! They did drift back off and then we all woke at around 7 to open the tree presents, thank goodness.

ditherydotty · 19/12/2022 18:00

Yes I do for my kids. As a kid myself my stocking was a string & cardboard shaped stocking filled with chocolate bars (Cadbury's I think).

I'm hoping as my children her older I can knock the stocking in the head

fannyfartlet · 19/12/2022 18:23

Never done them either

Olivetreebutter · 19/12/2022 18:25

We never had them. As kids we had one gift on the end of the bed (to keep us busy from 5am-6.30) and the rest under the tree. As an adult I've bought some lovely stockings to hang by the fire but we don't actually put anything in them.
We never really buy "stocking filler" bits either though tbf.

Scottishskifun · 19/12/2022 18:26

We had stocking growing up and do them now with the children. Santa brings the stocking and 1 small item from the list.

It's a good way of avoiding why didn't santa bring me a bike etc and keeps things managable

DappledThings · 19/12/2022 18:28

We had stockings. We has my Dad's hockey socks which were pretty long. Entirely separate to presents under the tree. Those were all from the people they were from and appeared under the tree whenever they were wrapped.

Same as we do now. Our tree and presents have never had anything to do with Father Christmas.

Thecomfortador · 19/12/2022 19:00

We do stockings because it's the main thing I remember getting excited about - and feeling that heavy, lumpy stocking on your feet was amazing. DP never had a stocking - I think his mum just said they sent the presents to Santa to wrap and deliver. My dad didn't have one either.

We use men's socks with Christmas pictures on them - I've upgraded this year to an extra large size 12-14 although they're not as stretchy as the ones we've used for a few years (they're in general sock use through the year so not wasted).

I don't remember ever talking about how Christmas happened with friends once we were back at school. So probably children just think their way is the normal way and don't question it.

Knittingnanny2 · 19/12/2022 19:04

No stockings growing up in the 50’s and 60’s. It was a pillowcase at the end of the bed with presents from Santa/parents. Then presents under the tree from other family members.
I did the same with mine in the 80’s but as they’ve joined other families new traditions have been added. All of my grandchildren have stockings.
Im glad the Christmas Eve box thing passed me by! Mine were just desperate to get to bed so that they didn’t accidentally see Santa!

RedHelenB · 19/12/2022 19:14

Everyone I know from being a child does sacks, pillowcases or stockings. You are unique.

RudsyFarmer · 19/12/2022 19:16

We have two large personalised sacks. They get filled with presents and the kids come downstairs to unwrap their presents on Christmas morning.

Works for us.

Nutrigrainygoodness · 19/12/2022 19:18

We don't. We did for a few years because it was what dws family did. But I was buying random tat to put in them. So I decided to not bother a few years ago and dd didn't even notice the lack of stocking, so that was that.
Just presents under the tree.

Original poster
Stressfordays · 19/12/2022 19:20

I remember when we were very little we each had sacks and the presents overspilled on to the floor. Then when we got older (and I assume the presents got smaller) they moved to under the tree in one big pile for everyone. I've just continued that with my kids really! My youngest is 4 and my eldest is 10 (and doesn't believe in santa anymore) so I think starting stockings now would be a bit pointless really. I love them waking up and running downstairs to open presents!

OP posts:
RudsyFarmer · 19/12/2022 19:21

Actually I remember the stocking being very disappointing as a child. Some plastic tat, a clementine, a walnut and some chocolate. I
probably liked the chocolate but not much else. Hence why I do t bother.

RudsyFarmer · 19/12/2022 19:24

I was l lol d as I, to make it much more exciting, throw confetti about and I get a foil/tinsel curtain and attach it to the living room door architrave so the kids have to plough through the ‘magic curtain’ into the room to find their presents. One of my friends does similar but with wrapping paper so they have to break into the room like something out of a kids adventure show 🤣

blueflagflyhigh · 19/12/2022 19:27

I never got them as a child. Instead we got a sack. It was separate to our big present or the wrapped presents but my mum said she used to spend a fortune on them.

We do a stocking but to be fair I don't really see the point I just do it coz it's traditional. We just put them downstairs beside their presents and usually do them last. I'm not really sure what ur meant to put in them! I know back in the day an orange was popular but I'm def not doing that my kids wld be like 😳 why Santa brought me some fruit 😂 I just put whatever small things I've bought actually fit in and some sweets. I think eventually we won't bother once they get older and don't believe in Santa.

Ragwort · 19/12/2022 19:29

My siblings and I always had them growing up (small gifts, chocolates etc and the 'main' present under the tree and clearly labelled from Mum and Dad) ... I've done the same for my DS although now he's 21 it's a small box with shower gel, socks etc in it! Like others have mentioned I prefer my DS to know that 'big' presents come from relatives etc & he always knew he had to wrote a proper thank you!

RinklyRomaine · 19/12/2022 19:36

Ah so many different traditions. We never had stockings but a pillowcase in the end of the bed full of tat, chocolate and satsumas to be taken into DPs bed to open, then main presents under the tree. I woke DD the first time I tried and never did it again! We have stockings on the mantelpiece but they get filled with chocolate and sweeties now, not gifts. Everything else under the tree. DSs are too little to think too much about it but it will be big toys only from FC under the small tree in the lounge where the fireplace is, and everything else under the big tree in the kitchen from us and everyone else.

StiggyZardust · 19/12/2022 19:38

We've never done stockings or Father Christmas. DS doesn't seem to be damaged.

Abraxan · 19/12/2022 19:39

We have never done them (Dd is 20) and neither me or Dh had stockings growing up.

All presents went under the tree or in pillowcases growing up. Father Christmas was a delivery service.

For Dd all presents went under the tree. Father Christmas brought her one present - surprise, left out near the food tray she left out for him, not the biggest or most expensive but a wanted type gift. Left unwrapped and ready to use/play with.

She's 20y now and FC still brings a special gift!

PlantsAndSpaniels · 19/12/2022 20:11

Its ok to have different traditions. I think its a nice way of separating the presents and the day.
Growing up we had pillowcases in our bedrooms until about 10 and then stockings downstairs and a pile of presents until we moved out. I've realised now how lucky we were.
Still do the other half a stocking but it's mainly chocolate.

CazM2012 · 19/12/2022 20:30

Question for any of you who DC wake/would wake if you were in their room with stockings, how do you deal with the tooth fairy?