What sort of things do you put in there? Do you just do candy or small gifts? It is getting harder and harder to come up with ideas for my 8 yr old!

By Emily7 on Sunday, November 9, 2008 - 03:32 pm:

I do things like Little Pets for dd or matchbox cars for ds. Crayons, coloring books, fruit, the lifesavers Christmas book, a movie, reading book, gift certificates for McDonalds, the movies or an ice cream, bath items

By Ginny~moderator on Sunday, November 9, 2008 - 04:40 pm:

It was always little things, like Emily. I don't think you have to be especially creative - one really nice (but relatively inexpensive) item, like a Matchbox car or something relating to the child's interests or hobbies, and the rest just fillers. For us, the stocking was something the boys could open right away, when they woke up, to tide them over until the real present opening after church. As they got older, I allowed them to each pick one present - a small one - to open on Christmas Eve, as well as the stockings on Christmas morning.

My kids still tell me that one of the thngs they looked forward to every Christmas was the giant box of Crayolas and pack of drawing paper I gave each of them. I think they remember that more than most of the more expensive things we gave them (except the bicycles, of course).

I do remember, one year, when we were particularly flush (a rare occasion), I found a really nice stocking and filled it with all kinds of goodies for my mom - some jewelry (fake), perfume, and a bunch of pretties - about a dozen really nice items, wrapping each one before putting it in the stocking, and sent it off to her in Chicago. She was in tears when she called me - she said she was surprised and a bit disappointed when the box came and there were wrapped boxes for my dad but only a stocking for her, until Christmas morning when she went into the stocking and unwrapped everything.

By Reds9298 on Sunday, November 9, 2008 - 04:43 pm:

Ditto Emily. This year it's Disney Princess notepads, pencils, jewelry, socks, and a billfold...all found on the Target $1 Spot. Then I will add candy and books. I hit the mother load at the $1 Spot - perfect for my dd right now.

By Emily7 on Sunday, November 9, 2008 - 04:44 pm:

What a wonderful surprise for your mom Ginny!

By Emily7 on Sunday, November 9, 2008 - 04:45 pm:

I wish we had a Target! It gets so boring to shop at Walmart and Kmart, those are our only stores.

By Crystal915 on Sunday, November 9, 2008 - 05:07 pm:

We do some of the stuff Emily mentioned, I always put a new toothbrush and new socks in the stockings, pencils and crayons, some Dollar Store games or toys, candy or gum, etc. From Deanna's post, it looks like I need to check out Target!

My mom always did our stockings, but no one ever made one for her. When I was a teenager, I used to sneak down in the middle of the night, and throw together a stocking for her. One year (one of my favorite Xmas memories), I used money from my after-school job, and went to see her jeweler, who was a family friend. He had designed her wedding band, and had her ring size on file, so I had him make a simple Mother's ring to match her wedding band, with my birthstone, her's, and my sister's. They happen to all be blue stones, which was pretty!! (My brother ruined it by showing up a few years later, his is August, so it clashed, LOL!! I don't think she had it added to the ring.) I put that in her stocking, she cried that year.

By Bellajoe on Sunday, November 9, 2008 - 07:47 pm:

Crystal, how sweet! My dad had the same type thing made for my mom. There are 5 kids and all 5 were born in different months, so she had 5 different colored stones on that ring. My dad was usually pretty cheap (LOL) so her getting this ring was a big surprise. She loved it.
The cute thing was to see how excited my dad was to give it to her. He was like a kid!

Stockings:
I usually put in some new socks, and maybe a book or a dvd .Maybe some pencils or bubble bath. Never that much in the stocking. I don't want to waste money on cheap little things the kids won't care about anyway.

I will have to check out the Target $1 spot. They usually have little notepads that my kids would like.

Emily, i'm so sad for you that you don't have a Target!

By Reds9298 on Sunday, November 9, 2008 - 08:09 pm:

Emily - We don't have a Target either, so I can mourn with you. We recently moved to "the middle of nowhere", so we have nothing but Walmart and a ghetto Kmart. My old hometown is about 2 hours from here, so if I'm visiting family, (about once a month) I always stop at Target and stock up!! I try to think ahead for anything coming up that I might be able to use off the $1 spot.

I sometimes find little gifts for teacher baskets on the $1 Spot also, and it's a great place for littler ones to spend their piggy bank $. Usually there's a theme in the kids stuff. Last year there was Ariel stuff everywhere...purses, jewelry, ziploc bags, stampers, socks, papers, pencils...it's so cool. When Nat had her dog-themed birthday party last year, they just happened to be having a dog supplies section in the summer. We stocked up on cheap stainless steel bowls, dog toys, bones, and scarves for some of our party games and only spent about $6. We put snacks for guests in the bowls, used the toys for games, and the scarves for pin the nose on the dog. They usually have board books,too, especially at Christmas time, so I always would buy those for my therapy kids for gifts.

Growing up, my stocking was always my favorite. My parents always put at least one really nice gift in there (like jewelry). Natalie is so into writing and coloring right now, so the little notepads and pencils are perfect for her this year. I usually put a toothbrush in her stocking, too - I forgot about that. She will probably get some new princess panties, too...she's in need!

By Ilovetom on Sunday, November 9, 2008 - 08:58 pm:

My kids are older, but! I do lotions, deodarants, lip stuff, and candy. I love stockings.

By Rayelle on Sunday, November 9, 2008 - 09:03 pm:

When I was growing up our stockings were always candy. With our kids we do the little things like dollar store toys, crayons etc. Two years ago ds&dd really wanted gameboys so we put them in their stockings. They looked there last since it's usually little things lol! It made more of a surprise for them.

By Reds9298 on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 - 12:32 am:

I got Natalie the 64 count crayola WITH the sharpener for her stocking today. She will flip over it! LOL

By Reds9298 on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 - 12:36 am:

Also, what about Movie Bucks? (gift cards for going to the theater, that's what they are called here)

Nail polish

Something crafty, like a stamp set with an ink pad

Diary

By Emily7 on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 - 12:38 am:

Deanna did you move to my town?
Can you at least get help at your Kmart?

I am adding stuff for DS's stocking for his desk too. We just put one in his room for homework and he just thinks he is such a big man now that he has a desk.

By Annie2 on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 - 01:04 am:

Same as above. Candy, cards, something they could play with right then, a small stuffed animal sticking out of the top. Now that they are older they get the expensive shampoos, lotions that they love. I always add a new toothbrush and a box of thank you notes to send to out of town friends and relatives.

By Yjja123 on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 - 01:08 am:

I put little gifts and special candy inside.
for example my daughter will get...perfume, make-up, rings, necklace, earrings, gift card, favorite candy, etc.
My son will get...DS game, necklace, small lego set, Tag gift set, flashlight, swiss army knife and his favorite candy.