@showmom858 - This probably wound not fit in a stocking, but collapsible (telescoping) walking stick could be nice, especially in bad weather.
DH bought this one for hiking (link is Dicks $39.99, but he got it same price, on a sale at REI) - https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/mountainsmith-trekker-fx-lite-trekking-pole-19mthutrkkrfxltcrcac/19mthutrkkrfxltcrcac For him the appeal was a fixture on top for making it a “monopod” for photography (when his tripod sherpa wife, aka Me, does not want to carry the tripod… he already carries a lot of camera equipment and wears a camel back for water). It is not so great for photography, but he appreciates it for stability on the hiking trail. I also see many less expensive options on Dicks … and Amazon suggestions as I shop
@helpingmom40,
Can you post a link to the scrubber thingies you got? Sounds like a good idea.
My kids have really big stockings. So bit I have thought of buying them new ones as adults, but my mother got them when my boys were little, and now she’s gone, so the stockings will stay.
I do stockings for kids and SOs. When they were younger they got lost of candy and chips/other junk food kinds of things. Now they get very practical things.
Last year things I can remember (yes, stockings were overflowing)
Dove body wash, Barilla Pasta Plus, Cetaphil body lotion, chapstick/Burt’s Bees, multiple kinds of cookies (stroop waffles and biscoff, I think), teas/coffees as appropriate, nail polish for girls, a CheeseCake Factory GC for each couple, sponges, Method hand soap and dish soap, oatmeal/cereal, some small amount of high end candy, and I can’t remember what else.
If anyone sees any combo Asian sauces kind of thing that actually all look useful, please let me know. One son seems to be enjoying trying to cook various vegetarian Asian dishes, but I have no clue what sauces are preferred/most useful.
My kids love stuffed stockings as did my late mother. Last year, my youngest brought a classmate home for the holidays who was thrilled getting a stuffed stocking . It doesn’t seem to matter if I go cheap or expensive with them. They unanimously told me they’d rather go without wrapped gifts under the tree than the stockings.
Last year I went pretty much cheap with the stockings because each kid got a check as well for the holidays. There have been years of i-watches, fit bits, earphones, and such however. I just went to the Dollar Tree and some candy stores and found stuff to fill the stockings. I wish I could share the photos because everyone was delighted.
I wanted to do away with the stockings because I have to do a dozen of them in recent years with other family members and guests joining us. Gifts under the tree are much easier. A book, an item of clothing , something quirky, something on the list. But that’s not how the vote went
My kids have traditionally loved opening their stockings, but that may be because they were allowed to do so before breakfast (and then Grandma came for gift session later). They have an orange in the toe, as mine always did as a child. When we can find them, they have chocolate/orange sections candy too… which sometimes gets consumed as part of breakfast.
I just had a delicious spice rub that comes in a 3 oz container from Fresh Market. I loved it (FM Lemon Dill Seafood) so much, that I’m getting multiples to give as gifts. Would be great as a stocking stuffer for adult kids.
Oh, that gives me an idea. The small cartons of wine are sometime handy on a picnic etd, might be good in a stocking stuffer. Or of course the tiny little “airplane” size liquor bottles.
Metal reusable straws, thank you notes/blank note cards (seniors in high school and will need to write notes at some point), Burt’s bee toiletries, own deck of cards (again - will be heading to college next year) - now this tread has me thinking and actually excited to have a fun project !
I bought some bottles of olive oil at a local specialty shop as well as wine, hot sauce, lottery tickets and good running or hiking socks. Usually a tree ornament and some gift cards.
One of our kids lives a plane ride away. So any liquid or breakable container food items are out.
I do the gifts for the stockings…nothing huge but try to be useful. My husband hits the goodies. Everyone gets nuts, different kinds of M and Ms, Hanukkah gelt, some fruit, and then some kind of fancy candy…his choice.
This year, both my daughter and SIL will be joining us at some point Christmas week.
Forgot to add that our traditions include “gold coins” (of the chocolate variety), when I can find them. Walgreens has them if I go early enough, but there are also pricier but tastier options elsewhere.
Yes to the gold coins, even if they’re Hannuka Gilt. We’ve just always done that, since the kids were little.
The Archie McPhee catalog still has an RBG bobblehead showing.
Both girls and D’s fiance are such ardent readers, finishing a book in a few days, that the hardbound books add up in expense. So instead of bookstore gift certificates, we switched to a stack of library books. (Not a stocking stuffer, no.) I might see about a Kindle subscription or the like.
We usually give the kids checks as their main gift, but they love the stockings!
I always buy socks for the stockings - dress socks for the guys and running socks for everyone (D,SIL and S). Nail clippers for the guys. Wine stoppers. Phone chargers. Some candy from Trader Joes.
I’ve never tried these because I’m not a fan of spicy but I know a lot of you are. This Spicy Chili Crisp, and its Trader Joe’s cousin Chili Onion Crunch, are very popular around here. People put it on everything from eggs to ice cream. Might make a good stocking stuffer for kids who like it hot
Lots of great ideas here, but I’m thinking I need to find a way to hang the stockings higher so I can put food in them without worrying that the dog will get them first.
Our stockings hang prior to Christmas morning but when I fill them Christmas Eve night they are taken off their hooks/hangers and set flat on a surface- I would not risk the weight falling!
and actually excited to have a fun project !