Stocking fillers for kids at uni

[mylittleprince]

Kids not ready to give up stockings just yet but with them getting older it's harder. We have a rule of 10 presents in a stocking (to keep it fair!)

So far thinking alcohol minis, posh toiletries, designer pants. Will get a food gift card and put in a small box.

Trying to think of things that would be useful to take back to uni.

Any recommendations for any new small board games / card games to fit in stockings?

Chocolate orange
Exploding kittens game
Dobble connect game
Bath bombs
Posh recipe book

Great ideas here!

Powerbanks - B&M do Goodmans branded ones which are great value

@nicky2512 Where did you order the beads for the Taylor Swift bracelet? This would be perfect for my obsessed teen!

A novelty door wedge- mine loved these! www.meetthewedgies.com/

For my 21 year old DS's stocking this year I've got:
Dior Sauvage dupe
Lovely wooly Christmas socks
PJ bottoms
A back scratcher
Eyebrow grooming kit
A key ring with his name engraved
A 'flat pack' Old Fashioned Cocktail
Mens L'Occitane body wash
Hot chocolate bomb
Christmas bath bomb
Hotel chocolate chocs
Also going in will be a chocolate orange, mint matchmakers and a few other sweets/chocs.

Mine are a couple of years younger but I hope older teens would also like a Pop-a-cob, I've bought one for all the stockings this year (recommended on another thread on here)
And a multi-tool pen a bit like this one(although the ones I bought also include a spirit level which I thought was the best bit!

Great thread OP!

My Uni kid lives at home plus her 21 year old sister. I don’t buy crap, only decent stuff they can use, need, love.

Lots of wonderful ideas here.

Brilliant thread
So many excellent ideas 💡

Some bits I've bought in the past that I don't think I've seen mentioned so far:

Reusable beeswax wraps for covering food
Deodorising trainer balls
Phone stand
Salt/herb mix grinders
For car owners....Car bin (small pop up one), hiviz waistcoat (in case of breakdowns), ice scraper glove
Basic vest tops, tshirts for layering

Great thread!

I have 2 DC at university plus another who is almost 18.

We don't really do stockings, but instead a pile of small gifts under the tree (their main gift is cash). I try to keep them useful rather than buying tat for the sake of it. I also try to buy roughly similar for all three.

This year's ideas so far:
Pyjamas
Book
Starbucks gift card
Lindt Reindeer
Gourmet Popcorn
Toiletries

I have also bought DD a mug that she saw and liked.

Love this thread, so many great ideas. Thank you everyone for posting

Some great ideas here. I now have a list, just thought I'd add a few more in that I've thought of.

small gym towel
box of individual protein shake sachets in different flavours
towel clips for the sunbeds on holiday
An umbrella. I bought one that folds up really small by totes in tk maxx yesterday.

Trying really hard to only buy things that will be used or eaten.

I get the m and s beauty advent calendar and divvy up the contents between 2 dds stockings- anything I think they won't like I keep! It's got a lot of stuff in for not too much £ when you spend more than a fairly modest set amount on clothing / homeware

The useful stuff they should have but might not bother buying for themselves - band aids, first aid kits, dental floss, mini tool or screwdriver kit, flashlight, command strips, manicure set, AA & AAA batteries. Seems like boring stuff but it's what I did for mine when they left home and they did make use of it. Novelty tat too but less of it as they got older.

Where do you get flat pack cocktails from, these sound great. Cab you buy them singley?

I just remembered another thing I did before that went down well.

A sewing kit. Handy for buttons or small rips.

I also gave all mine a toolkit when they moved out. Won't fit it a stocking though 😁

Love these threads. Mine are 17, 20 and 24 now and when DS1 announced he didn't a need a stocking anymore in his mid teens as he'd 'outgrown them', I realised that it hadn't occurred to me to update the sweets, whoopie cushion, mini toy type combo. He said he didn't need any more mini Gnomes thank you. 🤣

Luckily there was a teen stocking thread the next year with great ideas, and when he got an updated version with mini salamis, American sweets, scratch cards, multi tool, glo stick, Costa card that sort of thing, suddenly stockings were fun again and now it's their favourite bit.

I still usually get something silly, or flashing or musical but it's a mix of scratch cards, fun sweets or chocolate, miniatures, chilli sauce, nice socks, mini sewing or tool kits, and always get a new idea idea off mumsnet. This year they've got a mini wind up theme tune music box, there's a game of thrones , a moana and studio Ghibli one, a mini etch a sketch keyring, then the usual selection of bits. Always a tube of sweets and a Lindt reindeer poking out of the top!

Odd question but something I'm trying to track down. My DD loves cooking. I'd like to send her off to Uni with a range of spices/herbs but not the full jars as I don't think she'd have the space? Any ideas of containers I could buy please?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Best-Price-Square-SAFECAN-STERLING/dp/B000FO6MRQ

This!

@ArthurChristmas22 how about these little Sistema storage containers: https://www.johnlewis.com/sistema-to-go-dressing-dips-mini-pots-set-of-4-35ml-multi/p6034873?s_ppc=2dx92700078342469783_brand_mixed_BAU&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgY_hmoybggMVU8TtCh3w5QmfEAQYASABEgJnHfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

They are described as being for dips/sauces but fine for herbs and spices, IMO.

A few more that I've thought of:

Shower speaker
Novelty shower cap or bath sponge
Pack of replacement toothbrush heads
Cable management ties, clips, cord holders etc (Amazon) - especially great for gamers
Watch/Fitness tracker strap
Dry bag if they're outdoorsy/sporty
Ice towel
Reusable ziplock snack bags/freezer bags (thick, colourful silicon type ones)

Search on Amazon for small mason jar spice bags - they look really space efficient.

Look up "camping spice kit" on Amazon, they are a great idea

Some good ideas here thanks all!

my 19 year old sold all the nice bamboo socks I got him in his stocking on vinted and left the fancy £10 lip balm at his dads so I’m not overly keen on doing him one this year, the ingrate 🙄

might just fill it with toilet cleaner and the like now he’s at uni!

Great ideas, keep them coming!