Favorite Non-Candy Stocking Stuffers

[MorningStar]

First of all, WHY can't I find mini cereal boxes this time of year anymore?  I feel so bitter about that.  We always do mini cereals and then that's breakfast.  Last year I had to do Pop Tarts!

 

OK, my non-candy ideas:

 

Mini flashlights

Fun duct tape (like camo for my husband)

Toothbrushes (a tradition in our family)

Scented hand sanitzer

Hot Wheels

Small bottles of bubbles

Silly putty

Chapstick 

Pocket knives (says my son who's reading over my shoulder)

Fun socks (also says my son who's reading over my shoulder)

A small book on not reading over your mother's shoulder

 

What are some of your ideas? 

[BeccaKirstyn]

We used to get (as girls) lip gloss, mini sized hand lotions, decorative hair ties/bows, chapstick, nail polish.....so if you have boys none of this is really that helpful.

 

I always like the areas of shopping centers that have the mini-sized/travel items of stuff. It's cute and not candy related. 

[Crypto]

Orange for good luck, and Tradition.

http://www.thekitchn.com/heres-why-we-put-oranges-in-stockings-at-christmas-holiday-traditions-from-the-kitchn-213985

Edited December 8, 2015 by Crypto

[Connie]

Growing up we always had an orange in the toe of our stocking. My dad was also very fond of nuts--the kind in the shell that you have to crack open. So we always had peanuts in our stocking, too, and we would have to crack them open and peanut shells would get everywhere. I'm too lazy to do that with my kids--I don't want to have to clean up nut shells. So i get the cans of already shelled (and salted) nuts and put some in little baggies. Then there was the salt water taffy, but that's candy so i'll shut up now.

[RMGuy]

Silver or Gold Eagles according to budget.  

[Guest]

I got boys... who don't eat candy.

 

They've had 20-piece Lego things and the like in their stockings.  Nerf gun bullets.  Swiss army knives.  Ties.  Chopsticks (the eating utensil, not the lip balm).  Movie tickets.  ITunes cards.  Video Game controllers.  Batteries (yes.  Batteries.  They're always running out of these.).  Flashlights.  Pens.  Action Figures.  Matchbox cars... etc. etc.

Edited December 8, 2015 by anatess

[Guest]

We always put a mandarin/cutie in each stocking and some type of nerf gun.  When we announce that everyone has their guns loaded, it's open season!!!

[Backroads]

Karma beads and other bits of fun jewelry, mini lotions, polish, pocket knives, toothbrushes, soaps... I recall finding these in my stocking.

[Guest]

Karma beads...

 

So, that's what those are called.

[SpiritDragon]

Pretty much anything goes. If it doesn't fit - get a bigger stocking :)

[MorningStar]

Great ideas!  Thank you!

[Ironhold]

First of all, WHY can't I find mini cereal boxes this time of year anymore?

What stores are you looking at?

They're readily available where I live.

**

Other ideas -

*Small books, especially paperbacks

*Trading cards / sports cards

[Guest]

A few years ago, I wrapped my husband's stocking stuffers in a big box and put it under the tree.  I put his Christmas gift - a watch - in his stocking.

 

Lesson I learned - my husband is just as happy opening chocolate-covered cherries for Christmas.  He truly thought I outdid myself for remembering the exact type of chocolate-covered cherries he likes (he very rarely eats candy) and how I knew he really has been pining for one even as he refuses to buy himself one because of his "diet"... and how now he can eat it guilt-free...

 

And then he opened his stocking and had a confused look on his face.

[Guest]

Littlest Pet Shops are big at my house, as well as art supplies. They really like the twistables from Crayola. 

[kapikui]

Ferrari Keys?

[Iggy]

Growing up we got: Orange, a few in the shell walnuts, brazil nuts, almonds. Erasers. Pair of new socks all rolled up tight. The girls got a few hair ribbons and a couple of barrettes. My oldest brother got a couple of pocket combs and a small jar of brylcreem. A candy cane hanging from the top of the real sock. 

 

When I was in Jr. High [6th to 9th grade] (now called Middle School), I made Xmas stockings for the family out of felt. That was my gift to every one for that year. Made my baby brother and sister felt finger puppets to go with the storybooks I found in the thrift store that year too. 

