stocking stuffers?
Toys, foods, essentials? At our house it is a variety of things, but a staple is toothbrushes! They used to be plain ones, were upgraded into the battery operated spinbrush types. What is the norm at your house? both for adults and kids? |
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| Well my mil always does neat gadgets with traditional stuff like the lifesaver book and a bar of toblerone, and some other chewie candy favorites they grew up with (followed by some cool travel size games like money you can only get out if you complete the maze).
I on the otherhand tend to go WAY overboard on mine. This year I did chocolate from around the world. I bought chocolate from russia, Australia, costa rica, Ecuador, belgium, sweden, germany, israel, italy, latvia , japan, Venezuela, columbia, UK, canada, norway, Madagascar, and a few other countries I can't remember... I thought it would be cool to have something from countries all over. I labeled them so they would know where it came from since we obviously can't read the languages, and I can't wait for them to open it up!!! Every other year though I get all my stocking stuffers from uncommongoods and thespoonsisters. They both have the BEST stocking stuffers that no one else normally has!!! For the kids, they obviously aren't allowed to have candy, so theres are stuffed with accessories for whatever big toys they are getting. Joshee has a love for trucks/tractors, so he has a bunch of those along with some flashcards to learn his abc's, 123s, and even some socks  Lil J likes the playmobil series, so he has couches, swing set, little men, dogs, etc to go along with the big parts. |
| we always get toothbrushes too! also, candy which i guess is sort of ironic. |
| artichoke hearts - I have no idea how it started bu thte kids HAVE to get marinated artichoke hearts in their stockings, used to get them in their easter baskets too when we did them. I also throw in a small present for evrybody, actually whatever is the smallest, concert tickets, jewlery or gift cards, that sort of thing. |
Oh Mrs J I would LOVE to know what chocolate you got from the UK 
We have not done stockings for each other for years, purely because of the money factor. But even as adults, they are great fun! They would usually be stuffed with Terry's Chocolate Oranges, real oranges, Harry Potter Chocolate Frogs, a lottery scratchcard or two, various other candies and chocolates, maybe something like a nice pen or pair of socks and then one slightly more expensive thing like a piece of costume jewellery. There seems to be a huge selection of children's toys ideal for stockings but I suppose it depends on what they are into. |
I put an end to stockings this year because the WHAT drove me nuts! I've stuffed his stocking with wrist watches, clip on book lamps, after shave, etc and instead of him taking the clue and getting something...diamonds would have been nice.......all I got was chocolate. Granted a stocking filled with Godiva chocolate is expensive, it is also so boring after 30+ years. I can tell he is miffed not having the stockings up, i may relent next year.....or secretly hang them Christmas Eve night.  |
| hint of mischief, 5 stockings had 1 of these:
http://cgi.ebay.com/5-CADBURY-CURLY-WUR ... 20ad237f69 Don't tell me they're not originally from the UK b/c then I'll feel bad. I know my parents, inlaws and mr. j will have no idea. It was a pain in the rear to deal with some of these ebay sellers (cost of shipping) esp from russia. |
| In the past, I would get GOOD chocolate, for the adults, plus candy THEY grew up with..shoe buttons, mellowcups, lik-a-maid, etc...This year, I won't be putting up the adult stockings,,,,just the kids,,, |
| Not fair, I'm trying to avoid loading up on chocolate. IF I crumble, there's a shop here in town that sells imports especially chocolates...I'll check them out.
