Need stocking ideas that work for young adults to preteens

[*LC]

Stockings have always been a big deal at our house. Over the years, the kids always received the same combo of things in their stockings. Meaning all the kids received  a book, a movie, a small toy, game cartridge, and some other thing(s) that fit a theme as well as candy. Now that they are older some of those things aren't relevant and technology has made some of those things unneccesary, I don't know what to put in the stockings. Plus, there is a largish age gap between oldest, graduated college, and youngest child, junior high. 

The stockings let me/older kids sleep later, because everyone is allowed to open stocking gifts when they wake up...as long as they don't wake sleeping folks. 

Any suggestions for what to put in the stockings this year?

This year everyone has a book, a water bottle and candy. The early to wake kids are not the ones who will jump right into reading. 

I had been planning $5 gift cards to restaurants/snack places, but I am not really a gift card person. This really would only appeal to the youngest two; the girl for Starbucks and the boy for a restaurant where he meets me after an activity. He would like to be able to buy something when I run late picking him up. Yesterday, someone gave him a gift card to this restaurant. 

I had also thought of magazine subscriptions. I can think of something for everyone, but a young teen girl. 

Any suggestions that I could easily pick up for everyone today?

 

 

 

 

 

[Bambam]

A fun pair of socks for each child? 

Gum? 

Silly Putty or Thinking putty? (Silly Putty has a thing like the Aaron's Thinking putty that I found at WalMart - way cheaper though)

Maybe an artist pad and a small set of colored pencils/watercolor paints? 

 

[vonfirmath]

A small Lego set. They can each put together their own or combine to put together. Even if it isn't used beyond the morning, it can provide some fun bonding time.

 

[mmasc]

Walmart has some Elmer glue slime kits. Those are going into our stockings this year as an entertainment type item. They’re pretty cool and the whole kit is only about $10. 

How about the brownie/cake/etc in a mug things? You can buy a box and take one out for each stocking bc there are directions on each individual package. I got Ghiradelli brownie ones that look yummy. 

Small adult type coloring book/pencils. 

Seconding the thinking putty. Our DSs got some that change color with temp and it’s pretty cool. 

 

[Kassia]

Socks, lip balm, deodorant, hair ties, turbie twist, any kind of food, toothbrush, book of crossword puzzles or some kind of game, fun pens/pencils, gum, travel size toothpaste, car air freshener, gloves...

 

 

Edited December 24, 2018 by Kassia

[May]

My teen and then adult daughters always enjoyed a special face mask, lip balms, socks and wonderful smelling body soaps😊🎄

[MEmama]

Magazines take up a lot of space and can still be found today at any grocery. 

Weirdly, packs of underwear go over well here. It's funny and useful. 👍

Gas cards for the older kids if they drive.

[Halftime Hope]

toothbrush, burt's bees or ecos lip balm, a mug-cake, small game or puzzle (Target stores have an entire endcap of cute brain-challenge puzzles of various kinds. I got a 3-D tic tac toe that looks like fun for three players; it has three colors of pegs.)  

Regular jigsaw puzzles in a child-specific theme.  Were it me, I'd set out the card table without explaining why, so that when they pull out the puzzle, there's a place for it. 

[Pink and Green Mom]

I put:  gum, candy, a coffee mug (if they like coffee), nuts, $5 gift cards, those puzzle books you get at the drug store, their favorite toiletries, and stuff like that.  Basically everything I can pick up at Walgreens on 12/24, LOL.

[saraha]

Flashlights, granola bars, scissors and scotch tape, stamps if they like to send mail, space blanket for their car, small household tools (so they will have them when they move out or when dad can't find his)

[Excelsior! Academy]

Mini cereal boxes, snacks and junk food they don't normally get, travel size toiletries, tool sets, low $ gift cards, socks, joke books, miniature gifts like tiny Lincoln logs or tiny etch-a-sketch, extra cell phone charger, cell phone or ear bud holders, chocolate, candy, fun socks

[Selkie]

Ds18 & ds20 are getting Yeti coffee mugs, smart phone screen cleaners, carabiners, Smartwool socks, some “fancy” food items (Scottish shortbread and Danish butter cookies, lingonberry compote for one of them, See’s candy). Ds18 is getting a kazoo and ds20 is getting Gearhead soap for mechanics.

Dd16 is getting lots of girly stuff - nail polish, a makeup palette, lip gloss, a crystal nail file. Also a smart phone screen cleaner, some pretty socks, chocolate truffles, hot chocolate and snowflake marshmallows.

[AK_Mom4]

My young adults (27-17) are all getting power banks (for charging phones, etc), new charging cables, lip balm and some candy

[Alicia64]

Not that fun, but I put in fancy hand sanitizer in nice scents like citrus and lavender.

Alley

[Emba]

In my DD’s stocking: Flavored teas, lip gloss, scented lotion, art/craft supplies, new toothbrush, fancy socks, tiny snow globe, junk food I usually don’t buy (pop tarts, jerky)

[history-fan]

Ours have almost the same thing every year: Apple, orange, chocolate orange, chocolate bar, and lock laces. This year I added a funko pop character for each. We must have small stockings cause these won’t all fit in.