Re: Christmas stockings and "trinkets"

[plansrme]

Last year, I got everyone, including my husband, new ear buds with little round, zippered cases to store them in.  The cases had clips so they could be attached to backpack straps.  They are all still using them.  Considering how often ear buds get lost or eaten by the dog, I consider them consumable. 

 

Consumables (some of them in the "we lose them so often they're consumable" category) going in this year: 

*fancy lip gloss and make-up for my 17 and 20 yo girls;

*a package of those Hot Hands hand warmers for my son, because we always end up playing spring baseball on the coldest weekend in February;

*socks;

*soft drinks that I do not normally buy;

*goggles;

*thumb drives;

*screen-cleaning cloths (because we seem to have ONE in the family);

*everyone is getting a Starbucks gift card this year because I am so enamored of the display for them in my Sunday Starbucks location:  36 different yet coordinating cards.  It's really lovely in a pop art sort of way.

 

[Kassia]

I fill stockings except mine.

 

Everyone gets something different. Stockings in our house have always been a small fun gift related to that child. For instance, DD 20 really likes the character Harly Quinn. So she is getting a small Lego set featuring that character. Younger ds is getting a small game. Older ds I still need to figure out. One year he got a mug onto which you can add legos. I get dh something too.

 

It took dh a few years to figure out that no one put anything in my stocking. The dog gets a stocking and dd fills it.

 

Now dh adds candy to all the stockings. He doesn't look for a small gift for me. So now I get not great candy I don't need. Everyone else gets that plus something special I picked.

 

Anyway, that's my gripe about stockings.

 

Sorry for the tangent.

 

I fill all the stockings including mine.  I actually enjoy doing my stocking - I throw in things like make-up, skin care products, fun flavors of chapstick and gum, etc.  Sometimes I get little things I wouldn't normally buy for myself - this year I bought gloves without the fingertips.  I also buy my own gifts from DH, although this year he helped me choose something (a new bead for my charm bracelet).  

 

ETA:  I wrap early and, by Christmas, I've forgotten what I've bought myself so it's still a surprise!  :)

Edited December 1, 2017 by Kassia

[AMJ]

My kids always get a yearly calendar. They look forward to it every year. Two of mine like beauty care products, so they get those. Always a new toothbrush. I've done new winter hats and cozy socks. I try to make them things they need anyway or are going to need for the upcoming season, along with some consumable gifts. If I have heard a kid mention wanting a certain something, like a watch, then I get it for their stocking. When they were little I always put a craft or small building set (think Lego) kit as they were allowed to open stockings before we were up (but not until after 7!) and that kept them busy for a little while. 

 

 

When I was growing up we were allowed to open stockings and play with whatever Santa brought us (he never wrapped anything), but had to wait until Mom & Dad were up to open wrapped presents.  Our stockings always had a large orange from Florida and a large apple from somewhere (a bigger deal back then than it is now, and Dad, being an airline pilot, had ways of getting good stuff), some See's chocolate (again, harder to get back then where we lived), and a few small things of interest, like new Hot Wheels cars or pencils or a paperback book (me  :laugh: ).

 

Of late I have mostly filled stockings here with small presents that would get lost under the tree and edibles.  We have ended up with more stockings than people, so the cat and the fish each get a stocking, too, for the treats they like.  Stockings don't have to be filled to overflowing; they just have to not look empty.  One year the reindeer left presents in the stockings -- reindeer tend to leave carrots, trying to share their joy.

[AMJ]

Someone suggested a full can of Pringles last year.  Genius.

 

 

DH may have to handle the stocking filling by himself this year, without my input.  I'll mention this!  The kids would love it!

[Myra]

They have those "bulb shaped" sodas around Christmas too. I might try getting one of those for my son who asked for NO CANDY this year.

 

This sounds like a great stocking stuffer.  I have never seen or heard of these before.  Could you give me a heads-up where I could find them?

 

Thanks,

 

Myra

[kathkath]

We always give a fun cookie mix—those packets you can buy. Mine LOVE those.

[Excelsior! Academy]

This sounds like a great stocking stuffer.  I have never seen or heard of these before.  Could you give me a heads-up where I could find them?

 

Thanks,

 

Myra

They have these in bins and end caps at Wal-Mart.