What Goes in Your Christmas Stockings?

Updated on November 24, 2014
M.D. asks from Washington, DC
30 answers

My husband and I don't typically fill ours - just put an orange, some candy, and a toothbrush.

The kids get the same plus a gift card, an ornament, and maybe a small toy. The toy turned to perfume for my daughter this year.

What do you put in yours? And do you get new ones every year or stick with the same?

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So What Happened?

I LOVE all of these ideas :).

So now I am going to put stuff in my husband's, and ask that he do the same for me.

But I am really loving the creative ideas. I may have to take a few of them....lottery tickets are fun! I also forgot this year I got individual cake mug mixes for the kids - so those will go in too. I love the money rolled up and so many of the other ones...great ideas!!

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M.H.

answers from Dallas on

Hot wheels, Schleich animals, various treats for the kiddos.

husband gets a beer, lotto tickets and a rolled up trash bag (to clean up the mess) a running joke for us. :)

5 moms found this helpful

F.W.

answers from Danville on

Always a toothbrush (in fact, one year I forgot, and was chastised...).

An assortment of candy, and the past few years 'character' PEZ dispensers. One year it was the dwarves from snow white, one year star trek. The fights/discussions over who got which character and WHY were hilarious! I mostly was trying to get stuff IN each stocking!

Now that they are older, I usually stick a small gift card in as well.

I save the 'traditional' socks and underwear for under the tree!

Looking forward to new ideas...particularly for 'olders'!

ETA

I had used the same stockings over the years...and just recently began to make 'new' ones as gifts for them as they embark on their lives. One kiddo is engaged...and two have very significant long term 'others'. I have made stockings as gifts for them as well.

I will keep the very old 'kid' stockings here for a while. Shannon loves when we put them up for her sibs!

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T.S.

answers from San Francisco on

My husband usually gives me girly things, like soap, lotion, candles, chocolate, etc. and I give him his favorite snacks, maybe a paperback book, CD, stuff like that.
The kids (now teens) get their favorite candy, a few small gift cards to places like Chipotle or Starbucks, jewelry/cosmetics, DVDs, fun socks, etc.
We use the same stockings every year. I especially love mine because it's the same one my husband gave me the first year we were dating :-)

4 moms found this helpful

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O.H.

answers from Phoenix on

I guess we do things differently. Santa gives us the "big" gift. So our stockings have always been game stations, bikes, electronics, jewelry, etc. Nothing but the jewelry technically fits "in" the stocking, but the big item is close by the person's stocking it goes to.

My kids finally figured out "who" Santa really was just a year or so ago so the realization of them knowing that "we" actually bought the expensive stuff for them, then I think they appreciated it even more.

We all actually get filled stockings too and I hang up the same ones for us each year. We have "normal" size ones we actually use but as a joke I hang up "my" 6 foot one. I fill the husbands and kids and he does mine. We put in the usual...candy, music or video games, socks, scratchers, perfume, makeup, whatever we find that we know we will all like or need. =0)

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Z.D.

answers from Burlington on

For my husband, I always give him lottery tickets, macadamia nuts (in memory of our honeymoon in Hawaii), beef jerky and some of those little mini bottles of booze in whatever fun flavors I can find. The rest is whatever I see that I think he'd like. This year I found beer flavored jelly beans and Jack Daniels flavored nuts. (It's not always quite so booze oriented, it just worked out that way this year!). For my mom, I always get her a jar of her favorite orange marmalade, her favorite face cream, her favorite candy, and a fun pair of socks as well as lottery tickets and maybe a small gift card to Subway or Quiznos. I usually also add things like emery boards or nail clippers, etc. We also make my grandma's recipe of a chex mix, and I will probably put a baggie of that in my mom's stocking as well. For my teenage daughters, they get an assortment of makeup, lip gloss, nail polish, nail polish remover pads, a bottle of perfume, hair ties, candy/mints/gum, charms for their charm bracelets, maybe a pair of fun socks, an iTunes gift card, maybe a small amount of cash and maybe a magazine they like. Everyone also gets little individual packets of hot chocolate mix. Our grocery store sells them in all sorts of wonderful flavors, like butterscotch, caramel or snickerdoodle! I try to put a lot of thought into my stocking stuffers and get everyone things I truly think they'll like, instead of just random cheap plastic toys, etc. For my own stocking, my husband refuses to shop anywhere other than the grocery store, so mine ends up containing mostly food items along with nail clippers and lottery tickets.
Hope that helps!