Actually I should stay away from all as I just finished off a giant jar of....oh great, what is the name....well, Nutella but also have a vanilla/hazelnut cream in the same jar as the chocolate. It was an Arabic label...something like Amerinella. When I say I finished it, I had the whole thing!  |
| Stockings have definitely gotten more expensive as my kids have gotten older. Now they get toothbrushes, deoderant, teeth whitening strips, always a lifesaver book and some chocolate and candies, maybe a magazine rolled up, itunes gift cards and gloves and socks to fill up the space if there is any. |
| We love stockings, and in some of our leaner years, have kept the budget manageable by only doing stockings
Traditional/typical for us: orange in the toe...lots of candy (esp. chocolate), socks, toothbrush/paste, wind-up toys (great for driving the dogs crazy), tiny jars of jams/jelly, tools (things like nice screwdrivers, wrenches, etc.), kitchen utensils, tinned fish/oysters, dice (a BIG favorite if you have role-play gamers on the list!) collectible cards (see previous note ), pens/pencils, and lastly...a stuffed toy in the top...usually a sheepdog  |
| Boy, does this bring back memories... my mother always had the same items in stockings each year.
An Red Delicious Apple, a Golden Delicious Apple, a Pear, an Orange, and a bag or two of chips. I'd always trade my sibs for their pears. |
| We always have an orange, an apple, peanuts in the shells, hershey's kisses, toothbrushes and little toys/trinkets in ours. This year everybody has silly string, little animal shaped clip on lights, sheepdog magnets and new water bottles. My oldest has some lip glosses, my middle child has a miniature remote control helicopter, and my youngest has some playdough. |
ravenmoonart wrote: We love stockings, and in some of our leaner years, have kept the budget manageable by only doing stockings
Traditional/typical for us: orange in the toe... My mom must have read the same how-to manual, because that was standard for us as well. A magazine was the big thing as I recall. In case I hadn't received enough books for Christmas/birthday combined to keep me busy for a while
I'm thinking of making one for my Dad for fun. My favorite part of Christmas. Not sure what to put in it. Scouring the thread for ideas. Nice timing. Of course, where to put it where Sybil won't get it first? 
Dogs are getting bully sticks and shank bones. No point in getting them anything that isn't edible since they'll just eat it anyway
Kristine |
| Bob has done our stocking for the grandchildren ( past tense ). He goes wild in the candy section, and we have just paid the co-pay for Wyatt's orthodontic's. Morgan is also only allowed a certain amount of candy. I am planning on small gift's, toothbrushes, bath and hair care items. A past hit was gift certificates for the movies. |
Niftiest thing I found while stocking-stuffer shopping today: tiny one serving containers of nutella!  |
ravenmoonart wrote: Niftiest thing I found while stocking-stuffer shopping today: tiny one serving containers of nutella!
and where did you find that?? |
got sheep wrote: ravenmoonart wrote: Niftiest thing I found while stocking-stuffer shopping today: tiny one serving containers of nutella! and where did you find that?? Um...not anywhere that would be of help to you, Im afraid...Sagaya's City Market, a small local specialty grocery store here  Its an awesome little store with tons of ethnic and imported foods, and an especially cool selection at X-mas time.
Maybe check your local gourmet/import grocery stores?? I also got: Malt-vinegar onions, gigantic Japanese snow Pears, lots of disgusting tinned fish (for Scott), a jar of candied figs, and spicy-hot Mexican tamarind candy 
It was a pretty good start on my stockings! Tomorrow Im hitting one of my other favorite stocking-stuffer suppliers: Office Depot, for spiffy pens, mechanical pencils, and packs of colorful post-it notes. |
| I really work hard to individualize stockings with really good stuff. For years now there wasn't enough room for candy so we have a Christmas bucket and after we open stocking gifts we pass the bucket and everyone picks out the candy they want...alot of fun and you get just what you like! My grandaughter, 18 mths LOVES Sid the Science Guy so I got her a 24 " doll of Sid that talks for one of her main presents...really got excited when I found 6" little dolls of all his friends. Of course crayons and a new coloring book was a must. Daughter who is pregnant got a maternity "bella band", special Irish items as she is a Dunleavy thru and thru...soninlaw got a small handheld video camera, case and batteries to film new baby coming. We open and look forward to stocking gifts more than any other presents. Last year my daughter had a nightlife imprinted with grandaughters face...just love it! Once my daughters got old enough they have always searched for special stocking gifts...really fun to find the right one for the right person. I love the chocolate as I admit to being addicted! Stockings are never big enough so we pile gifts around them in a chair and everyone finds their chair Christmas morning. |
