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What do you do with your stockings? Do they all match adorably or they are they a wonderful mishmash of colors and styles?
Where do you hang them? We don’t hang our stockings on the mantle. We use our fireplace a lot and I’m always afraid the the big socks will go up in flames. Even before we had the wood fireplace, our mantle was always way too full of other stuff to make room for the stockings.
Our stockings hang on the banister in our front hall. I love them there. It’s the first thing you see when you come in our front door.
Until last year, our stockings were a mishmash of styles and colors. The Hubster and I each had our own from our single days and we added one for each child as they were born. Last year, I snagged these adorable stockings on clearance at Company Kids. I love them but I think I miss our mismatched collection. They were more “us”.
Want some ideas for what to do with your stockings if you don’t have a mantle (or can’t use it for the stockings)?
How about hanging them from an old ladder?
Or maybe on the top of the piano? Yeah. We don’t have a piano either but I want one. Just for the stockings.
How about hanging them from a painted branch?
Need some more ideas? You could try hanging your stockings…
- Right on the wall using some of those Removable Command Hooks.
- On the footboard of each child’s bed. No footboard? How about on the doorknobs to their bedrooms?
- On the side of a bookcase?
- On a buffet or sideboard?
Now, I need your help! Last week, I got an email from my reader, Beth in Dublin, Georgia. Hi Beth! She was looking for some ideas for stocking stuffers for her daughter’s pre-k class (20 stockings!). She’s planning to start with a trip to the Dollar Store but wants to make the stockings a little special because these may be the only gifts that some of these kids get this year.
So let’s hear it, readers! Let’s give Beth (and all us moms) some great ideas for stocking stuffers.
{ 41 comments… read them below or add one }
kimba,
a few months ago i got some little golden book do it yourself books at dollar general. they were only $1. it’s a bound golden book with crayons & stickers so kiddos can make their own book.
hair accessories for little girls are always a hit.
the dollar tree carries kids watches. my kiddos always enjoy these as stocking stuffers. oh, we bought convertible (a flap that lets your cover your fingers or leave them open) gloves at the dollar tree for my son’s halloween costume. he loves wearing the gloves with his fingers showing.
amy
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Kimba,
Great minds think alike… we both used the same title in our posts today!
As for stocking stuffers: Nothing makes a kid happier than bubbles! You can get 4 or 6 packs for a couple of bucks at Dollar General and they’d love those. Play doh would be a great idea, too, since you can get it in bigger packs for realitively cheap. I don’t know if the school would throw fits, but items from our local Christian Book Store are great little stocking stuffers, little braclets, pencil toppers and such. So pretty, so cheap, too.
Good luck!
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I know it would cost $100, but at Target they have these cute packs of gift coins that are 5-packs of $5 coins. She could put one coin in each stocking. (I wasn’t sure what he budget it.) So each pack of coins is worth $25, and she could break them open and give one coin to each child. Since Target has a Dollar Spot, each child could go pick out five things with their coin. I know my kids would love that.
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I’m fairly positive you guys have a Michaels down in the USA. Up here, Michaels, is fairly fab craft store, and I have bought most of my stocking stuffers there over the past year. All adorable items around $1, like stickers, note pads, calendars. Some really great items!
Perhaps you could make them up, depending on gender. So some stickers (buy a multi-pack, then divide them up), definitely bubbles (a hit with any kid), maybe buy another multi-pack of bracelets (probably a dollar store item) for the girls, and maybe some toy cars for the boys. Buy a package of candy canes and have them hanging off the edge, possibly with a name tag attached.
Ooo, the possibilities are endless!
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We often did Gloves from the dollar store and stuffed the” fingers” with
Chapstick, lifesavers, packs of gum. Then we would tie the gloves up at the wrists with a pretty hair ribbon for girls and just a piece of jute for the boys. My girls loved assembling these and presenting them to their friends. They would work great in stockings too. Another standby is a slinky or bubbles.
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Dollar Tree sells great “fancy” pencils, pens, erasers, and other simple but fun school supplies that some of my needier students love because they don’t usually get to have the “cool” stuff like some of the kids!
