<p>You all have great ideas! As my kids grew older and didn’t like all the little toys, I started putting their favorite candy bar, and one can/ bottle of their favorite beverage (fancy green tea, starbucks coffee drink, gourmet soda, etc). The rest of the four or six pack is theirs, and hidden away somewhere else. They love the beverage, since I normally only have milk, water, and coffee at home. I also included Sudoku or other puzzle books and a favorite music CD.</p>
<p>Yes! S is 17 and I still put a Bionicle in his stocking. I was in Restoration Hardware last week – they always have a display of fun stocking stuffers in the front of the store. I got 2 mini magic trick kits for S, who has always been fascinated by such things. They also had a mini pouch of Burts Bees products for D. In the past, have gotten D a passport case and luggage tags for her travels.</p>
<p>Restoration Hardware does have great stocking stuffers–my FIL still loves the “extendo-fork”. I usually buy after Christmas, when everything is half price and they still have a lot of stock Some years I even remember where I hid the stuff.</p>
<p>I am especially intrigued by the Nun-chuck and Cat-a-pult suggestions.</p>
<p>And yes, stockings do run into money but are probably the most delightful (especially if one is flinging nuns and mentos) of Christmas morning traditions.</p>
<p>If the 17 year olds drive: gas cards, dunkin or starbuck cards, car wash certificates. key chain.
also photo cards for camera, itunes, favorite candy.</p>
<p>When do we stop filling their christmas stockings? Mine are 23, 25 & 27 and they have spent the night here (at least the ones who don’t live at home) and opened presents in the morning. I always fill their stockings identically. This year, one is married. I assume the couple will come over in the morning, and I have added her name to his stocking. But I can’t decide whether to just add stuff for her in his, or keep them identical. </p>
<p>Then when do we stop giving them christmas stockings? It’s their favorite part. But my mother doesn’t do it for us anymore. Can’t remember when it stopped.</p>
<p>college and high school boys: both will get itunes cards and Whole Foods cards. We do the chocolate orange thing (got mine at CVS last week), clementine in the toe. Will also get some silly stuff at stupid.com.</p>
<p>I think everyone only gets to hang up 1 stocking. So, if the married couple is hanging (and filling) stockings in their home- you are off the hook:)</p>
Possibly never. My family celebrates Christmas on the 25th at home, but then traditionally travels across country to celebrate Christmas on the 28th (this year) at my parents’ house. My sister, BIL and their teenagers, and my brother, SIL and dogs, also visit for a few days. For “Christmas” morning, my mother fills 11-12 people stockings and 4 dog stockings and each stocking is individual. Then after breakfast we all open gifts from Santa. I’m guessing this tradition will only end when she is no longer with us, and I expect that someday there will be additional stockings to be filled for great-grand children (but not soon!)</p>
<p>As long as the girls are here on Christmas morning I will keep filling stockings! I also have extra stockings for guests who happen to vary over the years.</p>
<p>If you live near a World Market or Whole Foods, they have a lot of little unique foodie items from around the world. World Market also has many toys from other cultures, most of which do not require batteries, in addition to inexpensive and unique jewelry. I believe WM is a Costco company but I don’t know if Costco carries the same stuff as I am not a member. </p>
<p>Another place I like for stocking stuffers is TJ Maxx (or Marshalls-type stores)…they frequently have unusual cooking utensils, odd lots of candy/foods you’ve never heard of, and other gifts that are out-of-the-common for those ‘different’ friends or the people who have it all but for whom you feel you must find a little something. They don’t need to know you paid 1/3 for it and if you put it in a pretty bag, they’ll think you got it at Neiman’s.</p>
<p>Neumes, Thanks for the stupid.com recommendation. I just spent an enjoyable half-hour picking out a gag gift for each stocking. Not a website I would have found on my own. : )<br>
(And definitely not one I would expect to see recommended here on CC). The Shakespeare insult gum should be a great hit!</p>
<p>No, no! Gotta be a grapefruit – takes up more room! :D</p>
<p>H has asked that the Santa Owlice not put cocoa in his stocking this year, as S always ends up with all of it. He’d like bottles of interesting beers instead!</p>
<p>Starbright, I did umbrellas last year (the Hammacher Schlemmer wind defying umbrella is the best I’ve ever had!). </p>
<p>I love buying the stocking ‘stuff’. I usually include a few of the small containers of Body Shop products -great for travel sizes; a Toblerone bar; a toothbrush; a bottle of Vitamin C; each will get a reusable bag for groceries because mine keep disappearing!; gum; a book; tea; a magazine; and then I top it off with one special little individual gift for each of them. Two stores that have great small gift items are Whole Foods and Ten Thousand Villages.</p>
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<p>I’ll keep doing it as long as they’re here for Christmas, because I enjoy it! One of mine is married now, too, but they’ll stay here on Christmas Eve (even though they live about 10 minutes away!) so she still gets a stocking. She does his stocking, though, not me. :)</p>
<p>That stupid.com site is just too good! Several Nunzillas will find good homes this holiday season. :D</p>
<p>Another something I’ve put in stockings is Touchable Bubbles, and regular bubbles, too. Also little flying toys of various kinds, such as soft rockets. (We have to be careful with these now, because we have a cat on a mission to destroy these by shredding them.)</p>
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