Looking For Non-Toy Stocking Ideas

Running errands and catching up on some stuff around here today and thinking about stocking stuffers. I would love to hear if you have any traditions/favorites that are not toys to go in a child's or an adult's stocking. Anything beyond books, movies, candy, oranges, etc?

Hope to have Days 7 & 8 of my December Daily up tomorrow.

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594 thoughts

  1. magnolia says…
    12/08/2009

    This is easy . . .
    We ALWAYS, ALWAYS had an orange in the toe of our stocking. It was a running joke, as we always thought it was just a "filler". But as my mother who grew up in the Depression always told us, this was the MOST EXOTIC, EXTRAVAGENT thing ever for her. Citrus in the middle of winter was a huge thing. Funny, I don't know if my mother even got presents and maybe her stocking was all that she got for Christmas.
    But, we rarely got toys or "gifty" things - maybe just one special thing, but that was more when we were older. Our stockings were very practical . . . mostly socks (the Easter Bunny brought socks, too, instead of candy), school supplies (Crayons, paper), a new toothbrush, maybe a small toy-like thing (pack of cards), at least a week's allowance (a quarter) . . . little things like that.
    Our stockings were just enough to tide us over as something to "rip open" between our SANTA present and a full sit-down breakfast (torture!!).
    The thrill of Christmas was for us the tree and the trains on Christmas morning. My parents didn't put up the tree or the trains until we had gone to bed Christmas Eve (and everything went away New Years Day.)
    Christmas morning was MAGICAL. Presents were stored at the top of the kitchen cabinets prior to Christmas, and the Christmas Eve ritual was transfering them from the kitchen to a pile in the living room. We did the Night Before Christmas and hung stockings . . . then to bed.
    Ah well. Our stockings were great without toys. It wasn't until we were much older that we laughed about the socks and underwear. And the oranges. At the age of your kids, unwrapping ANYTHING will be a joy!!
    Buy them the essentials. They won't know that socks aren't a prize present. It will become a tradition!!

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  2. Stephanie says…
    12/08/2009

    I give mini scrapbooks to a lot of people :) And I want to donate to Oxfam in people's names this year rather, a gift that means something to me, the person who receives the donation, and hopefully the person I donate in the name of!

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  3. Karen says…
    12/08/2009

    I know there's at least one book out there on making things out of duct tape (wallets are the only thing I remember right now) and if I remember correctly, I believe the one I saw was small enough to fit into a stocking.

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  4. Janice says…
    12/08/2009

    A little flashlight is great for anyone's stocking. Everyone needs one / wants one!!

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  5. Gayle in sunny AZ says…
    12/08/2009

    I always got a necklace and when I was an adult I got a lottery ticket :-)

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  6. Beth Wollweber says…
    12/08/2009

    toothbrush,lip balm,tic tacs, legos, ornaments,socks,cool boxers,music,gift card to store,mu son loves that because he thinks they are credit cards, special notes, puzzle.magic tricks,deck of cards,crayons,

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  7. Michelle B says…
    12/08/2009

    my mother always put scotch tape in our stocking! And I always used it! Too funny

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  8. Tina says…
    12/08/2009

    For our boys we do a gc to Barnes and Noble and one to their favorite restaurant...sort of a date night. I think this year we will do a gc to the local movie theater as well. My husband and I do this for each other every holiday :) Makes it nice if money is tight and we need a break. I think this is kind of a two fold gift in that they have to figure out exactly what they have to spend and how to spend it.

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  9. www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1470685926 says…
    12/08/2009

    My kids open their stocking first & so I usually put a disposable camera in so they can take their own shots of Christmas from their perspective. They get a new journal & colored pencils, sometimes other craft supplies, socks & undies, mittens & collectible cards like pokemon. Also things like lip gloss, lotion & deodorant!!

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  10. Pam Hopkins says…
    12/08/2009

    When I was a kid the best thing in the stocking was Bonnie Bell Lip Smackers!! OMG! That takes me back. This year I am putting coupons from santa for extra goodies like staying up late, ice cream sundaes, no chores etc. My kids are also getting those cool little japanese erasers that are all different shapes and totally the rage at school!