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Chapstick makes a great stocking stuffer, and I don’t know a single person who wouldn’t be thrilled to get it. Useful, practical, comforting and well, cheap!
Another cool thing I’ve seen people do is use fruits as stuffers. That’s also fairly budget-friendly while healthy, thoughtful and enjoyable.
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Love the stockings hanging from the ladder! Too cute! Ours hang from our mantle, but I’ve also hung them from the top of an armoire, and from backs of chairs around the breakfast table, too! We have a set of stockings with our names on & a needlepoint look, and a set of plain ivory ones from PB that I love too. I chose not to get our names on these, because then when it’s my year to host the fam for Christmas we just hang them all and Grandma (etc) can have a stocking too!
For inexpensive stocking stuffer ideas for this mom:
ask a local dentist to supply a free toothbrush/floss for each kid, pencils, chapstick, a tiny book from the $1 section at Target (they have a nice selection of lots of kid stuff now), candy cane, bookmark, love the bubbles/hair stuff/cars idea, new hairbrush, jump rope ($1 section, again), …..
Hope this helps!
Blessings,
Stacey
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stickers!!!! and fun old toys like jacks and silly putty.
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Target has Hello Kitty candy necklaces in their dollar section right now. And Lip Smacker (sets of 3) in their Christmas section, you could divide those up. The dollar store has regular sized coloring books, I’ve even seen ones actually made by Disney there. I would buy a bag of Christmas wrapped chocolate candy and divide the bag up.
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You could probably do the whole stocking with treasures from the dollar store. I’m thinking: water color paint, stickers, playdo, bubbles, dolls for the girls, cars for the boys, jump ropes, books, gloves, scarves, magnifying glasses, an ornament, fun shaped erasers, glow sticks, small puzzle, etc.
Hope you have fun putting it all together! I used to be a preschool before I had my baby and that age is so much fun!
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Okay, I posted about stockings today as well. Great minds….hehehe
Your stockings are so cute!!!! Our stockings are all velvety with similar colors, all with embroidered names. I hang them from the mantle. Check out my post.
As for stocking stuffer ideas for Beth… crayons, markers, coloring books, deck of playing cards, a little bit o’ candy, toothbrushes, flavored toothpaste for kids, matchbox cars for boys, littlest pet shops for girls, cute socks, gloves or mittens…how’s that for a start of ideas?
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I’m a big fan of Michael’s as well for stocking stuffers – I don’t have any kids but I do have a nephew that loves getting things from there. They have a huge assortment of Grow Your Own things – the ones you stick in water and watch them for a few days, or the foam animals out of the capsules that dissolve in the bathtub plus rub on glitter tattoos, stickers, pencils, erasers all sorts of things. Bubbles are always awesome and another thing all kids like are those light up glow-sticks – they only last a couple of days but they’re fun. Could also put some multicolored party beads in there – local party supply store should have them pretty cheap.
Speaking of Stockings – what do you get for your boyfriend or husband? I’m completely stumped. We’re not exchanging gifts this year but doing a small stocking when we return from visiting our parents.
- Carrie
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Besides the Dollar Tree one of my favorite places to look for large quantities of classroom/party gifts is Oriental Trading Company (orientaltrading.com). You can find all sorts of things like pencils, bracelets, tattoos, toys, candy, craft kits, etc… All packaged in bulk lots of a dozen or more for some really great prices.
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I am the queen of thrift stores, and I’ve found quite a nice stash of stocking stuffers at my fav stores…mini Kodak puzzles 25c, McDonald’s mini build-a-bears still in the bag 49c, real Beanie Babies 99c, books of all kinds for about 30c…there’s no telling what will turn up!
BTW, I’ve found that stuffed animals from the thrift store go through the washing machine and dryer just fine if you put them in a zippered pillowcase or mesh bag.
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We hang our stockings on the backs of our dining room chairs with big Christmas ribbon. We’ve done this forever, as we have never had a fireplace.
How about new toothbrushes? Hand sanitizer? Those cute, festive plastic cups that come very cheap from Walgreen’s every year? Hair ribbons for girls? Matchbox cars for boys? Bookmarks hand made? The teacher can provide you with a small copy of their school pictures and you can create a one of a kind for each child.
