Joyce DeBacco

. . . in the hope that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

How many others remember when your Christmas stocking was a clean sock from your drawer? I can't be the only one who did that as a child. We didn't get lottery tickets or jewelry in our stockings either. We got big, red apples, large, perfect oranges, and walnuts. It wasn't till I had kids of my own that stores started selling fancy stockings. And if I tried to give my kids what I received as a child they would've looked at me as if I'd given them coal, which is another thing that's completely foreign to them.

I admit the stockings today are a lot more attractive than an old sock, but they're sure expensive to fill. I can't find anything cheap that will fit in the stocking even in the dollar store.

What do you put in your kids' or grandkids' stockings?

Joyce

mountain-moma

I remember those stocking and todat as u said my DS and GD wouldn't no what to think my sister and i were just talking about those days gone by....

As for stocking fillers i put coloring books,candies,gum,hankies, CD,etc.for GD
Son's-his favorite hard candies,gum,CD,little smell good things for his truck,etc

Chasing Hawk

Now we send gift cards for Christmas. In the past we put coloring books, crayons, chocolates, small toys.

My Mom used to put candy canes, fruit and coloring books and walnuts in ours when we were kids.

My Gram put fruit and nuts in my Mom's and Aunts stockings when they were kids.

gramajo

My aunt knit a Christmas stocking for me in the 40s. I still have it and I'll be 70 tomorrow. We received an orange, an apple, sometimes socks or underwear. My aunt made similiar stockings for my daughters in the 60s.
My kids got an orange or apple in the toe, at least one pair or socks (it became a running joke in the family that the girls got socks each year--hey, they always needed socks) some candy, small toy, something small that was appropriate to their ages.
When oldest daughter was a teenager, she realized she, her sister and dad always got stockings from Santa and I didn't. From then on, I received a filled stocking also. The family has continued the tradition. I have everyone over for dinner Christmas Eve. There are bags hidden in the bedroom with everyone's name on it; my daughters and I each contribute to all the bags. They're taken home, Santa's elves fill the stockings and hang by the chimney with care. We all open our stockings at home on Christmas morning.

Joyce DeBacco

Hi, gramajo, and happy birthday. I just turned 70 yesterday. Can't believe it myself; I sure don't feel 70.

It's nice to hear everyone's thoughts on Christmas stockings, isn't it?

sak658

I have cross-stitched all 3 grandchildren and 1 gr-grandson a stocking..the oldest is 26 and every year..they have to have the Lifesaver candy books in there stocking...if there is nothing else..I found them this year at Big Lots..so picked them up...hard to find sometimes...I remember as a kid we got an apple, orange and a peppermint stick..wow..times have changed....but we were happy to get it...One year we went to a parade and Santa Claus was throwing out little china dolls...my mom got one for all three of her girls...we were really small and she would hang them on our tree...I still have those today..and I am 70 now...quite a treasure..

gramajo

Happy birthday to you too, Joyce.

I agree with everything you said, both age-related and hearing about all the Christmas stockings.

Joanne

0tis

We also had socks for stockings for years - always had an apple, orange, small candy and maybe some small toy - I really don't remember when we got a store bought stocking - and I am only 47 - so I grew up with the same.

jollyquilting

I remember borrowing my dads sock because it was bigger. lol

Teacup

We always just had socks from our drawer when we were kids. I remember the year I hung up a pair of my leotards (tights), and told my 4 brothers that I'd get lots more than they did! Santa stuffed them full of newspaper. We always got a few tangerines, walnuts, foil-wrapped chocolate balls, maybe a marshmallow Santa, and a small item, such as ponytail holders. One year there was a cute little elf peeping out the top of my stocking. I've been putting it on my tree for the past 47 years, and it brings back fond memories. I made crewel embroidered stockings for my two kids and quilted snowmen on stockings for my two grandkids. They are treasured holiday traditions for each of them.