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J.W.

answers from Harrisburg on

same stockings every year. I like the toothbrush idea!
We usually put candy, gift cards, gloves in. For my daughter, some makeup or trinket. For my son, little toys like a yo-yo, silly putty, etc.

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❤.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

We kind of go all out (esp hubby). It's fun.
We each have a stocking that we've used from the beginning (kids have
their first stocking plus a little bigger one they've chosen). Same ones
every year.
Hubby gets lottery tickets, beer, new bbq tongs, socks, razors etc.
He gives me smalll gift card $5 or $10 to Starbucks, lotion, Chapstick,
mini frames, costume earrings.
Dtr: socks, earrings, Starbucks gift card, hair ties, lip gloss.
Son: Matchbox cars, fuzzy socks, $5 DVD, gum, little notes, cute coloring
pens.

Tell your hubby it's a fun, cute tradition. ....an extra treat. Just a sweet little surprise.

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S.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

Same stockings... my husband and I are using the ones we had as kids.

Stockings are the best part!!! My husband has been trained to make mine good. Then I do his and the kids. I like the usual drugstore stuff (chapstick, toothbrushes, santa chocolates, stickers, hair ties, ) but also good stuff from legit stores, like jewelry, makeup, small clothing items and accessories. Books. Cool little toys. Random food items.

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M.F.

answers from Phoenix on

We use the same stockings every year, however this year we upgraded to really nice ones, since our family will be complete when Baby #4 arrives in January.
I'm the stocking filler. Everyone gets candy and I put a few small toys or books into the kids stockings. For hubby, and Nana who spends Christmas morning with us, I try to find at least one small gift for their stockings and maybe anspecial candy or two. Nana usually has a few additions for the kids, myself, and hubby. Then hubby usually adds something to my stocking also.
At my in-law's, later Christmas day, the "big kids" (sons and spouses) each have stocking. The guys get a new pair of pajama pants, a tradition from their childhood. Then everyone gets candy plus movie theatre and restaurant gift cards. The girls get Bath and Body Works lotions and sometimes an extra "girly" item too, but nothing big. Those stocking are the same every year. My MIL bought stockings many years ago for her boys and bought matching ones at the same time, that she's held onto for eventual spouses.

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D.K.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Crystallized ginger, hot chocolate, Chapstick, tums, post it notes. Paper clips, a chocolate orange, mascara, that anchovy paste that comes in a tube. Same stockings. DH has had his since he was 3 or 4. I got mine when I met him - so I have had it 25 years. DS got his when he was 1.

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C.V.

answers from Columbia on

We use the same stockings each year. Everyone has one.

There are some traditions. Ferrero dark chocolate oranges. PEZ. And then the rest is filled with small things that are nice, but we generally wouldn't buy ourselves. No cheesy junk to be thrown away, but neat and useful gadgets, tools, toys and such.

And adult stockings ALWAYS get filled. I love filling my mom's and husband's stockings. :-)

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H.W.

answers from Portland on

Oh, we love stockings at our house. Kiddo is going to get the ridiculously huge box of crayons with the sharpener, some Lego stuff, some little bags of art/craft stuff for his creations and some good chocolate.

Husband and I always always (yep, two of em) get each other a special great craft beer, more chocolate (we buy a box of two truffles for everyone) and some snacks w e like. We like the kind of stuff that goes away. :)

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C.N.

answers from Baton Rouge on

Even as a kid, my girl was never all that fond of candy. Like me, she prefers savory/salty to sweet.
She's grown, but I still do a stocking for her with the same things in it as when she was a kid.
Green olives
Okra pickles
Beef jerky
Zapp's potato chips
Pistachios
Cashews

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B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

We use the same stockings every year.
We can (and have) put in anything that fits.
Flash lights, glow sticks, candy, small Lego kits, small tool kits, a Hickory Farms sausage (for my husband - he LOVES them!), books, small puzzles, deck of cards, etc.

