Thinking ahead......."Stocking Stuffers"

[Lynn K.]

When Margo said "stocking stuffers" to my note about using FrayCheck on shirt buttons (which somebody mentioned on here 'somewhere'') I thought, "Now that's a good topic for sharing!"

"If you put FrayCheck on the thread for buttons when the shirt is new, the shirt will wear out before you ever loose a button!"

As we get closer to Christmas we will all be looking for unusual useable items besides apples and oranges and cheap crap!

My grown money-conscientious kids are getting FrayCheck in THEIR stockings.

What ideas do YOU have for stocking stuffers if you do that sort of thing?

Lynn

[Judith T.]

I must have missed that thread. What about Fray Check on buttons? Judy in AZ

[Judith T.]

LOVE Stocking Stuffers! Everyone in my family gets a pound bag of M&M's to fill out the toe nicely.

Son (15) and Dad still love small windup toys (the kind that walk around), nice pens, and any small electronic or mechanical gadget.

Daughter (13) loves cosmetics, a small journal/nice pen, fancy bookmarks, and new earbuds for the IPod.

Tragically, I usually help fill my own stocking. I put in a few quilty items, of course!

Also popular with all: IPod gift cards, small electronic games (20Q is a fun one), tiny checkers sets. Pier One and Cracker Barrel usually have some cute old-timey games.

Kathy B.

[Judith T.]

Thanks, Lynn, I didn't know that.
I used to get gummi bears to put in the stockings when my kids were little. My DH would get toiletries and Toberlone (Swiss Chocolate). He also remembers getting an orange in his stocking, a once a year treat.

[Judith T.]

Hey Kathy B, can I be a member of your family? I would love M&M's is a stocking. My DH & I don't do stockings any more and we do not have any kids. Maybe it is something I should surprise him with. Bobbi

[Judith T.]

It depends on who is going to receive the stocking. But some of the stock items toothbrushes (everyone can use a new one during the cold and flu season), hand lotions (purse size), mints, gum, lottery tickets, movie tickets, hot chocolate mix (single packs), an ornament, and some type of chocolate or favorite candy.

For quilters...thread, needles, fqs of fabric, lotion, chocolate, marking pens, and emery board for finger nails, chocolate, a handmade ornament.

I try to buy things in bulk...because doing stockings can be expensive. So when I see toothbrushes on sale and I have coupons...I buy them. The hand lotions I do the travel size.
The ornament...many times it is hand made...or I buy when stuff goes on sale after Christmas.
I try to shop all year long for the holidays. I use every coupon I can get my hands on...for major stores. We have changed our buying to useful things and few frivolous things.

FW

[Judith T.]

Our stockings have always been things like the toothbrushes and various other small toiletries such as perfume/cologne, deoderant, hand creams, lip balms/glosses, nail polish, etc. For the kids we include kid friendly versions of all the above, some sort of little travel game or card games, candy, and usually a book. Seeing this thread makes me think - I had better get on the ball cause it is right around the corner!!!

[Judith T.]

Thanks, Lynn, I didn't know that.
I used to get gummi bears to put in the stockings when my kids were little. My DH would get toiletries and Toberlone (Swiss Chocolate). He also remembers getting an orange in his stocking, a once a year treat.

Judy,
I never could understand Santa putting oranges in our stockings when I was a child. We had five orange trees and could have an orange any time we wanted! Now I understand, that's what Santa did for kids then! (With seven children, what else could my parents do?) Thanks for bringing back some nice memories for me.

For the quilters on your stocking list, make a pin cushion. I've been using selvages to make some and they're so cute! I put a large metal washer inside on the bottom so the pin cushion sits flat. I hope that makes sense. I've stuffed them with Polyfil and they work quite well. Make sure that they're stuffed well so you can stick pins in them easily.

JoAnne in southern California

[Damaris E.]

Each year my girls (15 and 10) know what is going to be in their stocking, toothbrush, a Christmas ornament to add to their collection and a dvd to watch on Christmas Eve, since we do not open any presents till Christmas Morning.

[Damaris E.]

I have found over the years that my girls think that their stockings are the best part of Christmas giving. I have tried to send their stockings home with them but they won't buy that idea. I put chap sticks, cosmetics(then I am sure they are throwing out the old stuff before bacteria gets too bad), finger nail polish and candy. The grands are harder to buy for and husband is about the hardest. I too have to fill my own stocking. I have stuffed my DH's with stuff to clean his guns, pellets for his pellet guns, hunting socks and of course, candy.

[Damaris E.]

I have found over the years that my girls think that their stockings are the best part of Christmas giving. I have tried to send their stockings home with them but they won't buy that idea. I put chap sticks, cosmetics(then I am sure they are throwing out the old stuff before bacteria gets too bad), finger nail polish and candy. The grands are harder to buy for and husband is about the hardest. I too have to fill my own stocking. I have stuffed my DH's with stuff to clean his guns, pellets for his pellet guns, hunting socks and of course, candy. Oh, I forgot--when the girls had homes of their own, I started making Christmas ornament and putting them in their socks.

[Judith T.]

JoAnne, we had orange trees,, too, but I think I got tangerines. My DH came from eastern Europe and he had an orange once a year. I can remember nuts and maybe a new set of jacks and life savers.. I was an only child so had to entertain myself. I remember playing jacks by the hour on the hard wood floors.

[Judith T.]

This year, I made a few passport covers as gifts for a few loved ones who recently got passports. They are so fun, quick and easy to make and can be personalized for the recipients.

Here's the link to the passport cover tutorial I used ---> http://sewbunnybum.blogspot.com/2008...-tutorial.html

I also made some matching luggage tags. Here's a few fun luggage tag tutorials--->

custom fabric http://www.susiescountrygarden.com/
cupcake http://www.urbanthreads.com/pages?id=363
two-sided http://justsomethingimade.blogspot.c...l/Luggage_Tags (This website has a lot of great tutorials, so browse around)

Enjoy,
Nancy

[Annette R.]

When I was a child in cold Minnesota and orange was a rare treat and so were apples in the wintertime. So my stocking always had an orange in the toe, an apple on top, mixed nuts in the shell (another rare treat) and Fanny Farmer candies thrown in. The FF candies often came in boxes that were usuable later. Christmas tree ornaments or small boxes in unusual shapes for wonderful treasures. Since DH's family didn't have many special traditions for Christmas, we did the same for our children. Later ds introduced that to his stepchildren and dd does the same for dgd. Even though apples and oranges can be gotten every day of the year now, remembering former times with the grandchildren is always special. Only regret, the Fanny Farmer collectible boxes are a thing of the past. We also gave each of the children a Christmas ornament (usually hand made) each year and marked them with their name and the year. When they left home to have homes of their own, the ornaments went with them. Christmas has always been special for me and I plan for it all year long. This year's gifts are in Minnesota and Illinois waiting for Christmas. Now I can concentrate on the holidays for myself. Ann

[Annette R.]

My brother and I always had an orange and an apple plus nuts in our stockings. Plus sometimes a pair of socks and some small toy. The stocking was what we could get into first thing in the morning before the folks were up. Great memories.