What’s the trick with hanging stockings out so the children don’t wake?

[Highflow]

Just that really.
The children have always wanted the stockings hung downstairs because they don’t like the thought of FC coming upstairs.
That was easy to do.
This year they want them hung from their bedroom door. Any tips for doing it so as not to wake them up, or time to do it?
Too early and they might be awake too early, or 5am and risk waking them?? Help!!

Say no and leave them downstairs!

If you can get two identical stockings per child you can fill one ahead of time and then just swap them over.

Or do it before you go to bed once they are asleep?

It’s fine just creep in and get the stocking and stuff it out of earshot

then creep back with it

my parents managed when I was small and I was the world’s lightest sleeper at Christmas

When kids are well asleep, or when you go to bed, remove the stockings, fill and lean against the door frame. If they're full you can say FC must have thought they were too heavy to hang back up.

That's what we did
But they literally had one of their dads socks !!!
Father Christmas left his presents in a 'sack ' under the tree

Mine hang their stockings on their bedroom doors. I take the bag of stocking fillers up with me when I go to bed, take the stockings off the doors and into my bedroom, fill them and put them back.

Eldest is 8 and staying up later and later, regardless of what time she goes to bed. Which is annoying as I long for an early night on Xmas eve but I have to wait until she's fast asleep.

I sometimes go to bed and when I get up for the loo in the middle of the night put them out then, you could set an alarm. Around 2/3am works well as they are usually deep in sleep then. This is because my teenager eldest is often up until 11pm.

We had red pillowcases downstairs on the hearth.

@Choconuttolata surely your teenager isn’t expecting Santa?

Ahh no this is how I found out when I was little. Too much excitement meant I was sleeping lightly and I saw what was happening. I pretended of course for years but it was horrible, I was so sad. Would rather have just grown out of it.

We leave stockings downstairs, that is what we've agreed. My eldest hates the thought of someone coming into her room when asleep.

I bring all presents downstairs when eldest is watching Christmas movie in the bath and hide them in the pantry. Once she's in bed, it means I'm not waiting for her to go to sleep to creep up to the attic to get the gifts. This works really well and I don't get worried about being caught!

Over the door hook covertly put in place when you tuck them in and shut the door the night before so don't have to open the door? Might need a quick trip to a shop if you don't have any...

Or say Santa's already left and you couldn't get the message to him to change the arrangements!

My family always did bedknob stockings. Top tip - wear santa hat particularly if a cabin bed, so if wake up and open eyes they think it's actually Santa...

I get all the gifts in a non-rustling bag each stashed in my bedroom, make sure they leave their bedroom doors open and go to bed at a reasonable time then creep in when they're asleep, grab the stockings, fill them and return them. It's many years since they stopped believing but we still like the magic and in my case the hint of jeopardy and they pretend to be asleep even if they aren't. When they were younger I did have to wait till I was sure they were asleep. I could never leave them on a door handle or downstairs, there is something so magical about feeling the full stocking with your feet when you wake up (DH and I put each others on our bed too).

dont hang them
either downstairs
or leaning against the door upstairs

No teenager doesn't believe in or expect Santa (none of my kids do anymore), but they all like the surprise still 😂

My parents used the matching socks trick, Dad's knee length for use with shorts in the summer.
And my sister, BiL and I later purloined them to creep into the parents' room and leave them, without hanging empty ones first!

I fill a carrier bag for each child then it’s a matter of retrieve the stockings from their door, fill in my room, then pop each one back on the door handle as I’m passing to go downstairs and watch a Xmas movie!

Leave the stockings downstairs by the fireplace. Santa doesn't have time to be wandering around people's houses and it always struck me as a bit creepy anyway, the idea of a man sneaking around into bedrooms at night!! I stash presents in my study and fill the stockings downstairs once they are asleep. So much less stressful.

I'm another who's Christmas magic was ruined a little too young by seeing a parent coming into my room and hanging the stocking on the end of the bed. I think to save bother, just say that Santa has sent a message to say because of the bad weather his sleigh is delayed and he has asked if presents can be delivered downstairs to save time going up and down everyone's stairs. Or say that you're very tired and don't want to get disturbed hearing Santa coming upstairs so you are leaving a note to say you want everything left downstairs so he doesn't disturb your sleep.

Hang them up downstairs for Santa to find. But Santa can then leave them just outside their bedroom doors when full. That's what I had as a child.

Years ago, when my eldest was about 7, I had a full on whispered conversation with ‘Santa’ outside her room. “I know she’s still awake, what do you wany to do Father Christmas? Yes ok, I’ll put them in her room for you if you like. “ totally worked! So many years of staying up or setting my alarm to try and keep the magic alive. They’re 14 and 22 now and I’m still waiting for them to go up! Oh and the port and mince pie will be on the hearth!