miriam

They thought the stockings were the best part so I continued for a while. Then they all had kids so I just do the grand kids. Now they love it.

19angel52

sadly....gave it up after the first couple of years....Your question gives me pause...and I do believe next year will be different....handmade stockings for everyone - filled. Thanks for the nudge and reminder!

michelled

I do a stocking for DD and now for her DH and the new DGD. I try to put in things like socks which are often in a pack (like 6 pairs for $10) and then things like lip balm, candy, a new toothbrush. It comes to about $20 each but the biggest single expense is some socks and that's just such a practical item that I know they will need anyway. And, I try to pick up most items way before Christmas so I can fool myself into not counting it as a Christmas expense!

DD made a comment to me that her MIL had a stocking for her hubby (DD's husband) and said "you have to share that with _ _ (DD)" and it made her feel like she isn't quite 'family' since all the adult sons and the two young grandkids got a stocking and DD is the only in-law. (Money isn't an issue and DD does do thoughtful things for her in-laws so there isn't a relationship problem, either).

miriam

I shop year round for stocking stuffers - anything that fits counts. We are only allowed to give our grand kids one gift and a stocking.... I also try to find things that will get thrown away to keep down the clutter.
Never force it - make a bigger stocking.

Olivia's Grammy

I still fill all the stockings, 10 of them. But that's the only gift I give now. I'll do it until I die.

tutt

I'm still filling for my Mom, her husband, my husband, my 2 sons (34 & 27) and their wives and last and sometimes least (LOL) my own. I guess I will as long as I can.

Joanne9of12

Whoever spends Christmas at our house or is there when gifts are being opened, gets a stocking. They are not filled with expensive items but it's still fun. There is always fruit, chapstick, and a little bit of gum or candy. There is also one wrapped canned good item from my husband!

This tradition started about 10 years ago, the third Christmas after my husband and I were married (a second marriage for both). He realized that I filled everyone's stockings (greater variety of items then) and didn't really do anything for myself other than fruit and maybe some pens or pencils. He decide that he was going to be in charge of filling mine after that and made a proclamation stating so. Well, when the next Christmas came around and he realized he forgot to get things, he went shopping in the pantry. I got a couple cans of tuna wrapped up so beautifully! We all had such a laugh about it and it's now a tradition. It's really funny because he spends a fair amount of time deciding what everyone is going to get and wrapping them. Of course we don't tell any Christmas newbies about it until after they open their canned good. It's such a hoot to see their faces!

judykay

My daughter is 45 & married with two children and I still fill her childhood Christmas stocking every year. Her husband puts a few items in the one his mother made for her the first Christmas they were married. I also do the same thing for her brother who is 48 but not married.

WMUTeach

After I became a single parent of three, I had some choices to make about holidays and traditions including socks. I continued the mystery until all three children knew the secret and then because we all loved the surprise on Christmas morning we continued. We drew names and I gave each child $20 to spend on sock gift purchases. Sometimes I took the kiddos shopping and other times my sister-in-law did the job so I could be surprised until they got old enough to shop on their own. My dearest memory was when my son (about 8/9 years old at the time) was in the check out lane and the total came to more than $20 but only buy less than a dollar. He turned to me with the money in his hand and without words I could see the struggle in his eyes because he did not know which item to chose to eliminate and put back on the shelf because he only had the $20 dollar bill. I saw the pain because he had shopped so carefully and deliberately for his sister. Each item was chosen to please and surprise her. Just between he and I gave him the extra few cents and he was the proudest Santa any mother could ever want to have as part of her family. One of the items in that sock that year was a pair of bunny slippers. She still has them today. She is 36 and the thoughtful brother is 33.

Until just recently when all kiddos have their own families and some live at a distance, we have continued to draw names for socks. Now, I just fill the socks for those who can make it home for Christmas morning. This year no one was home for Christmas morning and I truly missed creeping out in the early morning with a cup of tea to look at what "Santa" put in my sock.

Honeynga

I'm 64 and spent Christmas Eve with my 30 year old daughter; she told me to be sure and bring a stocking because Santa had some stuff for me........It was filled with gift cards; candy; etc...I too took things for her stocking, CASH, and other small gifts........When I had all 3 girls at home I would work really hard to make sure the stockings had good stuff........earrings, etc.....now I'm just glad i don't have to do that anymore......