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S.D.

answers from Davenport on

My husband & I have had the same stockings since we got married (14 years) & while I always say I want to get the kids ones that match ours I can't ever find them. One day I'll get to it...
As far as what goes into them, well in our house Santa does the stockings. That's the only thing he fills around here so we try to do fun, special things. Small things on their wish list, crazy & fun new socks, special sweet treats, lego mini figures, accessories, etc...
Great ideas on here!

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A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

Small things - little wind up toys, novelties, candy, small toys, gift cards, etc. Now that my sks are older, they'll add to our stockings so I truly have no idea what I'm getting. We use the same stockings year after year. Even the cat has one with her initial on it and she gets cat nip or a small toy.

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S.S.

answers from Chicago on

we always put a food item in the stockings. my daughter gets marachino cherries
son gets black olives other son gets pepperoni and my youngest gets pistachios. then just some small stuff a book, a toy etc they are all grown up now so we are dropping the stockings as they all have their own houses except the youngest. i gave them their stockings so they could do them at home.

I do fill hubbys stocking and he fills mine.

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L.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

Everyone has their own stocking that is put up every year, but most of us have 2 stockings - one at mom&dad's house (grandparents) and the ones at our home.

Stocking stuffers are the same every year: refreshed school supplies (pencils, crayons, notebook paper, toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, a small gift card (starbucks or similar), and the 4-piece Whitmans's sampler of chocolates. It's tradition!

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K.W.

answers from Seattle on

Same stockings every year. It's part of the tradition.

And we do a tangerine, toothbrush, toothpaste, chocolate (probably a Santa or similar), candy cane, lip balm, and small toys. This year, I'm limiting it to one small toy, but I may throw in some coins. Also, I love the idea of pencils/pens and maybe a small notebook.

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J.T.

answers from Dallas on

Same stockings each year, I go with the Pottery Barn velvet bc they always have them so as we've added children and lost/added pets, we've just added to the collection!

For the kids - every year they get a toothbrush and toothpaste, it cracks me up every Christmas morning bc they get SO excited over that toothpaste haha! If someone only glanced at that 10 seconds of our lives, they'd be certain my three kids were homeless from a third world country... It is good to see them appreciate the little things though! I think it's more the sense of security that comes with the tradition that elicits the response :) Then they get candy/snacks, Chapstick, scratch off lottery tickets, choc coins, then just other little random things that are personal to them - toys, books, DVDs, gift cards, etc

My husband and I fill each other's... He hates to wrap so usually all my presents from him are small and in my stocking! Jewelry, perfume, gift card, etc. ours are filled weeks before Christmas, the kids know that only Kids stockings are from Santa

This is our first Christmas with only one dog :( We've lost two this year, one the day after Christmas... So our dog will be more rotten than usual...he will get a nice elk antler($50 for the one he really likes!), probably a few rubber chickens, and some special treats.

I have a love/hate with stockings past few years since our older dogs began passing.... I hate opening that box and setting one or more aside each year :(

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M.G.

answers from Kansas City on

Same stockings each year.

I have already started buying the special candy that I know my sons will like. Yu Gi O cards.

I usually get a couple of scratch off lottery tickets for my hubby.

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S.T.

answers from Washington DC on

stockings are the best part of the day, i swear! we do 'em on christmas night, after everyone who doesn't live here goes home, in front of the fire, lounging on our heaps of swag, mugs of cocoa in hand.
mine is usually filled with little crabtree and evelyn fragrant dainties. i suppose santa might switch it up one day, but i kinda hope not. i do love me some C&E, and i count on my stocking to set me up for the coming year. sometimes santa puts something sparkly in the toe, but i wear less jewelry these days and would actually prefer that santa put that $ toward a tablet.......
i fill the boys' with a mixture of candy, silly toys (grown men without wives still get silly toys, dang it!) and a couple of nice wrapped things like a ski pass or good sunglasses or i-tunes card. my husband's is always hard. he's not much for sweets, only wears old spice, and doesn't care for tchotchkes, so i have to put considerable thought into his. running socks, i-tunes, energy gels......geez, i'm wracking my brains sitting here and having trouble. damn that man!
we re-use stockings for YEARS (sentimental doofus here) but some of 'em are getting raggedy and should probably get traded up.
:) khairete
S.

