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’m realising how even though my kids are not spoiled - honestly they really aren’t. I’ve gone completely over the top with Christmas and it’s not sustainable. I think when I hear story’s of Santa bringing “so and so” a bike, hoverboard, an iPhone or laptop I’ve fallen into trying to make sure mine had lots of gifts to open. We have more money now than we did when they were babies but not anywhere near enough income to be ploughing all this into Father Christmas. I know it has to stop. Maybe I could get the sewing machine out and gradually reduce the size of these huge stockings….that would be more subtle perhaps. The kids only see them once a year and as they get bigger they’ll think it’s just they looked bigger when they were small

Our stockings are way smaller than a pillowcase!! How big are your stockings?!

Sorry just went back and read your posts. £200 on a stocking?!
My children are primary aged. Stockings have things like a lip gloss, a slinky, a mini bag of Harry Potter Lego, a chocolate Santa and a bath bomb.

Their stockings sound huge! Can you get smaller personalised ones so they are an exciting thing to have? DC's stockings are quite big for stockings but they also get lots of books (from Charity Shops usually) that don't fit in so they also have a pile to the side of the stocking.

Ah we love doing the stockings! Dd is 16 and she had face masks, bath bombs, socks, chocolates, sweets, nail polish
Etc. Ds7 had sweets, chocs, mini figures, bath bomb, socks, mini games etc, so both pretty cheap and the both absolutely love them! Prob spend about £20 on each one

My dd9 has two sacks there's no way she's going to accept anything smaller now!! I filled this years up with two sets of pj's, slippers, a fluffy blanket.

A pillowcase is crazily big - surely most stockings are football socked sized? Otherwise it's not really a stocking, is it? I've missed the point I guess - my kids are 11 and 15 so almost past stockings now

Wow I’ve never seen stockings big enough to stand in do they also get other presents or does everything go in the stocking??
In our house stockings are novelty little things and things they know I would never buy them - ie this year one child had a laser pen and I looked suitably horrified, chocolate and a fizzy drink, again I’m always appalled that the elves would give them a fizzy drink
Then Santa brings them 2 things from their list plus an extra small thing that all children get the same - a onesie or craft set or something, these are wrapped in separate paper and are left under the playroom tree
Then me & dp leave their presents, in a different paper to Santa, under the living room tree
The way you do it sounds a bit confusing

You can't gradually reduce them year by year, that is mad :o

Just buy smaller ones. Use the big ones for decoration or something.

I remember one cousin having a pillowcase instead of a stocking as a child and my mind was boggled because a pillowcase seemed huge :o stockings are normally smaller.

Thought I’d show you the true monster of a stocking. It’s similar to the one in the photo. I’ve been a dick.

Everything comes in our sacks. They are massive.

I like the idea of changing it so the big stockings go under the tree and have the main presents in. Smaller ones for putting on the bed.

Just announce this as a change next year and they will probably go with it. No need to overthink it. They really won't mind.

My kids have a small stocking each, which I probably spend around £50 on. Then they have a sack each, which can cost a few hundred. They get little bits in their stocking and then around 20/25 gifts in their sack.

Those stockings are bonkers, and about the same size as the sacks my kids have.

I actually found huge stockings helpful as there's less restriction on what you can fit in! Means more room for useful things you'd buy at some point anyway - water bottle, lunch box, book, slippers etc. A lot of our stocking presents (DC all teen/tween now) are just slightly posher versions of what they need. TK Maxx is your friend here 😀 So designer pants, sports tshirt, massive posh shower gel/bath salts etc

It’s not a ‘trap’ it’s a choice.

I’m gobsmacked by this thread 🤣 I thought ex was being generous with his ski socks 😁 Definitely lower the expectations. Tell the 9 year old that Santa’s gifts get smaller as she gets older. Who’s the boss, you or her?!

I was going to suggest you reduce the size of the stockings you bought - maybe they could accidentally go in the washing machine on the wrong programme and shrink to a more manageable size.

Our dc have big stockings but there is no stretch to them at all, which helps tremendously. I spent £50 each on their stockings with mostly things they need and a fair amount of edible things that they don’t normally get throughout the year. I also spent around £150 less on their gifts this Christmas but spent a lot of time thinking about them. Both were delighted with their gifts and told me I did well this year

I have to admit that a pillowcase seems big to me, but we always put in the following which are bulky and cheap: a rolled up magazine, fruit from the fruit bowl, nuts from the nut bowl (go back in after opening anyway since no one wants them) bubble bath or similar cheap and bulky toiletries from the pound shop.

Tell them the truth? Drop major hints until they figure it out? They will figure out eventually that you've been lying to them...........
It boggles my brain that people teach their children about the need to tell the truth, not lie.......... all year round then Christmas arrives and parents lie to their kids about Santa. Makes no sense to me at all.
Without the lie its a whole lot easier to say "the budget is £x so sorry darling but we cant buy you a pony this year"

When I was growing up, we had actual woolen stockings! I was envious of people who had pillow cases.

Order new stockings now and take the big ones to a charity shop. Next year when you get them out explain to your dc that santa has so many children to look after that he's scaling back or some such nonsense.

My kids have tiny stockings, even smaller than the ones I had growing up... but it means we can put really nice stuff in them and they don't end up with a whole bunch of crap destined for landfill.

When we were early teens my parents started adding balloons to bulk it out. Also lots of shampoo, conditioners, pants and socks.

My DC also have big sacks but I don’t fill them up completely. Selection boxes and A4 notepads fit nicely. As they get older I fill with more toiletries and shampoo/conditioner. In the past I’ve also put in pjs, hot water bottles, drinks bottles etc… plenty of room for that kind of stuff. I don’t spend much on each item though.

But if it’s stressing you out, I would just replace them. B&M do the initial stockings that look lovely - and are certainly popular!

Can you start putting their actual presents in the stockings?