I love the way Beth is making Christmas special for the ones that need it. Merry Christmas Beth!
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I hung ours on a door next to our tree – they look so charming when illuminated by the twinkle lights…
We don’t have a fire-place, thus no mantle…this is the first year that my eldest has learned enough about Santa and his arrival through the chimney that he’s called into question on how he’ll get into the house…any of you ladies have suggestions on how to answer that one?
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Love the ideas of where to hang stockings. We hang our on our mantle, but not until Christmas Eve. I’m too much of a control freak to have the mismatched ones up there earlier than that.
Stocking stuffer ideas???? How about a small Etch a Sketch from Michael’s in the Dollar Section?
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One Christmas the bank where I workedi adopted a classroom to provide goodies and gifts for. I had just started working there and didn’t have time to do this, but my plan (had I stayed at the bank until the next Christmas) was to make little gifts with candies and tiny trinkets in them. I collected toilet paper rolls to stuff the goodies in, and was going to put the goodies in each one, and wrap them easily n paper and tie the ends shut with curling ribbon. But I left that job and didn’t get to do what I wanted to. But that was the only regret I had leaving!
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You know what? That just gave me a great idea! I bought beautiful new stockings from Pottery Barn this year, but I couldn’t figure out where to put them. My daughter is 2 – so this is the first year we’ve really had to worry about safety when decorating for Christmas. The new stockings are huge, and we don’t have a fireplace. I kept thinking they’d look out of place on our little entertainment center (where we put our old, cheap-o stockings before). But after seeing your idea for putting them on a branch, I think I’ll try hanging them on our curtain rod in the living room. They’ll be up high (so, safe) but we’ll be able to see them every day!
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She could use shaped muffin tins from the Target Dollar Spot and crayons from the dollar store to make multicolored crayons for each student.
I posted a tutorial for how to do this here: http://madincrafts.blogspot.com/2009/11/cheap-kids-stocking-stuffer-or-gift.html
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Melted Crayons into Holiday Shapes. So easy, economical and fun to make! Check out my tutorial here:
http://beachbrights.blogspot.com/2009/11/turning-crayons-into-crayon-shapes.html
XOXO-
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Hi Kimba,
I’ve actually been reading your blog for awhile. I love your DIY day! I saw your post on stockings. Just like Beth, I am in a similar situation/different circumstance. I am trying to put together Christmas packages for my niece and nephews in Romania. I was adopted from Romania when I was a little girl and recently reunited with my biological family and saw them for the first time in October. I found out that I have a niece (age 6), and 2 nephews (ages 2 and 4). When we went in October we brought 4 huge duffle bags full of necessities and supplies such as winter blankets, clothing, shoes, medication, etc. Now I want to send Christmas packages to my brother and his children. I am looking for inexpensive ideas to either buy and also easy handmade gifts that I can send. The kids have never had Christmas and I am so excited to bring it to be able to send it to them this year. I’m hoping to get some ideas. We also wanted to give the kids stockings.
Thanks! And I love your blog.
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3 words: Target’s Dollar Spot!
You can find some adorable things for kids in there…socks too, which might be a useful thing for kids who don’t have much.
We hang our stockings on our front banister too. I put garland and ribbon down first, then the stockings.
T’s is crotcheted, mine is a Santa from when I was a kid, the girls have Pottery Barn ones (a reindeer and a snowman)), and even the dog has one. 
I like the mismatched look myself b/c it allows us to hold onto the stockings we’ve had for years. 
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I made our fleece stockings a few years ago. They match in theme and style but they all vary in color and stitch details so they are as unique as my kids. Since we moved to the new house last year, I’m still struggling with where to hang them…I may hang then in the stairwell but I’m not sure! It’s the tough decisions like these that make the holidays difficult.
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I always think books are a good idea.
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Since they’re preschoolers, what about making some homemade playdoh and giving each kid a baggie with two colors in it? You could even buy a big thing of plastic cookie cutters and split them up among the kids? I buy Playdoh toys at Michael’s with the 50% off coupon since they’re never on sale.
