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!!

It’s not a trap, just buy smaller stockings. I did, they are v happy.
What do you fear happening if you change the stockings?

My parents still insist on getting me, my DH and DB a stocking each year. It's the stockings from when we were kids and obvs my DH got one there! It's all part of their tradition but they put in it:

A chocolate orange
Bag of chocolate coins
Either a usb pen drive, or a power bank
And either a hand cream or a lip balm!

They don't fill them up and I don't care lol! I've told them they don't need to keep doing it, but they love the tradition! They have one for my DSD and our unborn DC for next year already!

In my DSDs stocking this year, we put in mostly the tubes of sweets for £1 each, the bag of chocolate coins and a small sleeve of 5 mini nail varnishes - again, we feel no pressure to fill it up.

I would go with getting new 'fancier' (smaller!) ones, and being overly enthused with their amazing-ness to sell the idea to the DCs. I would get personalised, fluffy, sparkly ones. If it really is costing you that much to fill the current ones, it may even work out cost-efficient to have them bespoke made (if it helps the DCs to buy into it).

Our DCs have football sock-sized stockings, so long-ish but narrow (they are also stretchy if needed). They probably cost £30 in total each, and will be filled with a mixture of sweets/choc coins/satsuma, consumables they need any way (pens, pencils, hairbands), a couple of consumable 'nice to haves' (bath bombs/lip balm/nail varnish etc), a couple of blind bags, and then a couple of smaller toys specific to the DC eg Sylvanian furniture. No one item will cost over £5. £30 seems a lot added up, but a lot is things I would have needed to replace at some point soon any way. I tend to buy Xmas gifts throughout the year generally as I see things on offer, but this works particularly well with stocking items. For example, I pick up lots of things in the Smiggle sales, and often find the Sylvanian accessories or mini Playmobil sets in the TK Max clearance section. The cardboard tubes of sweets are great for taking up space and only cost £1 each.

Id bulk them out and then ditch them when they know who Santa really is.

God now I know I’ve made a huge mistake! The “stockings” are so big I can get in and it would come up to my waist! Bloody idiot I was for ordering them. I don’t know what I was thinking. We spend about 200 quid each and that’s with some large items to fill the sodding things! My DC are still quite young in primary school but I worry they’ll really notice if we downsize these monstrosities! I got a few things like a large ball and fancy cushion for their room, soft toys and the like but they barely touch the sides. Lots of chocolate. PJs. Slippers. Dressing gown. CD. Couple of DVDs. board game. Gloves and hats. Pants. I’d estimate half the stuff is really useful things that we would have had to buy anyway. It’s so stressful every year though and I don’t want loads of clutter coming in but invariably they don’t even use lots of it.

You simply have to change the stockings. Get personalised special ones and get rid of the others.

It does not matter how but you have to change them.

I use the stocking to give practical items like shower gel, socks, boxers, tshirts etc. that way it’s something to open but also something I would have had to buy anyway. I always include a box of chocolate and a fidget toy or gadget too.

Crikey just seen the update. Buy smaller stockings and use the big ones for santa to fill under the tree

@rrhuth I know! It will only get harder when they get older and toys no longer do the job. Maybe I’ll have a look now and the elves can deliver brand new stockings next year on the 1st of December or something

I just stick in any small gifts and sweets, chocolate coins, candy canes, etc and n just decide when fill it on Xmas eve when putting their floor gifts out.

I downsized our kids stockings after I realised I was spending a fortune on stuff that the kids weren't bothered about. We now have 12inch matching stockings with their names embroidered on that hold 5/6 smal items and a handful of chocolate. Much easier

Things like matchbox cars, dinosaur hatching eggs, socks, key rings, hot choc bombs, novelty bath stuff, iPad duster stuffed toy, mini cookie Santa’s are examples of type of things that end up in it for mine

And we also have normal sized matching smallish stockings as well

How things have changed since I was little. We got some treats and a tangerine in a pillowcase that the pillow would still fit in, then a main present. One year I got a petite typewriter, another year a toy piano, then as we got older we got money in an envelope.

Mine just have a sack and all presents go in sometimes its full sometimes its half , just easier that they are in the one sack
Never done individual stockings
But mine are teenagers and they know quantity isn't what its all about

Same thing in our house when you are 8 the stockings are downgraded to smaller ones
It's the law 😬 so says Father Christmas

I tend to put practical things in the stocking like deodorant, hair brushes, socks, pants and some chocolate etc and then we do the 'bigger' presents in the living room separately. I spend
no more than £15 give or take in them!

We have ‘normal’ sized stockings (the ones you see everywhere) and pillowcase sized sacks - the sacks hold all the presents and the stockings had smellies, sweets and socks. Small stuff can really add up!

My ex still does them for our teenage kids and I’m conflicted! It’s such a sweet tradition but my quibble is the plastic & amount of stuff for landfill. He puts 1 magazine each, a Terry’s choc orange, Matchmakers, stationery things like an eraser, sharpener, scarf, gloves, hat, water bottle, yo-yo or similar old-fashioned toy, bath bomb, deodorant, stuff like that. He also puts traditional tangerine & walnut & it’s in a ski sock. Was always sooo stressful when I was around 🤣 I used to Chuck a lottery ticket & pocket diary in his. Good combination really of luxury & practical but it does seem a bit unnecessary & must be an added cost!

We use big sacks, but they're never full. They're useful because they keep everything together through the festive period, all toys etc end up in there.

They looked fuller this year because they had squishmallows in there 😂

Ours are quite small but I love stockings and fill them with lovely presents for primary dc. Probably spend between £50-100 each, haven't worked it out but buy stuff I know they'll love and will use. No way would I be buying stuff for the sake of it just to fill a stocking though. I hate the thought of buying loads of stuff for a pound or two as that's the kind of stuff that ends up in the bin within weeks.

I'd replace the stockings next year, you could always move them downstairs and put main presents from family in thee if they want to use them.

We have actual stockings, and we don’t care if we don’t fill them! They only for a couple of hot wheels cars and a treat or two. Then we buy 3-4 small presents for under the tree.

I’m another one shocked by “only” a pillow case. A pillow case is massive!

DS has been boasting to all and sundry about the really cool dice he got in his stocking. Seriously, get them swapped out for something smaller, Christmas is stressful enough! Plus it's murder persuading anyone to part with their treasures, better to bring less stuff into the house in the first place.

Ooh, I love filling up the stockings, it’s the best bit. Ours are handknitted and about arm length, traditional sock shape. I squeeze in all sorts of fun little things - lip balm, playmobil bag, stickers, slinky, smiggle bits, little craft kits, fun stationery, chocs. Usually nothing more than a fiver, the most expensive item this year was a tonie figure each. So much fun! I wrap everything quickly in a fold of tissue paper or pop in a paper bag with a sticker and it’s my kids favourite bit of the day. I hate to think how much the all add up to but it wouldn’t be Christmas without them!