Lets Talk About Christmas Stockings.

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My mom made us Christmas stockings. They were made out of see-through netting, mine was greent with red adn gold trim and had my initial on it. My sis's was red with green and gold trim and also had her initial on it.

We always got up very early on Christmas morning. After several "can we get up yets"? with "NO", my mom or dad would say . . . okay you can get up now and take your stocking into your bedroom for awhile.

You could kind of see what was inside the stocking because it was see-through, but not really - you could only guess what was in there . . . and sometimes you were wrong.

Usually oranges, nuts, christmas candy or chocolate, and some small little (and not expensive) toy, or toiletry item when we got older. When we were little there was usually something we could play with, at least for a short time before we began the "can we get up yet"? again.

My stocking is now 60 years old . . . and I get nostalgic and emotional when I take it from the boxes each year when I decorate . . . it contains so much of my mom for me.

My mom also made the same style of stockings for our children . . . and I still have them here in my home. While I hang them up (on a pole light) each year, they are not used nor filled. We have not done stockings for several years now. But rather, "Santa" brings and places loosely and unpacked under the tree - a puzzle, a colouring book and crayons, some magazines, and some chocolates that are enjoyed by all throughout the Christmas Season.
 
How much money - on average - should go into filling a Christmas stocking?
 
I don't see this as a 'should'. Every one has a different income, different responsibilities, various numbers of children, different thoughts about what is appropriate. Neither my parents nor I spent a huge amount on Christmas stockings or other gifts. Some of our adult kids are handling Christmas in much the same way.
 
KayTheCurler said:
I don't see this as a 'should'. Every one has a different income, different responsibilities, various numbers of children, different thoughts about what is appropriate. Neither my parents nor I spent a huge amount on Christmas stockings or other gifts. Some of our adult kids are handling Christmas in much the same way.
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Well - I just need some kind of general guideline to go by. I need to fill four stockings. We're not wealthy - we shop at N Frlls - Dllrma - and Wlmrt - not at Lblws - Bwrngs - and Th By.
 
How much I spend on each stocking depends - some years more than others. I'd say anywhere between $10 and maybe about $25. Anything that would put it over that would probably go under the tree as a 'gift'. Lets say - joke gift from Dollarama type store $2.00; something special for $10; new socks $5.00; toothbrush $3.00; nuts and candy $3.00.
 
Jae, You probably had stockings growing up. What did your family do? What did you do last year? What do your sisters do? What is YOUR bidget? It really varies so much between families that you need to do what works for you.
 
Tabitha said:
Jae, You probably had stockings growing up. What did your family do? What did you do last year? What do your sisters do? What is YOUR bidget? It really varies so much between families that you need to do what works for you.
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When I was a kid Santa used to fill them. For the last few years Mom has bought some things to go in them - and I have bought some. I never really had a budget though - and many "stocking stuffers" these days seem ever so expensive.
 
I have to admit that some folk gather all kinds of little things. soap,hand lotion, socks, note pads etc. over the year, They wrap each separately and stuff the stocking but they tell me this is a very expensive stocking. You think you are buying inexpensive things but when you add it all up, it becomes
very expensive.
 
So last year, myself and 2 co=workers each put in $20. We stuffed 'till overflowing 3 stockings for students in grade 7 (With their mom's permission). 2 girls, 1 boy. We put in socks, penlights, hair ties, Archie comic books, stretchy gloves, gum., wash clothes, drawstring knapsacks, one barbeque lighter (for the fireplace) lip gloss (chapstick for boy), christmas mugs, hairbrush/comb etc.Most items came form the dollar store, some came from MTF (MTF sells off old Costco and Superstore stuff)

For young adults-try a word search magazine, a nice pen, socks, some candy, maybe a travel mug?
 
