Christmas Stockings

[loocyloo]

Help!

DS is 14 and I'm running out of ideas of what to put in his stocking! Not that I've actually got much, just compiling a list!
He'll get socks, pants, toothbrush, toothpaste, flannel, smellies/deodorant, hair gel, sweets and chocolate.
Plus i already have a colour changing lightbulb keyring, mini newtons cradle and phone stand! Oh and a book.

I'd like to put a few other 'treats' in, but can't think of anything! I'd rather he had more treats than 'necessities' such as most of the stuff on mynlist!


DD is easy .... most of the same 'necessities' but easy to add hair bits, make up, craft bits etc.

X X

[Maza]

When you say 'stocking' do you mean gifts that are small in physical sense?

[Mouse]

That's a very generous stocking!

Ours are full of sweets and cheap little things.

[loocyloo]

When you say 'stocking' do you mean gifts that are small in physical sense?

Ish! ... stocking is about 30 cm wide and 50cm long (plus toes!) made of fabric, with not alot of give!
Sometimes i have wrapped a present and left it next to the stocking, but only if/when stocking full!

'The man in red' always uses his own special paper which wraps a few stocking bits and then the selection box under the tree! (Then everything else is from us! Even though i know they know it's all us, we just don't discuss it! )

[loocyloo]

That's a very generous stocking!

Ours are full of sweets and cheap little things.

The bits i have got were cheap and as I'd be buying socks etc anyway, I've always added them to the stocking! I don't like spending money on things for the sake of it, I'd rather they have things they will actually use/need
!
Although, I'm sure ds would love it to just be filled with sweets and biscuits!

[Maza]

stationary, something from the joke shop, voucher, magazine subscription... I just don't know 14year old boys at all!

[hectors house]

Sounds similar to what I used to put in my girls stockings - like you said though Girls are easier as you can pop in nail varnish, lip balm etc.

Generally had underwear, socks, toiletries, book, sweets, stationery - was easier when they were younger as could go to toy shop and get a bouncy ball or jumping frog on a spring - think if I had a teenage boy I would still buy a jumping springy frog just for the hell of it! I did start buying a cheap DVD to go in but generally limit the stocking to £20.

[kellib]

Pretty similar to my 11 year old's stocking, I've got him a few lip balms, a keyring, some pens (shaped as a pizza slice ), some marvel socks, a toothbrush holder and a massive bag of marshmallows so far.

I find the stockings the hardest to do, usually I just pad them out with sweets.

[SYLVIA]

My 2 girls have stockings that are knitted and are about 2 and half foot long, when you drop something in they stretch!
This was fine when they were little when lots of things came from the £1 shop but at 30 and 27 now, a tiny eyeshadow palette goes nowhere to help filling them. This year they have both moved out and I'm not doing stocking anymore. But I cant stop myself still buying little hair bits, cotton buds and bits so I'm just doing a little surprise bag for them. Think I will actually miss doing the stockings though.

[loocyloo]

How have you got away with that??

DH never had a stocking as a child. They used have a sack of parcels left for him and his siblings (all in one sack) by the fireplace.

[SYLVIA]

DH never had a stocking as a child. They used have a sack of parcels left for him and his siblings (all in one sack) by the fireplace.

My brother, sister and I never had stockings either. All our presents were in a pillow case at the foot of our beds and then we had 3 very small present on the tree in the evening. Funny though because those 3 small gifts were the ones we got most excited about

[Maza]

We never had stockings either. I do one for DD but I'm not really sure how they are supposed work - it just seems like extra presents but you have to go out of your way to find small ones. I love the challenge. Do you all do it like Floradora does it - on the end of their beds so that they can open it before they wake you? Do you let the little ones open them without you being there? I like seeing the reactions on her face for everything!

[FloraDora]

I still do stockings for my boys...and I still sneak in to their room to put it at the end of the bed!!! Though last year was the first time oldest' partner stayed so that was a bit awkward and I put it outside the door with an elaborate note from Santa explaining where it was, that I slipped under the door! It was a dream to do a girl ( woman) stocking, compared to the boys. I understand your dilemma.
My stockings started with the idea that they kept the boys occupied when they woke up at the crack of dawn, so that theme continues. Mine were never too old to have a small Lego box, which was made and presented to me when they woke up. This year I am putting in Nanoblocks of their musical instruments. DH still builds Lego and so this is not unusual in our house.
Sadly, along with all my other journals I keep Christams journals and in 2000 my oldest was 14 ....in his stocking that year was; chocolate orange, football socks, shower gel, the guardian crossword puzzle book, a harmonica, war hammer mini figures, a Lego technic car, colouring pencils and a small artists pad. A small music script journal, a torch and a wooden puzzle ( that I remember we spent all day trying to solve) a Q magazine, an orange and chocolate coins with a chocolate Santa sticking out the top. I never wrap stocking fillers.

