what are your favorite stocking stuffers?

[kardomr]

I think stockings are one of the best parts of Christmas! But they can be difficult to fill...especially for DH who's stocking is huge and stretches!

 

What are your favorite things to put in stockings? for kids and adults.

 

:)r

[momlori]

Always have to have candy

[erose630]

I tend to wander around the Dollar Tree and pick up stuff my family likes.  I also love scratch off lotto tickets.

[nikkilugi]

I like to find little things that are meaningful.  

 

My kids always need earbuds - we don't buy real expensive ones

 

My boys are in scouts and always need flashlights.  Multi-tools are good for them too.  Axe and cologne is good.  Xbox point cards

 

My dd likes beanie boo's so she will get one of those.  She likes make-up - that goes in.  She wants Tiger Beat Magazine.  Xbox point cards

 

My dh gets his smaller items in there too - cologne, any jewelry I get him, small tools.

 

All stockings get candy.

[berry1014]

DH - box of chocolate covered cherries, cologne, gum, ear buds, CDS

 

DD - make up, nail polish, nail decals, gum, ear buds

 

DS - fun little flashlight, hotwheels/small monster trucks, ear buds

Edited November 18, 2014 by berry1014

[ilikefree]

I'm always up for suggestions on this too. One thing I always put in is an orange because I remember both of my grandmas saying they would get those when they were kids. I also do candy, a new toothbrush, scratch-off lottery tickets and little snacks that I know they like.

[Kanyon71]

We have been doing things like LED Flashlights, travel shampoo (good brands), candy, little games and various other things.

[LCPanther1975]

I bought new stockings this year and they are HUGE!!! I need to get on the ball buying some stuffers!!! DH says I always spend too much on the stockings!!! But you need to get them FULL !!!

[kardomr]

I'm always up for suggestions on this too. One thing I always put in is an orange because I remember both of my grandmas saying they would get those when they were kids. I also do candy, a new toothbrush, scratch-off lottery tickets and little snacks that I know they like.

 

Yes! Santa always put an orange and a comic digest in our stocking. I had to (peel and) eat the orange and read the comic--and switch with my sister before we were allowed to wake my parents!

 

I bought new stockings this year and they are HUGE!!! I need to get on the ball buying some stuffers!!! DH says I always spend too much on the stockings!!! But you need to get them FULL !!!

 

Totally! Stockings can be expensive. But I do think they are the best...maybe cause Santa was so good at stuffing them with things I liked and not just junk to fill the space. Maybe it's why I still love them.

 

I love hearing all your ideas. They help me keep it fresh--some stocking traditions are nice but also nice to have some surprises each year.

 

 

DH- A HUGE honeycrisp apple. small bottle of maple syrup. magazine? plant clips for the garden. gift card. not sure what else...this will fill the toe of his stocking!

 

DD- i like the earbuds idea. nail polish, book, chocolate, peeps, pony tail holders. underware (this cracks her up--that Santa brings her underware!) holiday socks, rubix cube, orange, wild republic bird stuffie, the free $10 barnes and noble gift card that comes when you buy $75 in gift cards. maybe some craft supplies. lego figures. i always have way more ideas for her than i need. her stocking is the smallest.

 

mine- lily and laura bracelets, magazine, book, orange, nail polish, fancy shampoo (that i only buy at xmas), 

Edited November 19, 2014 by kardomr

[Elmck]

Most of my kids are grown, but they and DD11  want a toothbrush in their stockings, the rest are things I have picked up on clearance through out the year. I know I have the older girls salt and pepper shakers (different shapes) that I got a Cracker Barrel 90% off there is jewelry and candles too. I know I got DD some of the smaller nerf rebelle at the Target clearance last summer.

 

I also do stockings for my in-laws, but this year I am getting them the really small stockings and putting in a gift card for each of them. My father in law likes a place called Herbs Hotdogs and I went today and got a gift certificate. I am getting my MIL a gift certificate to get her nails done.

[elena_398]

My daughter's friends all drive and they are all always going to starbucks and the gas station for slushies. So I am getting her gift cards for both places to put into stocking.  Also gum, some candy,  E.O.S.  lipbalm.  After that its whatever I see in stores that I think she would like.

