Is it only me who doesn't do Christmas Stockings for their children?

rosalie-lavender

I do my Mum and MIL a stocking as well as my three teenagers. Mil is 91 now and my Mum is 80! You are never too old for a stocking. I think though, it is down to each individual family what they do.

karenrel

Our 'stockings' were pillowcases at the end of the bed which had all our presents in. Darling Brother would wake me up then make me lift them up to the top of our beds so he could squish and squash and try to work out what presents we had. Then, when he'd finished, he'd go back to sleep until we were allowed up - I, on the other hand, would be too excited!
My own kids have proper xmas stockings which my Mum made from a kit from John Lewis. They were v.expensive so were part of their first xmas present. They get filled with presents from close family and santa on Xmas Eve and hung off the end of their bunk beds by santa - who once had to stay awake until 5.30am as every time he went in, little eyes opened wide!!!!! The rest of the presents (as they get WAY too much, like the majority of kids nowadays!) and our (me and DH) token presents are under the tree. Stocking are opened on the end of our bed whilst we try to wake up, the others opened once we've got a cup of tea in the lounge.
Have tried for years to find candy striped pillowcases like we used but the only ones I found were in the Cath Kidston shop - way overpriced!
Stockings are just part of 'our' tradition but once the kids are older (ie. know the real truth) I think pressies will just pile up under the tree.

geordielass

We always has a stocking at the end of the bed when i was little. It was always a leg cut off a pair of my mams tights and it was great stretching right to the bottom to get the last little bits. We would go through the stocking before waking up my parents then downstairs for the other presents. We didn't have much money but the stocking was always so exiting even though we knew exactly what would be in it, an orange,a penny, nuts and maybe some colouring pencils. It was the prelude to more exiting things to come once we got downstairs!

We have always had a stocking for our kids, now that they are older it's more difficult sneaking into their room to pop it at the bottom of the bed.

On Christmas morning they come into our room and sit on our bed to go through them then we all go downstairs to open the main presents.

I will be doing stockings for my kids until they leave home even though as they get older it is getting more difficult to think of things to put in them, it's just part of our Chritmas tradition.

bluenose1

karenrel wrote: »

They get filled with presents from close family and santa on Xmas Eve and hung off the end of their bunk beds by santa - who once had to stay awake until 5.30am as every time he went in, little eyes opened wide!!!!!

Had to laugh at the thought of you going in and they were still awake. Think I would have just given up with tiredness, that is dedication for you.

Mine have never woken up before 8am!!!!! I am always up waiting for them to wake up.

chesters

Starting doing stockings about three years ago, 3 boys now 10,14 and 16. I put the small, cheaper things in which would probably not get much attention if they were with the larger presents. They get their stockings later on in the day. It gives them something to look forward to and all the opening of gifts isn't finished in a mad rush in the morning. :cool:

jackomdj

As someone else said we do them to keep people amused and upstairs for longer!

Football_Widow_2

We don't do stockings. My DD is coming up 6 and she has always come down to presents under the tree where Father Christmas has left them.

I am introducing a Christmas Elf this year to try and ensure good behaviour but we'll have to see how we get on with that one.

My mum and dad used to leave presents at the end of the bed for us as kids but I think under the tree is alot easier on poor old santa who shouldn't have to use the stairs at his age ... :rotfl:

jenhugs

We always had a christmas stocking under the tree at christmas which was always filled with chocolates.

It is not a big thing in my family now, sometimes I fill them with chocolates other times I don't. The stockings always hang over the fire place. They always have their presents piled up in the back room.

My twins are 6 I love seeing their little faces it is a magical time.

lizzie_b

We have always had stockings by the fireplace in my family, not at the ends of beds. Probably because a kids we would have woken up everytime anyone tried to put them there.
It's tradition to place them by the fire on Christmas Eve before bed, and they're the first thing to be opened on Christmas Day. I'm 26 now and my sister is 30, neither of us live with mum & dad anymore but we'll still go round to put them out and they'll still be the first thing to be opened at whatever point we arrive there on Christmas Day.

Janice2

We didn't have stockings as kids but I now have my own children and they have a stocking each which is hung on their door handle from Santa, that has little bits and bobs. Then the main presents from us/ family are under the tree downstairs.