Stockings in recent years have increased in price in filling though for boys/ men. We woman love, nail stuff, nice stationary, bath bombs etc... Boys and gadgets cost more! I do have my eye on a light up moon in our local co op though - at £3.50. We are all big sky watchers so that seems appropriate and a small light for ambience in their flats.

Stockings cause me the biggest thought issues in Christmas preparations, but I do love them...and the boys I know love them...still!
I think I will stop when they have their own children.

[Mouse]

I think I will stop when they have their own children.

Or maybe you'll be like me and end up doing them for all the girlfriends/partner and grandchild!

The presents we buy have got easier over the years as we've settled into a routine - the main present is money (unless they know what they want us to buy with it) then they get socks, pants, smellies and a couple of things specific to each one. I don't know how we got to 5 presents, but that's what they each have to open. They all get opened in the morning then the stockings or santa sacks are opened in the afternoon.

There's definitely a lot more work goes into the stockings than into the actual presents!

[Ellisha]

We never had stockings either. I do one for DD but I'm not really sure how they are supposed work - it just seems like extra presents but you have to go out of your way to find small ones. I love the challenge. Do you all do it like Floradora does it - on the end of their beds so that they can open it before they wake you? Do you let the little ones open them without you being there? I like seeing the reactions on her face for everything!

With my kids we put the stockings downstairs near the fireplace so father Christmas can fill them when he comes down the chimney. My kids are 3 and 6 years old so still believe! Also (so far) theyhaven't woken earlier than normal but I think putting stockings at the end of the bed would get them waking up early!

[loocyloo]

We never had stockings either. I do one for DD but I'm not really sure how they are supposed work - it just seems like extra presents but you have to go out of your way to find small ones. I love the challenge. Do you all do it like Floradora does it - on the end of their beds so that they can open it before they wake you? Do you let the little ones open them without you being there? I like seeing the reactions on her face for everything!

We've always put the Stockings at the foot of the children's beds and until he was 11 DS would then bring his into ours to open, DD looked at hers on her own last year but then they both came to show us everything!

Our morning starts quite late, as we usually all go to midnight mass, so all late to bed and late to get up :0)

[lizduncan72]

We've always put the Stockings at the foot of the children's beds and until he was 11 DS would then bring his into ours to open, DD looked at hers on her own last year but then they both came to show us everything! Our morning starts quite late, as we usually all go to midnight mass, so all late to bed and late to get up :0)

My oldest three (13,17,19) always have their stockings at the end of the bed but youngest (4) said last year that she didn't want Santa in her room when she was sleeping so left hers outside the door!

[SYLVIA]

My oldest three (13,17,19) always have their stockings at the end of the bed but youngest (4) said last year that she didn't want Santa in her room when she was sleeping so left hers outside the door!

Santa always came to our door and mum let him in as my brother thought if he could get down the chimney, anyone could and it worried him. This thread is bringing back so many childhood memories that I had forgotten.

[hectors house]

We've always put the Stockings at the foot of the children's beds and until he was 11 DS would then bring his into ours to open, DD looked at hers on her own last year but then they both came to show us everything!

Our morning starts quite late, as we usually all go to midnight mass, so all late to bed and late to get up :0)

It was always part of the tradition in our house that the children had to bring stocking in to our room and open them in or on our bed - became a little bit of a squash and a squeeze when they were 20, 17 & 10!

[singingcactus]

You have to visit a joke shop either online or in real life. Hawkins bazaar is a good shop, and wicked uncle. My boys always get some books, and loads of sweets (mostly because sweets get consumed so don't add to the infernal clutter in their room) and other eatables, and lots of joke stuff. They always get one serious thing from santa, related to their interests, so for one of mine it will be a history of forensics type book, the other it will be a DnD based thing, and for the squirt he has got ... oh poo, I forgot what he has got, and where I've hidden it ...

Maybe yours would like a new music book for him to play?