50 Ways to Stuff your Stockings

8am. That was the moment every Christmas morning when we could finally leave the confines of our bedroom and go jump on Mom and Dad to wake them up. It was the time, down to the very minute, that we had been waiting for all year. It was when the waiting was finally over.

We had a stringent schedule on Christmas morning. No one could leave their rooms until 8:00. At that point Mom and Dad would wake up, shower, and call our grandparents. But the time all adults were presentable and accounted for, then we could run and grab our stockings. Together in the master bedroom, on my parent’s bed, we’d open our stockings together, going through each little treasure that my parents Santa chose for us so thoughtfully.

I remember sitting with my sister on my parent’s big bed, anxiously waiting for them to get out of the shower. Those few minutes were some of the longest ones of my life. So when my parents finally joined us with their bulging stockings, there was nothing better than pulling that first item out of the top of the sock.

Friends would tell me about how early they’d wake up on Christmas morning. They recounted running to the tree before the sun was up to begin ripping the paper off presents. Some did it under the watchful eyes of bleary parents while others didn’t even wait for that.

But that wasn’t how it was in our house. Christmas morning was slow and beautiful and long and familial.

I loved those stockings. Although the climax of Christmas was always one or two of the gifts under the tree, when I look back now as an adult, it is the stockings that I remember most. I don’t remember what was in them, but I certainly remembered how it felt to finally get Christmas started. This exciting thing that I had been anticipating for so long had come, and I was finally getting to experience it.

Now that I’m an adult with a family of my own, I really want stockings to be a special part of my kids’ Christmas. Unfortunately, stocking stuffers are the easiest thing to procrastinate on. If I am running around in the middle of the chaos that is last minute shopping, you know it is because I am trying to stuff a stocking or two (or three).

If you are like me and using your last few days before Christmas running around looking for stocking stuffers, let me give you a few suggestions.

1. Ornament: The best way to build a family Christmas tree is starting off with an ornament every Christmas morning. I hope to keep each ornament labeled with our children’s names and the year they received it so that their collection can start to grow.

2. All of my stockings used to be topped with a comic or a magazine. In our family, those are now read on electric tablets so it is a little hard for this to still be relevant. This year I am replacing the magazine in my toddler’s stocking with a reusable sticker book. 

3. Small stuffed animal: My family are loving on these Ty Beanie Boos lately.

4. Flashlight: Even cooler? A self-cranking flashlight. Good for kids and adults. This year, we will be getting LuckyBums Dynamo Flashlights. Also consider a book light for those book worms in your life.

5. Lipchap

6. Hand Lotion or Cream: Babies can get bum cream. Adults can get hand lotion. Younger kids with sensitive skin can get natural healing salve. Consider checking out Anointment or another handmade natural skin care line.

7. Bandaids: Anyone with kids at home know that these are a precious commodity. Even if you don’t have kids, everyone gets hurt from time to time.

8. Toothbrush: Going to the dentist is always a good reminder to change your toothbrush. Christmas is another good time. While we’re on the subject, don’t forget a tube of toothpaste and some floss too.

9. Art supplies: Consider age. My toddler will be getting crayons. Older kids can get markers or paint.

10. Stickers

11. Colouring Book

12. Crayon roll: This is one of the things I am MOST excited about this year. I picked mine up at our local farmer’s market but they are also all over Etsy.

13. Bath crayons

14. Hot wheels or other dinky cars: All Cameron asked for this Christmas was “Cars and superheroes”. So yeah. Both boys are getting cars.

15. Play-Doh: If you allow Play-Doh in your house, that is…

16. Kinder Surprise: A perfect stocking stuffer for all ages. My big boy will be getting the Kinder Mix this year, which includes a stuffed animal, an egg, a chocolate Santa, and a few more Kinder treats.

17. Small Playmobil Kit: Another one that is fun for all ages. I’m going to pretend that these aren’t going to be in our stockings this year because I’m worried about small pieces around the baby and not that I actually forgot about them until now.

18. Books: Both of my boys will be getting a book in their stockings this year. My husband won’t be, mainly because it isn’t easy to wrap an ebook, which is what he reads.

19. Giftcard: We don’t really give each other gift cards in our immediate family. I think a stocking is a perfect exception for this. Consider this as a way to give a midweek coffee or tea or a chance to escape into a book. This year, only my husband will be getting a gift card in his stocking, but I am sure as my boys grow older, they’ll be getting some too.

20. Coffee Mug / Tea Cup / Travel Mug: A regular mug or a travel mug is something so many people can use. If giving a gift card to a favourite cafe, consider placing it in the mug.

21. Cup Cozy: The cutest way to personalize a mug. Found all over Etsy. (Mug Cozies, Coffee Cozies)

22. Gourmet Hot Chocolate: One of my absolute favourite stocking gifts last year were some gourmet hot chocolate packets that my husband sourced for me. SO yum! (Suggestions: McSteven’s, Gourmet du Village)

23. KCups, Coffee Pods, or Starbucks Via Instant Coffee: Is there a greater gift than coffee? I mean, if you’re going to be drinking it anyway…

24. Tea: David’s Tea has some awesome gift packs, many of which could fit inside a stocking (some are even ornaments, so you can give two gifts in one!)

25. Sippy Cups: My kids are getting Contigo Autoseal Kids Trekker Cup this year.

26. Onion goggles: These look ridiculous, but at least you won’t slice off your fingers trying to chop onions with your eyes closed like I do.

27. Kitchen Utensils: Ideas include ice cream scoop, silicone whisk, silicone pastry brush (this is on my wishlist), spatula…

28. Cookie Cutters: Have you seen these ninja ones?

29. Multi-tool or Swiss Army Knife

30. Small Household Tool: Like a hammer, or something (I don’t know what I’m talking about here). My husband asked for a stud-finder this year. Will he get one?

31. Family Car Decals: I got mine from Canadian Tire, though we might have to replace them with these superhero ones or these Star Wars ones or these zombie ones.

32. Mittens: Good for all ages! One of my best stocking gifts from a few years back were my Olympic Mittens from The Bay.

33. Hat: Will it match the mittens?

34: Scarf: Snuggly ones for the kids, fashionable ones for Dad, and beautiful ones for Mom (please).

35. Touch Screen Gloves: It is only December and I have already wished these were in my life a few times.

36. Microfiber Cloths: Great for cleaning camera lenses and glasses

37. Lens Pen: To clean camera lenses

38. Jewelry: Earrings, a necklace, some rings. Always beautiful options in your local farmer’s market or on Etsy or even the mall. My new favourite is Blend Creations.

39. Reusable Tote Bags

40. Batteries: In bulk. Especially if any presents require batteries. Great gift for Dad’s stocking to fill up some space.

41. Case or Skin for Electronics

42. Sophie the Giraffe

43. Eco Toys  and Rattles

44. Baby snacks: We’ll be stealing MumMums and puff treats from our cupboard for Gavin’s stocking this year.

45. Baby Snack Container like this one from Munchkin.

46. Barley Toys

47. SO MANY TREATS: Our family favourites include Toblerone, Toffifee, chocolate covered cherries

48. Clementine for the toe of the stocking

49. Apple for the toe of the stocking

50. A goodbye note from your Elf on the Shelf

What is in your stockings this year?

 

The small print: None of the links above know I am linking to them. None of them approached me. They are just some of my favourite things these days.