Christmas stockings trap

[Freakon]

So we fell into the trap of getting our dc huge stockings when they were small. Every year we regret it. I only had a pillowcase when I was a kid. Also how much does everyone spend? It seems obscene every year and makes me feel like we’ve spoiled them and can’t reverse it! They also have a main present from us which is equally expensive. I do try to give them lots of practical gifts like pyjamas slippers etc to even out all the non essential indulgence. They don’t have toys etc bought all year apart from the occasional thing they use their own money for and birthdays of course.
What I’m interested to know is are we the most awful material givers or are others in this trap too? The last thing you want is for your kids to think Santa has copped out this year! So we keep repeating the cycle as it gets harder and harder to find good gifts. One days costs us so so much money!!

I'll be the the first to admit I go slightly OTT in stockings (15-20 gifts). But none of it costs more than £3, most around the £1 mark. (Accept a book). They get toiletries, stationary, sweets, a card game, key rings, socks, that sort of thing.

How old are tgey

Dh says I go over the top as he always just had food and stuff on his stocking.

I tend to get a small lego set (as in the little £10 ish ones), slipper socks if they need new ones, bubble bath/bath bomb, chocolate/nougat/sweets and a "thing" that they would like. This year that was stuff like a hobby related mug one had been drooling over and a geeky merch plush toy for another. Then they always have a stack of books each under the tree in addition to their "big" gift.

Marshmallows are your friends here, really bulky!

Id call a pillowcase big! Ours use my socks as they are bigger than theres. Am defo in the trap though as totally felt I got them too much!
Can you accidently loose the big sacks next year and realise at the last minute so you can replace with something smaller?

You do know you're not obliged to fill the stockings? And you could always retire them for smaller ones? Spending "just because" is ridiculous. Or you could simply explain to your children that presents get smaller but more expensive, so they can't expect so many as they get older?

Inflatables. Inflatable alien one year, inflatable hammer with "boink" sound the next - saved our bacon when the kids were little

Whoopie cushion already inflated. Bottles of posh lemonade/butterbeer.

Just buy a smaller stocking for future years!

I’ve been thinking about this. I still really like old fashioned puzzle type fun things at Christmas time and so I am going to give a few quality gifts like puzzles and small toys made from wood and metal, pack of cards with Christmas theme, year after year, changing occasionally for age and ability, but keeping some as old favourites, and add a bit of chocolate, a satsuma, socks etc. Then when putting the decorations away, the stocking puzzles go away till next year.

One of us got a little wooden cone and ball game (remember where you have a cone and a ball on a string and have to toss the ball up and catch it in the cone?) in a cracker a few years ago and it was good nostalgic Christmas fun! So I don’t think you really grow out of some things and if they don’t have them all year, they can still be looked forward to.

And a yo-yo! It’s not Christmas without a yo-yo, even if they aren’t ever played with on any other day!

My DC are adults now but I still use the same stockings for them I’ve always used. They are about 15 inches by 5 inches big. I put in a toiletry set, chocolates, sweets, maybe a bath bomb type of thing. When they were younger instead of the toiletry set it would be a small toy or some craft stuff. Total cost has always been around a tenner.

I’m trying to imagine just how big they might be to be a nuisance to fill! 😂

Stockings for us are usually practical or consumable - socks/underwear, drinks, chocolate/sweets, small books, toiletries. You can fit in around 6-8 gifts and I spend around £20.

Mine are teens now but I fill up on large bottles of shampoo, moisturiser, toothpaste etc. all stuff they need

We have smallish stockings (about the height up to my knee) and I don't put a lot in them. Chocolates, book, the odd small toy or gadget. Mine have always known that stockings are not the main event.

Id suggest either losing the sack beforehand or Father Christmas leaving them new, smaller stockings next year. My parents did that (although ours were upgraded from my dad's sock to a small sack then one year became a smaller stocking)

Ours have a pillow case-sized sack. But the gifts fill it - he always puts in one large thing, usually a new onesie or dressing gown, which fills it halfway. Then add in the chocolate and colouring books etc.

Oh, and the onesie or whatever would always be something they needed anyway, if an old one was outgrown. Then a mix of fun nonsense gifts and things they would have needed anyway like socks.

We have a small stocking, and then anything that doesn't fit goes next to it.

How old are your kids - can you take them to choose more grown up stockings?

And how big are the stockings you have??

Mine get 12 things (for the 12 days of Christmas obviously ).

They’re still only little, but I think the most expensive thing was £5. They were thrilled by character knickers and a chocolate orange.

They also got a notebook and pen, a tiny squishy dinosaur, lipbalm, face mask and bath bomb (body shop tiny ones), an expandable flannel and bar of body shop soap, two blind bags from ‘One Below’, a LOL doll hair clip surprise bag, a frozen pez dispenser that my mum sent, a funny hexagon shaped ball and an Octonaughts toy.

In our house it’s cheap things in the stocking. All other presents are from parents / relatives / friends and they’re sent to FC for delivery. Sometimes they’re sent to other houses for them.

I've always included things they need, as little ones this would be socks, pants, toothbrush, pj's etc even now as adults they had fluffy socks

There was space in the stockings this year, as ours are ones my friend made and they’re huge. All the more fun to delve in by the reaction Christmas morning

Just how big are they?

I definitely think it's okay to retire some Christmas items and replace with something more suitable. Make a big deal about how the new ones are nicer and better.

In general, I think it's quite a good idea to change things up a bit year to year so it's not a panic if something doesn't happen for whatever reason.

Next year treat them to a nice (smaller) plush sticking with their initials on?

I also think a pillowcase is massive! We have stockings

What do you use?!

Start putting large practical things in. Pyjamas etc.

I always put set of socks and bath stuff, make up, chocolate or something similar. My aim is 4-6 items but DD would rather have 4 nicer items then 10 cheap from pound land, she doesn’t like lots of stuff,