<p>I never used to wrap the stocking gifts but have for the past couple years. Since their under the tree gifts are getting more expensive, there are fewer of them so wrapping the stocking gifts gives them more to do :D. We’ve always let them go through their stockings when they woke up. They have never been the get up at 5 AM type kids on Christmas morning and just wake up whenever. Our youngest is an early riser so we started doing that so he would have something to do while waiting for siblings.</p>
<p>I still use the stocking my mom made from a cut & sew printed flannel panel when I was probably 3yo, as I don’t remember having another stocking. It’s mostly red, w Santa & reindeer on one side and little girl angel on the other. </p>
<p>I had to rebuild it 20 years ago when the dog (who didn’t last many more month w us), nearly destroyed it to get my favorite treat (Russell Stover Mint Dream) out of it when we went out for a walk that afternoon. </p>
<p>Another great place for SS is the dollar store. Tubes of super glue and command hooks work well for guys.</p>
<p>I wrap some but not all of the stocking presents. We drag out our Christmas morning as long as humanly possible. The order of events:</p>
<ol>
<li> Open Santa’s Sack. (Used to be the toys.)</li>
<li> Eat Christmas breafast/open stockings while preparing.</li>
<li> Open presents one person at a time.</li>
</ol>
<p>My kids would not open any other way than one present at a time watching each person. And yes, it takes ridiculously long - but I actually love that. All that work - let’s make the joy last!!!</p>
<p>Vitamins, post it notes and Nail clippers! Each year I put two clippers in S1, S2 and DH’s stockings. They just up and disappear! There must be 100’s of clippers deep within the recesses of my house.</p>
<p>We have that problem too Kajon. Also all my scissors can travel around the house and hide (even when it just me at home). I love hearing the memories about parent’s stockings and grandparents. My dad said one time that today’s kids get more toys in one Christmas than he received in his entire boyhood. But he certainly did his part to spoil his grandkids :)!</p>
<p>H grew up in a house where you only got an orange, chocolate and a candy cane in your stocking and they were tiny things. He likes my family’s tradition. </p>
<p>My stocking is HUGE. We got the kids nice needlepoint ones from Lands End when they were born that have their names on them. Only problem is they are small, so each one gets a gift bag below it withthe overflow. (this is why we now wrap all stocking stuffers, as until you stuff it, you don’t know what will fir and what goes in the overflow bag.)</p>
<p>Stockings ROCK. </p>
<p>My husband didn’t have the stocking tradition but my family did. So every year I have done them for H and my 3 kids. However, every year my stocking has hung on the mantle with maybe one thing that H plopped in there. Because my kids love theirs so much, the last couple of years they have taken on the job of filling mine. I LOVE seeing what they come up with. It’s better than presents! (ok, except for my iPad last year…)</p>
<p>Lefthanddog, every year is different. Some years I just try to keep one day ahead and some years I have the whole thing planned out. I got my kid a new Ipod Touch which I probably should have given on the first or last night but it came on Tuesday morning and I gave it on Tuesday evening. Most of the other gifts are small since I spent so much on the ipod–small Toblerone bar, $10 gift card to Sephora, etc. We light the candles at sunset or when she gets home from chorus rehearsal, sing the blessing and then she opens her gift.</p>
<p>abasket–that one thing your husband popped into your stocking is one more thing than my DH ever did for mine :D. I get glorious things in my stocking since I stuff it myself, not quite as fun but better than an empty stocking.</p>
<p>I had a discussion with DD about gift giving in our house and why I buy things for myself. I pointed out to her all the years I have gone with nothing to open because no one seems to remember me on Christmas. She commented that she “always” gives me something–um, honey, nice thought but that has never happened. I challenged her to tell me one thing she has bought me in the past, she couldn’t come up with anything. Same thing on my birthday. DH is just not thoughtful. He uses the excuse that he hates to shop as a reason for not getting me anything–sad really. I got a pillow for my birthday this year… seriously.</p>
<p>I like a lot of the ideas above. I also do: new spin toothbrushes, travel toiletries, scotch tape, stamps, fancy “guest bathroom soap” for the grandmas, and batteries in the stockings. A World Market has reopened near my work. I got some international foods to put in the stockings (we are half non-US): clotted cream, shortbread, Euro chocolate coins, etc. </p>
<p>I LOVE stockings. I do them all (including a couple of things in my own). Items are wrapped. We do stockings (one gift at a time with everyone watching the person opening) first. Then, brunch (and turkey into oven). Then the presents (one at a time). Just like a previous poster, as the kids get fewer, more $$ gifts, the stockings becomer more important. I also buy myself a couple of clothing items for my H to wrap. The kids take their own money and buy each parent a gift; usually something perfect! </p>
<p>I cleared out a car the other day to get it ready to donate and found…(wait for it)…3 nail clippers hiding under seats, in crevices, etc.!</p>
<p>I’ve always wrapped the stocking gifts. My mother thought it was a colossal waste of time but it kept our kids busy while we made coffee, let the dog out and such. When our kids were “believers” Santa brought the tree as well as the gifts so we were up late Christmas Eve and really needed the caffeine to get started.</p>
<p>Standard stocking stuffers for my 84yo mom: jam, tea, notecards, scotch tape, cashews and hand lotions. Think I might add some post-its this year.</p>
<p>^^ I think it’s sweet that you do a stocking for your mom - awwww.</p>
<p>How about the dog? I fill my dog’s stocking too. That’s all he gets for Christmas. I buy most of his items in the pet aisle at the grocery store, but we all get a kick out of the whole process.</p>
<p>There is a German grocery near us. I bought some small packets of vanilla sugar for my sister. I am going to go back and get some mustard for H’s stocking.</p>
<p>Yup - my cats get a stocking. They have to share though. Santa loves cats. They get a bag of treats and a new toy or two. The treats usually last all year because I so rarely remember to hand them out.</p>
<p>I always put a new ornament in everyone’s stocking. That way our collection continues to grow and the kids have something to take when they finally start their own holiday traditions.</p>
<p>My dog gets a stocking. And a present from Santa.</p>
<p>When we lived in Germany 25 years ago, you put a boot outside your door on December 6th and it would be filled (we had nice neighbors) with candy and pencils, small things. I was told that traditionally gifts were only given on St. Nicklaus day (12/6) and that Christmas was strictly a religious holiday. We did Nicklaus Tag when kids were young, but since no one gets to come home 12/6, we stopped.</p>
<p>Each of my animals gets gifts! I love shopping for them so much :)</p>
<p>The guinea piggies are getting two fleece houses, a fleece cocoon, and a tunnel.</p>
<p>The doggy is getting a spoiled rotten box (with surprise toys and treats) from Petflow, a rope elephant toy, a moose antler from Acadian Antlers (for chewing), and probably some treats from Mickey’s Pet Supplies.</p>
<p>And the bird is getting a sun lamp (well, technically, she already got it, and it’s something she really needs, so I may have to come up with another present) and raw, unsalted peanuts as a treat.</p>