Stocking Stuffer Sticker Shock... !!!!

[princesspwrhr]

I guess I'm just too practical. Little things from the Dollar Store? Like what? That would be fun, if the stocking belonged to a child. As a grown-up, I'd be underwhelmed with things like, uh...cheap shampoo? Waste of $1. A deck of cards? We have half a dozen already, don't need more. Office supplies? Got plenty now, thanks. Cheap trinkets? I'll probably end up throwing them away, eventually.

In short, there's nothing at the Dollar Store that would get me excited to find in my stocking. I guess that's why we stick to fruit and nuts. Thus, no sticker shock!

My thoughts as well.

, tardis socks.

Where did you find these? My 14yo would LOVE that.

I quit the junk stuff a few year ago. I agree buying "stuff" to just fill them up drove me nuts and I hate clutter but I love stockings. SOOOOO,,,,,I bite the bulllet and spend more to get good stuff that we will really use and that is really more budget friendly than spending way less on junk we will just smile at and toss. I really thought about every toy item that went into little DS's stocking this year and when I buy things for the older ones, I go the other way, and buy the really nice shampoo I am not willing to buy year round, or the better brand of the underwear they really like or something along those lines. Nothing came from the $ store.

This is what we do as well, which makes it cost a bit more, or not be as full, but more appreciated. My MIL does stockings and they are filled with crap junk that breaks as soon as you try to use it, lip glosses that taste like wax, candy my kids don't like (or obviously from a bygone previous holiday so the kids wouldn't eat it even if they liked it). She spends probably $30-50 on each stocking depending on the year just so they look full and it's not worth it.

I agree that it can get very expensive, which is why I try to buy the items all year long. I keep a bag in my closet that I keep putting the items in all year.

This is what I try very hard to do. When I see something that I know the girls will love, but that normally I wouldn't spend the $$ on and it's on sale for a good price, then I will buy it and put it away. If it stays until Christmas, great. If it gets pulled out for some other thing along the way, well that's great too.

This year my younger (both 8 but on turns 9 in Jan) girls are getting coloring books and crayons, a tradition they look forward to, pop out pencil cases from Sanrio with character pencils and erasers, EOS chapstick, some AG sized mini notebooks for their dolls, 2 of their favorite treats from the international store, my 8 yo is getting a clip on tuner for her guitar and the nearly 9 yo is getting a necklace.

The 14yo is getting manga markers, a pop out pencil case with pencils & eraser from Sanrio, EOS chapstick, a jar of salsa verde, a package of peppermint mocha starbucks via, and a mini top hat hair accessory.

I have to hold myself back from adding gift cards because I know that what's in them is "enough".

 

[shortbun]

My siblings and I fill our own stockings for the family celebration. We are 59, 56 and 53. Our mother made our stockings, counter cross stitch. We would miss looking at them. This Saturday, we will fill 14 stockings. All grownups make contributions to all stockings. I've got a lot of stuff and I'll be buying some more 50% or better on Wednesday. Cutie in the toes and a chocolate orange. My son gets a stocking stuffed tomorrow morning.

 

[Fjobe]

I would have a hard time giving up stockings for my children because I remember how much I loved my stocking as a kid. We usually spend as much on stockings as we would any other nice present under the tree. The kids are allowed to open their stockings as soon as they wake up without waiting for anyone else. I wrap every gift I put in the stocking.

 

[stayhomemom77]

Stocking are my favourite part too! I would happily give up presents in lieu of a well stocked stocking.

We budget around $60 for stockings.

DH and I never spend much on ourselves...a bit of candy and chocolate and then the bulk of the money goes to the kids' stuff which is candy, chocolate, a few toys and bits and bobs which we think they'll like.

I like the idea of stocking up all year long...I think I'll try that in 2013!

 

[DawnM]

I didn't really FILL the stockings this year. I just put in gum, candy, and a tube of chapstick.

Gift cards, large candy items, small things were all wrapped and put under the tree in larger boxes.

 

[NYEmomma]

Like I said these were just the stockings which were EXTRA's on top of their normal gifts which were always in the $3-500 per child range... whether it was clothes, cd's, movies, games, bikes, skates, shoes for baton practice, new batons... One year we bought 2 computers one for my oldest and one for the two youngest to share.

This is completely off-topic, but where do you get your batons & accessories from?? It's been too long since I've twirled that I forget where I used to get mine from and I'd like to get my daughter a baton her size.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I found the Tardis socks at Thinkgeek.com. They had Dalek ones too!

I usually find fun cool stuff there. I got a couple of the screaming flying monkey things (1 for my son and 1 for my Dad) and eviltron and a sonic screwdriver from there too.