Christmas comes with so much stuff. I like to keep our presents meaningful. But what about the the stocking stuffers. How do you keep it from being so much cheap plastic crap? I will tell you how, ready? Don’t buy it! But wait what about all those aisles of stuff just clamoring Christmas Stocking Stuffers? Sometimes the aisles in big stores are even labeled that.
I don’t know when I started this family tradition but it seems like it has been going on forever. For us stocking stuffers are limited. It does not matter how large the stockings are. We do the 5 Senses for our stockings.
The Five Senses Stockings
This is an easy way to do your stockings and you can set any budget you want. (The glory of this system). You simply get one gift for each of the 5 senses and put them in the stocking. Still not sure? Here are some examples of how to adapt this method for you.
Sight
- books – appropriate for all ages
- a camera whether disposable for a young kid or a digital for an older recipient
- puzzles
- video
- video camera
- eye makeup for an older girl
- soft socks
- mittens/gloves
- a pretty scarf
- a kooky hat
- a t-shirt
- a small stuffed animal – while most parents think their kids have enough, most kids want to add to their family
- the recipient’s favorite candy
- coffee or tea for an older person (non kid)
- hot cocoa mix
- fruit
- a favorite food item
- gift card to a favorite restaurant
- a gift card to a coffee shop
- a mug to drink tea/coffee with
- travel mugs for all ages
- new water bottle – my kids seem to loose their lids – or is it the lab who eats them?
- musical instrument – small
- I-Tunes gift card
- CD of music
- A movie
- ear buds
- cologne
- deodorant
- toiletries
- candles
- incense
While some of these stocking stuffers may seem more expensive than what you may normally find in a stocking remember Santa only brings three gifts and adults in a household only buy three gifts each. There is no BIG gift for kiddos each year or a blizzard of gifts under the tree. Each and every present whether it costs just $2 or $200 has meaning.
What are some of your favorite thoughtful stocking stuffers to give?
9 comments:
These are awesome ideas! We're skipping the stockings this year but next year... it will be a blast.
Anne, I have even done this with adults, we put all the names in a hat and drew so that no one got their spouse and then set a dollar limit on it. At a larger family gathering it made Christmas morning exciting even for the big kids.
We have what I think is a southern tradition in that Santa also brings apples and oranges to the stockings. Also, we've been known to add granola bars instead of just candies for those early Christmas morning munchies!
Robbie, our family tradition is that stockings are opened while eating an already prepared breakfast. My grandmother started this when I was a kid and I have carried it on.
This is great! I am not a fan of filling a stocking with sugar. I prefer the little toiletries at Target. Like new toothpaste, travel toothbrush.. things that they can use at sleepovers or a trip to grandmas... and it's new stuff for them. xo, laura
What a fun idea! I didn't realize apples & oranges was a southern thing, but we always did it growing up and I insist my husband do it for my stocking each year now, lol. We only do a couple of "things" per stocking and instead fill them mostly with candy (and fruit, as mentioned!) but could probably do better. Thanks for the inspiration!
I love this post. It's fun for the kids to find the thing that corresponds to each sense, too. I know my kindergartner would love that. Oh, and we always did apples and oranges in the stocking, too. (For one thing, they take up quite a bit of room. :)
Shared your post on Facebook - thanks again for a good system for stocking stuffers. :)
Thanks so much Kristy for sharing this post. The 5 senses works for older kids and grown ups too. One year my brothers and our spouses did this challenge with a price limit too. It was great fun to see what we all got each other.
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