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F.B.

answers from New York on

Same stockings yearly, including the one for the dog. Lip balm, matchbox, cheesy christmas socks. Toothbrushes are a great idea.

f B.

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T.F.

answers from Dallas on

My hubby and I don't fill our stockings.

We do fill daughter's (yes, still at age 19 and she loves it) and our pets.

For pets, new chew bones and a toy

For daughter, I roll up $5, $10 bills and tie a ribbon around them, her favorite Godiva candies that she only gets in her stocking, favorite chap stick, hand crème, etc.

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J.C.

answers from New York on

I always put in Christmas candy like a chocolate Santa. I also put in gift cards, gadgets, small personal items, and usually a stuffed animal sticking out of the top for my daughter.

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S.B.

answers from Dallas on

We use the same stockings every year and I am the one in charge of filling them (including my own). However, occasionally my kids will also pick up things to add to the stockings as a surprise. Besides some of the things listed before, We have put shipping info on a gift on order in a colorful envelope in the stocking. I have put Christmas cookie cutters in each stocking and then everyone has a project to do later (make Christmas cookies) I have also put photos in cute little frames that are significant to the recipient. When we have traveled over Christmas, I have also brought the stocking with us and filled them on location. Have a great Christmas!

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S.H.

answers from Richmond on

I stick with the same stockings - I've had mine since my first Christmas! However, the items in them change. They get some candy, gum, small gift cards, toothbrush, sample sized toiletries (I sign up for freebies all year long), small games (Rubik's Cube, cards...), books, lots of small things I pick up that remind me of them, etc. I always end up with too much to fit in the stockings! LOL When I was small, we had very little money and got very few Xmas presents. But we looked forward to our stockings! That's where you got the creative, fun things that weren't expensive but were personal. Like my mom always put a can of mushrooms and a box of raisins in mine b/c they are my fave foods. :) I wish my husband's family was more into the stocking thing - they basically throw some candy in and call it. I sure miss my mom at Christmas - she gave me a stocking every year until she passed away (when I was in my 30s).

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J.C.

answers from Anchorage on

I put some treats and small toys. We use the same stockings every year because i had made them with each kids first picture with Santa on them.

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K.A.

answers from San Diego on

There are no stockings for the adults. Santa only brings things for the kids and gifts from us we give to them before Christmas because they are just bought while we're out shopping for everyone else or online.
Stockings here are for anything small that might otherwise get lost. There is no rhyme or reason to them. Could be a piece of jewelry or a new pin or 2 to add to their Disney pin collections. They have gotten many Pez dispensers over the years. The kids use the same stockings each year that their grandmother hand made for them and cross stitched their names on them now. Before she made those several years ago they would use pretty generic ones or Thomas the Tank gift bags. They still use the Thomas the Tank gift bags though. We're a little unconventional. Nothing from Santa is individually wrapped in paper or gift bags. We have a bunch of large reusable felt bags we leave out the box of each night before going to bed, along with the Thomas bags and the stockings. Santa fills them and leaves any extras in the box (we have a ton of the felt bags now!).

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D.S.

answers from Norfolk on

Hi, Mom:

Christmas is a special time of year for reflection about what it means to be a Christian.
Our America was founded on Judeo-Christian values of believing in a Creator and serving Him all the days of our lives. The Ten Commandments were given the Children of Israel as they were coming out of bondage. No more slavery for them and us. We would self-govern.

Now we are having our religious freedoms succumbing to those who want to rule over us. You know what happened with Hitler. He didn't believe in Our Creator, neither does the Jesuits.

Our country is the last one to be taken down. Our government was founded on our belief in the One True God.
We are becoming materialistic and that is exactly one of the keys to losing our government.

Yes, you and others reading this response. Our America is on the
verge of collapse.

Pray this Christmas that we turn our faith into a reality and
save our America from Lucifer.

D.

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