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Yummy Curlywurlys!! They are a very popular sweet here, you can buy those in every store |
ravenmoonart wrote: got sheep wrote: ravenmoonart wrote: Niftiest thing I found while stocking-stuffer shopping today: tiny one serving containers of nutella! and where did you find that?? Um...not anywhere that would be of help to you, Im afraid...Sagaya's City Market, a small local specialty grocery store here Its an awesome little store with tons of ethnic and imported foods, and an especially cool selection at X-mas time.Maybe check your local gourmet/import grocery stores?? We have Nutella, but only regular sized jars. I will have to look and see if the little ones are there too. I also got: Malt-vinegar onions, gigantic Japanese snow Pears, lots of disgusting tinned fish (for Scott), a jar of candied figs, and spicy-hot Mexican tamarind candy We have the tamarind candy - never tried it - is it good? It was a pretty good start on my stockings! Tomorrow Im hitting one of my other favorite stocking-stuffer suppliers: Office Depot, for spiffy pens, mechanical pencils, and packs of colorful post-it notes. Good idea! |
| I grew up with the lifesaver book in my stocking and have carried it on with my children. I'm suprised at how many folks have mentioned it here. I am a bit distressed that the book has shrunk to half it's size and eliminated many of the classic flavors. |
Dawn...the tamerind candy I like best is in the form of lollypops...its hot enough to really burn a bit, but so yummy! I cant remember the brand name at the moment, though...I mostly buy unusual candies for my niece Jenny, who is a VERY adventurous girl when it comes to food...she loves strange unusual food items, and will try anything, even if it involves insects or other deeply disturbing ingredients! She's fun to shop for! 
Speaking of Ms. Jen, and her sister Alica, Im remembering X-mases from their childhood, when for some reason they felt it necessary to EAT every single food item from their stockings as they opened it!  ...I still dont know how those girls managed not to get violently ill by the time they were done!
Also on the topic of stockings...as I mentioned in another post, all of my x-mas decorations (including my stockings) are snowbound in a deeply buried back shed  ...so Im going to have to come up with a creative alternative. Any ideas? I was amused by a display I saw a few days ago at a store here (it was a feed store/pet supply place) that had rubber boots painted with holiday designs and lined up in front of the fireplace! |
| hmm, I'll look for those.
The boot idea is good - however I'm sure this is much more appealing with new, unused boots....LOL I got Todd new winter boots, but I already gave them to him and he has been ice fishing, plowing, in the barn.......
Socks - tube socks, wool ones, toe socks - all sound fun. Pack them in small containers - widemouth drink bottles, small storage containers - stuff that would get reused after Christmas. |
| We have a fun stocking tradition that started when I was a teen and we have carried it on with our own children. When they were young Santa filled their stockings--but once they start driving we include them in the adult version...
On Thanksgiving Day we draw names for our 'stocking person'-- (not supposed to tell who we have) then for the next month we shop for fun, unusual or practical things for that one person. On Christmas Eve right before we go to bed we exchange the 'stockings' and reveal who we have been shopping for--granted for years now the 'stuff' rarely fits in the actual stocking--so the 'giver' comes up with a clever container for all the gifts and the stockings remain 'hung by the chimney with care'!
Some of the 'containers' have been...a galvanized decorated tub--a rubbermaid 'decoration' container---a nice new wastebasket...a sports bag--tall boots (a pair-new rubber rain boots)--shoe bags (the ones for traveling etc. There have been other things but those come to mind. This is fun for our family--we almost like shopping for the stockings more than the regular gifts. We include anyone who may be with us for Christmas--there have been years where we have had two or three families participating... they generally 'carry on' with the tradition after they have participated once with us! Oh-and all the animals the dogs and the cats get their stocking when we exchange ours. |
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