Tabitha said:
So last year, myself and 2 co=workers each put in $20. We stuffed 'till overflowing 3 stockings for students in grade 7 (With their mom's permission). 2 girls, 1 boy. We put in socks, penlights, hair ties, Archie comic books, stretchy gloves, gum., wash clothes, drawstring knapsacks, one barbeque lighter (for the fireplace) lip gloss (chapstick for boy), christmas mugs, hairbrush/comb etc.Most items came form the dollar store, some came from MTF (MTF sells off old Costco and Superstore stuff)

For young adults-try a word search magazine, a nice pen, socks, some candy, maybe a travel mug?
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What is MTF?
 
MTF is the name of a store (I said it sells off Costco and Superstore stuff) MDM in Orilla-I'm sure there is one in TO as well. Google Costco Liquidation stores Jae.
and you are welcome for the helpful post above. Hint: say "thanks" and then ask for more info.....
 
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Stocking have varied dependent on the amount of income available.

I really like your list Tabitha, and the variety that went in.
 
I was married a long time ago. For some reason, my husband liked to give me all my gifts via stocking. SO, there might be a very expensive ring cheek by jowl with a sample sized bottle of bubble bath. You had to be extremely careful when opening his stockings (there was often 3 or 4 of them some years; he was not an ungenerous man with our money) so as not to miss something small but quite valuable.

My stocking growing up was always one of 3 of my dad's "work socks", great grey woollen things with red and white stripes at the top, that he used in his occasional ventures into outdoor-syness. There was a monster navel orange and a shiny red delicious apple (which we all pretended had not been in the crisper for a week), a mesh bag of chocolate balls, a bag of chocolate coins, a small toy or three - often a balsa plane kit, a bag of marbles, a Hotwheels for my baby sister who was an obsessive Hotwheels racer, perhaps a new hairbrush, maybe inexpensive earrings as we got older, a couple of cubes of old fashioned bath salts, in lavender, rose or lily-of-the-valley. The stockings I made up for my own children were not a lot different, except that the toys were usually scientific games or puzzles (I used to make an annual pilgrimage to the North Toronto Mastermind store and lunch with an old co-worker).

For many years, I enjoyed exchanging stocking with my elderly mother (and by mutual agreement in her later years when she couldn't get out and about any more, would take some money from her and make up a stocking for myself). I'd fill hers with consumables, and usually a gawdy Xmas brooch, her favourite Terry's dark chocolate orange, an inexpensive seasonal watch.
 
Jae , i would budget about $20 per stocking and hope to get under that.

An orange or apple is less than a dollar and fills alot.

I add a candy cane, usually a lip protector stick of some type. Toothbrushes are good, save the free ones the dentist gives you.

I usually buy a magazine or some reading thing.

A new pen, or pencil works. Then i find cheap things at dollar stores. Individual chop sticks, barrettes for a little girl, gum or mints, some christmas candy,

I used to look for a small toy when the kids were little, a pocket puzzle or something. Now i give them Starbucks cards. Travel size toothpaste or hand cream is good, small package of kleenex.

Its just the fun of having things. But i try to not waste money on stupid things. That is just moeny wasted.

This year i have a soup in a package for both kids, got at craft show, a Starbucks card, gum, lip balm. A small book to write in.....
 
It's well into December. I only have Seelerman's sock to do this year and I have no ideas. Maybe the main present will be a Tim Horton's gift card = he likes to meet his friends for coffee in the mornings. But what else - gift card, tooth brush, and ???? He's a hard person to buy for. Maybe an almanac, or joke book. He's got socks he hasn't worn yet. He's diabetic - loves candy but shouldn't have much. A bag of nuts or trail mix? Last year our new kaurig coffee maker so I got him an assortment of different coffees to fill the sock - but the novelty has worn off now - he just buys 'Breakfast Blend' in quantity. I've got to start wandering around the dollar stores and picking up a few things.
 
seeler, how about: a love letter, a picture of you in a small frame, a poem? Wool for a pair of self knitted socks or a scarf. We always put a new christmas ornament in the stocking. A coupon for a car wash?
 
a new comb? a lint brush-he loves animals may need their fur taken off his clothes, anything for his train display?a lens cloth and glasses cleaner? ( I don't remember if he wears glasses-but at least for Sun glasses, music for in the car? an audio book for your long drives?
 
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