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  11. Angie says…
    12/08/2009

    Ali, I know that this does not fit in a stocking, but have you seen the lego star wars visual dictionary that just came out in Oct?? My son Parker loves SW and I am sure Simon would love it too...

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  12. Melanie says…
    12/08/2009

    we do baseball cards also...have you seen the star wars cards?
    we also do new gloves & ski hats, kid chopsticks, lip balm, matchbox cars, extra nerf gun balls or darts, mini lego or playmobil kits, blank comic books, and marbles. our older son is getting a wallet too. whew, those stockings are bigger than the one i hsd!
    do you wrap stocking items or not? just curious. :)

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  13. Jaymi says…
    12/08/2009

    BATTERIES are a must in the kids' stockings -- sized to fit new toys plus AA's as they are constantly needing new batteries. Hubby prefers rechargable type but kids can never wait to recharge (I have 1 with aspergers...). Playing cards, bouncy balls (we called them superballs), jacks, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, dental floss, notepads & pens, magnetic links, silly putty...

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  14. SusieQ says…
    12/08/2009

    I always buy a fun toothbrush for everyone to put in their stockings. Last year it was the tooth tunes that played music while you brushed. The adults get a fancy spin brush - kind of silly but my kids get really excited by it!

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  15. Taylor says…
    12/08/2009

    We always do a new toothbrush (to battle the candy!), chapstick (for the winter cold), and stickers for kids to add to the thank you notes they write.

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  16. jen says…
    12/08/2009

    I put bento boxes in my sons' stockings to use to collect treasures, rocks, etc. I like the Disney Store's small ones for 3 bucks eac
    h. I also like to put some old-time novelty items from the store at Cracker Barrel.
    I'd like to put some origami paper in there someday.
    Was I the only one that got her first deodorant, razor, lipgloss via stocking?!!!! LOL!

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  17. Sherry (aka sherryann) says…
    12/08/2009

    a new pair of ear buds for the ipod, fun holiday socks, and whatever else I can fit in there.

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  18. Kathy F says…
    12/08/2009

    Along the lines of tape, paper plates & cups come in handy, making towers, airplanes all sorts of structures. My kids loved the wrapping tubes for making tall, curving structures for marbles to travel through. Also think of places you end up spending money on the person anyway and just give the treat in the stocking, as a gift certificate (ice Cream, Subway, gas, car wash etc., Chucky Cheese, zoo memberships etc. wherever it is). Boys and men like flashlights, outdoor gear.

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  19. Robyn, Maine, USA says…
    12/08/2009

    Toothbrush and New toothpaste, orange, gum...all the standard stuff...

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  20. Gypsy says…
    12/08/2009

    self-inking stamps, stickers, and a Christmas Cracker

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  21. Linda says…
    12/08/2009

    We always gave new art supplies when they were young and of course Cathy Z is right lots of tape--it keeps them out of yours!! Now that they are bigger they always get new panties. Now my new son in law requests he doesn't get those!! Hubby gets dried fruit and breath mints and valve oil for his trumpet

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  22. Glyniss says…
    12/08/2009

    School supplies, cookie cutters, lip gloss, mitttens, address books, crayons, memo tablets, little ornaments are some of the ones we have given.

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  23. Monika Wright says…
    12/08/2009

    Okay, I've gotten a lot of flack for this, but...toothbrushes, underwear, socks,glue, crayons. I like to add a few useful things that the kids need anyway. Easy on our pocketbook because they will actually be used, but the kiddos also get some candy and dollar store toys, cards... Hey, stop laughing, my 18-year old is used to it by now. Happy Shopping to all!

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  24. Janet B says…
    12/08/2009

    'Fancy toothbrush", new underwear, book, neat socks, a bag of chocolate money, writing paper, neat pen, puzzle books, small craft kit of some kind, lip gloss, ornament, coupon for their favorite meal (They get to present it for the day they want)

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  25. Tamara says…
    12/08/2009

    I am sure most of these have been mentioned, but here are some of the things that we put in stockings:
    lottery tickets
    led flashlights/led keychains
    fun fuzzy socks or slippers
    bubble bath/body wash
    travel sized board games
    gift certificates for movie theatres or restaurants
    Once I took 5.00 and changed it into tokens for the local arcade and then went with my cousin for him to spend his tokens from Santa.

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