 

We were so broke, that we made gifts out of what ever was in the house, yard and cellar. Grandma made so much candy we never had to purchase any for the holidays. By the end of January, we had had more than enough of candy and cookies. 

[bytebear]

When I was a kid, the toe of the stocking was always an orange. And I always got a new toothbrush.

 

Right now, the Avengers are a big thing, so it's easy to find small toys. I found these little containers with stretchy rubbery characters that are a big hit, so I will probably get more of those. I found them at Michael's, and it seems that you can find cute little plushies all over.  They have other popular franchises too, so I just get what I know will be liked.

[Ironhold]

FYI -

For those who live in Texas, pay a visit to your local H-E-B Grocery store.

Their "store brand" die-cast cars retail for $0.75 per individual car, which is cheaper than what Hot Wheels or Matchbox go for individually.

What's more, the cars (so near as I can tell) are actually made by Maisto, which has a fairly good reputation when it comes to to-scale die-cast vehicles (not so much play sets, though, but definitely vehicles). You just don't get as much in the way of variety, since it seems that they're using "economy of scale" to keep the costs down.

[pam]

I'm with most of you.  There was always an orange in the toe of the stocking.  So I kept that tradition up with my own kids.  I was reading up on why people do this and I found this explanation:

 

An orange included within a Christmas stocking is representative of St. Nicholas giving gold that was used to provide dowry money. Legend suggests that this gold was thrown to people by St. Nicholas and was in the form of golden balls.

[mordorbund]

With a nod to Bob Hope, I'd have to say "legs".

[dahlia]

Growing up we always had an orange in the toe of our stocking. My dad was also very fond of nuts--the kind in the shell that you have to crack open. So we always had peanuts in our stocking, too, and we would have to crack them open and peanut shells would get everywhere. 

 

For years I put an orange and some walnuts in the shell in my son's stocking, along with the little gifts. Then one year he asked me why I did that. Things are so different now. When I was young, we never had walnuts except at Christmas, and although I think we had oranges at other times of the year, they weren't common. I gave these items to my son because they represented Christmas to me, but now you can get walnuts in bulk at almost any store and oranges are always available. There's very little that is special or exclusive to Christmas anymore. Maybe egg nog. 

 

As for non-food stuff, my son asked for oral hygiene products this year - breath spray, etc.  Almost as thrilling as the lip gloss and hand lotion I used to get.

[Guest]

I used to get my husband maple candy, because he got it for Christmas as a kid. It's still pretty Christmas-exclusive, in Idaho anyway. It's also ridiculously expensive. 

[Capitalist_Oinker]

Growing up I was the only one in my family who liked olives (black). Because everyone else hated them my parents wouldn't buy them. But every Christmas I would get a can of olives in my stocking. 

In addition to that, I LOVED to eat tuna right out of the can. But we didn't have a lot of money in those days, and since mom could turn a can of tuna into a dozen sandwiches I never got to eat tuna out of the can except on Christmas. I always found a can of tuna in my stocking in addition to the olives.   :)

Now I can eat them whenever I want, but for some reason they don't taste as good as they did back then. 

[blueskye]

First of all, WHY can't I find mini cereal boxes this time of year anymore? I feel so bitter about that. We always do mini cereals and then that's breakfast. Last year I had to do Pop Tarts!

OK, my non-candy ideas:

Mini flashlights

Fun duct tape (like camo for my husband)

Toothbrushes (a tradition in our family)

Scented hand sanitzer

Hot Wheels

Small bottles of bubbles

Silly putty

Chapstick

Pocket knives (says my son who's reading over my shoulder)

Fun socks (also says my son who's reading over my shoulder)

A small book on not reading over your mother's shoulder

What are some of your ideas?

Nuts, oranges, small accessories that go with the main gift under the tree. Small stuffed animals or other small toys. Money: unusual coins, like Sacagawea dollars, for younger kids. New crisp bills for adults and almost adults.

[Sunday21]

Lip balm, hand sanitizer, quarter, magazine, travel size shampoo, small size Kleenex, small tin candies, comb, tooth floss