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I love the idea of hanging the stockings in other places if you don’t have enough space or you don’t have a fireplace. I kinda like the same theme going on with the stockings. They don’t have to match but the same style. I love stockings. They are my favorite things to open on Christmas.
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Thank you for these ideas to hang stockings! We don’t have a mantle and have never put out stockings. I *love* the ladder idea!!
So sweet of her to do this for the children! If it is the only gift they are getting, maybe socks or gloves might be useful. Or little books, lotion, crayons, puzzles or little games.
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I was going to make stockings for the entire family but I’m running out of time so I decided to just get some cute ones from Sears and have them embroidered.
Because we have no place to put them we also put them on the banister. Which is fine because there is no space to decorate too much so it gives the banister a Christmas touch without overpowering the small room with the tree and other arrangements.
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Your mantle story reminded me that last year my mom hung stockings on her mantle and even got ahead of herself and filled them with chocolate for the kids. She didn’t think about it again and lit a fire. I’m sure you can see where this is going… All that was in the stockings were lumps of melted-then-rehardened candy on Christmas morning!
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Toothbrush, toothpaste (Dollar Tree). Love the glove idea, someone has posted Dollar Tree had these too. A little something ‘fun’ and a little practical would be a great mix.
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I love stockings and shopping for stocking stuffers. My husband and I do stockings and we don’t even have kids, except for our dog and yes, he has a stocking too.
Crayon books and crayons are good. Little matchbox type cars. Last year I made chocolate bark (easy, just melt 2 types of chocolate in the microwave), broke it up and wrapped it up for stockings – it was a big hit.
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My mother in law got my boys gloves for their birthday’s, she put a dollar in each of the fingers. That’s not cheap for a class idea, but for your own kids it would work pretty well. I like to give my Sunday school class, which is preschool-Kindergarten a variety of things, including ornaments, coloring books with crayons or markers. A small baggie of candy, perhaps a card game from the dollar store.
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we don’t have “matching” stockings, but we all have the same TYPE of stocking, which looks really cool. we started out with my own stocking from childhood–a wool needlepoint stocking embroidered with my name on it, created by my great-aunt when i was a baby. it’s in perfect condition, and looks beautiful. when my own first two children arrived (adopted brothers at the same time) I was excited to find that Land’s End has gorgeous wool needlepoint stockings with name presonalization for about $20 a piece. So, we added those. I also bought hubby one. And as we’ve had more children (we have 4) we’ve purchased them needlepoint stockings with their names on them from other retailers (L.L. Bean has them, so do other shops, and they can be hand-made, but I don’t know how!) They are not all the exact same size, and each one has a different theme, but they look gorgeous grouped together.
We have no fireplace in our 1950’s split level, so we hang all 6 around the top windows of our bay window in the living room. They look really pretty there, and everyone can see them.
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Kimba….Thanks you so much for asking your readers. Now I have lots of great ideas just because of your sweet help and your wonderful readers. I will be sure to let you know what all I come up with and share on my blog.
Thanks again for your help!
Beth
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Goodness I forgot to comment on the rest of your post….just giddy with all the responses of things for me to do…
Love the stockings hanging the limb…I have no stairs or mantel so love the limb.
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Our church gives gifts to the kids during Advent and I love then inexpensive things they do.
Candy canes with the explanation of the legend, a christmas ornament with the child’s initial or name (you can buy plastic ball ornaments and then paint them with acrylic paint for each child), chapstick, baggie with green and red m&ms, snowman poop – marshmallows in a baggie with a note explaining (big hit with the Pre-K crowd)
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Oh! and we hang our stockings on the bedroom door.
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All the years in apartments I always hung them right on the wall – with nails. I thought we had our house we would have a mantel but alas our home came without a fireplace- although John is talking about installing a gas one someday… – i was bummed. Ifor now i laid them under the tree around the skirt- it looks pretty. My friend suggested a coat tree- good idea. I also like your painted branch idea- it’s festive!
Your stockings are daroable! I love the bright colors and my Mackenna would LOVE that penguin one!! Hanging them on the banister is a great idea!!
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I have around 30 stockings. I hang them in windows, on walls, off the entertainment stand, etc. I love stockings & collect them!
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