[redraccoon]

small toys, gift cards, nail clippers, erasers, socks, Carmex, combs, Chapstick, sunglasses, CANDY and more CANDY

[stevierocks]

i knew ablut the orange thing... but these kids dont like oranges.. so i put a banana or apple in each... i know in the old days there was different reasons and fruit was a treat.. but i figure better something healthy as they will eat so much candy and unhealthy stuff that morning..this way they have some thing healthy.. i think i am going to do somethign different that i just thought of typing this.. see we dont normally do breakfast xmas morning... by the time we all all up they want to open presents... and the system we have take s a while..then we are off to other holiday things.. so this year i am going to have a breakfast laid out ,not like i am not up late enough anyhow.lol. there was a time i would sleep an hour if lucky. also i put one small wrapped present in each stocking.. something not high in value.candy, some small puzzle cubes things they can play with while waiting for everyone to be awake and situated.

[NovemberDiva]

My kids have 2 stockings, one that hangs on the mantle and a huge one that goes under the tree.  The huge stockings are filled with clothes, hats, gloves, socks and underclothes (stuff they need)!!  Wrapping all those things use to be a pain and they never got excited when they opened a box filled wtih underwear anyway!!  Everyone gets a toothbrush in the small stockings along with their favorite candy and various trinkets.  MY STOCKING IS ALWAYS EMPTY EVEN THOUGH I MENTION IT EVERY YEAR.

[kardomr]

My kids have 2 stockings, one that hangs on the mantle and a huge one that goes under the tree.  The huge stockings are filled with clothes, hats, gloves, socks and underclothes (stuff they need)!!  Wrapping all those things use to be a pain and they never got excited when they opened a box filled wtih underwear anyway!!  Everyone gets a toothbrush in the small stockings along with their favorite candy and various trinkets.  MY STOCKING IS ALWAYS EMPTY EVEN THOUGH I MENTION IT EVERY YEAR.

maybe mentioning it isn't direct enough. who'd want to be in charge of it?

or, you can join me in filling your own stocking. it might not sound very festive, but i love my stocking stuffers and i don't have to harass someone to have it filled nor feel disappointed that they didn't think of it. win-win.

 

someone mentioned trolling the dollar store. i think i'll take that idea and troll home depot's aisles for dh. 

[mrsjackrabbit]

For DS his stocking usually contains body spray, hair gel, toothbrush, king size candy bar, gum, a gift card or two and gloves or hat.

 

For DD her stocking usually has hair ties, body spray, travel size lotion or hand sanitizer, toothbrush, king size candy bar, gum, gift card/s, and colorful/crazy socks.

 

We don't go overboard on stockings and I try to keep the gifts pretty similar between kids.

[Bopeep]

For years, I filled the boys' stockings with nothing but candy. And my oldest didn't like chocolate, so I bought the boxes of Nerds, Gobstoppers, Starburst, etc.  Usually, I overestimated and all the candy I bought wouldn't even fit in the stocking.  Last year I realized that I had tons of leftover candy sitting on my cabinet from various holidays, and it was absolutely ridiculous to buy a bunch more. SO, they each got one box of their favorite candy, and then a small wrapped gift and a gift card of some kind.  I think that's what I'll do again this year.  

 

**I also used to put candy in my own stocking. From now on, I'm sure my stocking will hang empty because they won't think about it but that's okay .

[momlori]

Besides doing the kids stockings, I would always do one for myself.  A little candy but mostly batteries for the toys under the tree.  The kids thought it was funny Santa remember batteries.

[misstaken]

I'm notorious for sticking random items from around the house into stockings. I never remember to buy the "regular" stocking stuffer things! So, the kids and dh get weird things like: fruit snacks, fruit, snack bags of chips, leftover Halloween candy, soda, juice boxes, change, sample size stuff I get in the mail, magnets, promotional items with random companies logos on it, unused items from sets of cologne or beauty items, packs of tissues, band aids, pencils/pens, etc. You never know what I will find. It's kind of become a family tradition at this point. Edited November 20, 2014 by misstaken

[HomeinKS]

One year I put mint extract in my son's stocking because he loves mint and likes to cook.  

More expensive dark chocolate that I would not usually buy for my son.

Tea for my kids that like tea.

Just the kids get stockings; I would have to fill my own if I had one.

