Santa stocking budget for DSS.

[lumpyparcel]

DSS will be spending Christmas morning with us this year and I've got no other children so I've never really done Santa gifts or anything like that.

What are some standard stocking bits and is there a rough budget to these things? We're not rich and we're thinking about £50 max on his main present.

What do you ladies put in your 4 year old's stocking?

At that age, I would head to poundland.
Cars/figures/stickers/sweets/toothbrush?

standard stuff would be things like chocolate coins, some stickers, little toys (think stretchy rubber frogs/mini action figures/hot wheels cars/dinosaurs) maybe some reindeer or santa themed sillyness (socks or gloves etc) and an orange... raid the pound shop or the Range for cheap bits. Art and craft bits are also great, maybe a paint a bauble set to occupy him in the afternoon? Don't go mad - I reckon £20-25 max.

As above

Try somewhere like Wilkinsons for things like toy cars, yoyo, those flannels that are all small.and stretch out in the bath, bath crayons, maybe a box of dominos. Agree, £20 ish.

My DCs always have a bag of chocolate coins and a toothbrush in their stocking (they also have an orange but that is just a running joke in our house)
When DS was 4 he had two toy cars ,a little notepad, a little cuddly bear, and a plastic daddy lion. (He already had a plastic mother lion and two plastic cubs)

Sorry that was about £15 altogether

Good grief! I'm glad I asked I was all ready to spend about £100 and worrying about money!! Thank you ladies!

Dss is very into branded stuff though so I'm worried he'll be disappointed with bits every other kid seems to like! I'll have to be on the hunt for colouring books with his favorite characters in etc.

Our poundland has branded bits in all the time

At 4 mine were delighted with stuff that they needed but didn't know they needed iyswim.
A new duvet cover/socks/toothbrush/hoody would go down well if it had a favourite character/colour on it.

I'll be raiding my nearest Poundland as soon as I can! They do a good books range in the one near me never thought of that! I wonder if I can find a cheapy dressing up outfit to pop in as well.

So based on the lovely advice I'm thinking:

Couple choccies and sweets the tube ones
Colouring books, pens, pencils etc.
Couple of books
Maybe a DVD
Little cars and toys
Couple of little novelty items
Pants and socks?
Maybe a board game?
Possible dressing up bits.

That should be more than enough do you think? I feel like I've not had the time to learn these things! :') DP would spend god knows how much left to his own devices!

Board games and dressing up stuff would be under-the-tree presents here.

yy, board games and dressing up stuff are under the tree level here too. Santa always puts a new toothbrush in the stocking 'cause of all the sweets.

List looks absolutely fine.

Mine (5 and 3) usually get: chocolate coins; other small Individual chocolates like a Maltesers reindeer; Christmas socks, a couple of Lego minifigures, colouring pens/pencils, stickers, a small book, a cheap DVD, bubble bath. I would also recommend places like B&M, The Works, Home Bargains for cheap stuff.

Okay so shall I leave the bigger stuff for me and DP? Is it going over board to buy him a 'big present' and then stuff like the dressing up and games from us?

I saw a couple of character electric toothbrushes in B&M the other week so I may gab one of those to pop in! You guys are saving my life!

poundland.

and if he is into branded stuff....well, that's a shame but he is FOUR!

Specialsubject - I know. He's very much spoilt by his mums family and gets all the branded stuff he wants and it makes me quite sad really that he doesn't enjoy playing with just normal little boys toys.

Dss always has a 'big' present here plus smaller bits, although he's 12 so the 'big' present is steadily getting smaller yet more expensive

He is welcome to take absolutely anything/everything home as they are his, but he isn't allowed to take it all home then moan the next time he comes as has nothing here.

We usually get him stuff specifically to go back with him, so at his mums he has an xbox so we willl get a game/controller.

Well, he can have exactly that little boy lifestyle when he's at yours op

As much as all 3 dc here love ipads/movies/phones, they all come running when dh gets Risk out

At 4, your dss can play basic card games, board games, that draw a head fold the paper next person draws a body thing, eating lunch under the table with a sheet over it, making a picture with leaves etc found on a walk.

At 11 and 7 my dc love to draw things with their eyes shut and laugh at the results

In our family stockings are for little treats, a few sweets,little cars etc. Cheap things to have a bit of fun with. Not sure how it started but a Christmas toothbrush, mine still search for it as they open their stockings

We love a good blanket fort/picnic/movie night in this house!

I'm reluctant to buy him branded toys this year as last year DP bought him all thomas stuff last year that have not been looked at for months and months.

I want to buy him a big wooden fort with knights and horses this year. because I would play with it all day

I was thinking hungry hippos, can't go wrong with that surely!

Yes to Hungry Hippos great game. What about a Marble Run?

Nope, or snakes and ladders, or buckeroo.

Places like wilkos often have their own brand of these games to help keep costs down

Oooo ELC have got a half term sale on so I'll have a look at some games in there!

He picked up a tumbling monkey game from the car boot in the summer so I think he's impressed with bits that move so a marble run would be lovely.

My lovely mum and grandma have always had the tradition of PJs and a game for Christmas Eve for the whole family to play. I know that's a bit of a mumsnet controversial thing but I really want to do the same.

Thats a lovely idea! Ive got dds christmas eve jimjams already and am scouting for some matching ones for.myself.

You could do a movie too - maybe the Grinch?

Bargin! £6 games in ELC at the moment!

Yes The Grinch 100%. He loves the Dr Suess films and it's one of my favourites. I'm rather excited to have him here!