 

[floridasun5]

Stockings can get expensive quick to fill if you start buying a lot of different things so I usually hit our largest Dollar Tree here and stock up on things like toiletries, candy, small gifts, socks, etc.  I might top it off with something cheap like a $10 gift card to a fast food place or something but for the most part, I spend the bulk of my money on real gifts.  My daughter also usually loves to get all sorts of toiletries and such because it saves her from having to buy any for a while!

[bamamomma]

I have always had such a hard time filling stockings. I will say it was easier when the kids were little but now I have an almost 20 year old and a 14 year old. It's so expensive to fill.

[hockeyfanamo]

Adult males in my life get a small fun liquor added to their stocking.

[hack2222]

Seen alot of little liquor bottles at stores for $1.00 Vodka, etc, they make small wine bottles, or for the very top the single serving wine class, just treat the stocking as a gift and spend $20 to $30 add a $10 gift card or so and your set.  Get a gas card for adults, it's not needed but always useful to the local gas stations or ones that are national chains.  Think outside the box, lots of little tools and mini items can be added favorite gum mints candy bar, just anything little that can and should be added favorite items, sometimes they make specialty items for the holidays, xmas ornament if hallmark is popular, small gifts from a favorite set, cd from person, could always do tickets for a show, do a major gift in the stocking and shake up the order in the house lol, primarily like a concert that is yearly, or a special event that you can purchase tickets to early, Music festival tickets, favorite cologne fragrance, just be on the lookout for small things and buy as many as you need, lots of tool kits that are 4 or $5 on bf ads little flashlights whatever little items that can be added cheap or if you find multiple packages for $12 or something like that.

[conj]

LOVE this idea!   Your parents were brilliant!

 

 

Yes! Santa always put an orange and a comic digest in our stocking. I had to (peel and) eat the orange and read the comic--and switch with my sister before we were allowed to wake my parents!

 

[lilquiet]

In my family we have a five dollar limit on stocking stuffers.  Because this is the time of the year everyone gets sick there is always pocket Kleenex and Purell in the stockings.  I've been known to put jello shots in my sister's stocking.

 

It's amazing the neat stuff you can buy for only $5 and under.  It turns buying stocking fillers into a game.  I plan on buying some Anti Monkey Butt towels to put in the stockings this year.   

[Pepper_Mint_Tea]

I'd like to put holiday socks, candy, earrings, small toys, & travel size lotions/body sprays )

[brn2bld]

Aside from the usual candy, toothbrush, etc., I always put a new Chap-Stick in each stocking.

[Kandy]

DD - toothbrush, hairbrush, ponytail holders, gum, sugar free candy, nail polish, ear buds, xbox live, dvd, cd, money, bath and body works movie gift card

DS, toothbrush , comb, nerds or sour patch kids, ear buds, xbox live, dvd, cd, socks, tie, tie clip, money, axe, movie gift card

DH xbox live, dvd, butterfingers or dark chocolate, key chain, book, bath and body works for men

Me..... normally I get ponytail holders, bath salts, dark chocolate

,

[katkat777]

My kids have 2 stockings, one that hangs on the mantle and a huge one that goes under the tree.  The huge stockings are filled with clothes, hats, gloves, socks and underclothes (stuff they need)!!  Wrapping all those things use to be a pain and they never got excited when they opened a box filled wtih underwear anyway!!  Everyone gets a toothbrush in the small stockings along with their favorite candy and various trinkets.  MY STOCKING IS ALWAYS EMPTY EVEN THOUGH I MENTION IT EVERY YEAR.

My stocking is always empty!  Not this year!  I bought my OWN stocking stuffers..earrings, a pair of sunglasses, tarts for my wax burner.  So I will have something this year!

 

 For the kids, I love the Dollar Tree science kits.  They are a pretty good sized box.  They have grow your own crystal garden, grow your own beads- my kids loved these they filled a dish pan with water and watched the bead grow into good sized "squishy balls." They also have magic kits too.  

 

Also, look for the Lifesaver storybooks.  They are pretty good sized.  I got them as a kid and now we pass the tradition down.  We also had chocolate gold coins, that is also a tradition we passed down.

 

For the older kids, I love giving them playing cards from casinos. My sister loves pens, so I always get her some cool looking pens, of course candy!

 

This year for my DD15 I bought most of her stocking stuffers at a gas station!  She is a big Steelers fan, So I found some great stuff at our local gas station fairly cheap price!  Steeler pen set, Steelers lanyard, Steelers stretchy gloves.  I can't wait to see her face!