Adolescent/teenage boys stocking.

Spendless

Thanks for all the suggestions. There's def items suggested that I;ll be getting. I remembered I also have a small tin that has coloured pencils in and a sharpener in the top. Mine's a mini tin I bought abroad but I saw a full-size version in the 99p shop today. Prior to son going into yr 7, I thought coloured pencils were something left behind with his infant school uniform, but have been surprised how much he's asked to use them at secondary school for different subjects such as geograpy and science.

I am also collecting the epic straws from cravendale milk. Son also likes engineering and though he might consider it a bit young, he'll still assemble it for his little sister and it's free anyway as I already buy cravendale.

Tweezers are something else going in as I am sick to death of mine going missing and replacing them and then I find them in his bedroom.:huh: My mind doesn't want to think about what he does with them. He has fair hair, if he was olive complexion like my daughter I'd believe it was plucking eyebrows.

jap200

This is the thread for me - I have 3 boys aged 14, 12 and 10. I wouldn't dream of putting toothbrushes clearasil and flannels etc in a stocking as someone else has suggested. I wouldn't want to get them in a stocking so I don't think they would either! Lynx deo is another matter though - maybe because of the cool adverts!

In our house we try to keep the cost of stocking fillers low by aiming for up to around £3 per item by picking up bargains through the year.

These are some of the things my boys will be getting in their stockings this year or have got in previous years:

Lynx deo (chocolate)
Mentos (yes OP my sons love them too - print out some cola / mentos volcano instructions if they have never done that before)
Can of compressed air to clean keyboard (poundland)
Screen protectors and/or cleaning cloths for iPod or phone (cheap on Amazon)
USB stick (cheap as always losing them)
Jar of marshmallow fluff (was on offer in Sainsburys last week) or jar of Sainsburys chocolate spread with popping candy.
Artist pencils etc (for art GCSE)
Pack of playing cards in tin (cheap in Tesco)
AA and/or AAA batters (maybe rechargeable)
Screwdriver (Wilko)
Polaroid photo calendar kit (poundland)
Hot choc sachets (poundland)
Nail scissors or clippers
Nintendo DS or iPod stylus replacements
Paperback books
Mug (eg Plain Lazy)
Keying (for school locker keys etc)
Bus pass holder (if he has a pass for school) - good range in Paperchase
Mini desktop wheelie bin (poundland and elsewhere)

Oooooo I could go on!

littlegreenparrot

Another vote for Nerf guns, if there's someone else in the house who'll play with them.
I have 2 brothers in their 20's and another who's 15 - all still living together. Not a day goes by they don't get played with! They seem pricey but they have taken a lot of abuse and are still going strong.

Spendless

Yay. This thread made the e-mail :j I used to put a flannel in stockings when both kids were small, one of those expandable ones. Whilst they were watching it grow it used to give me time to come round, if they'd got up at silly o'clock. Nowadays son has a love/hate relationship with getting washed, practically having to force in the shower whilst he's fascinated with the contents of a Lush store. :huh:

I don't mind people listing things I possibly wouldn't put in, other people might for theirs and that was the idea that we all nicked each others.

Nearer the time and once I have stockings out of attic, I'll do a dry run of what fits and list the items .

jap200

Tiny (but powerful) Nerf 'jolt' in Sainsburys toy sale 1/2 price at £1.99. My sons think these are the coolest of all the Nerf guns.

Hezzawithkids

Fab thread OP! I have an 11yo son and I was starting to struggle with ideas for his stocking contents this year but now I have loads of inspiration. Thanks!! :beer:

paddyrg

Pen knife. Boys are not all potential murderers and learning to handle and be responsible with a knife is a rite of passage. They just want to whittle sticks and play at being hunters. If you get a short blade one the risks are pretty low and everyone gets to play Bear Grylls.
Also a steel and flint would be similarly appreciated I am sure!

ska_lover

Pen knife, nooooooooooooo these are not the days of the famous five yknow, and the temptation to take to school, and get suspsended would be high. If they take them out of the house they would be liable to get arrested!

Wywth

I know what most adolescent/teenage boys would prefer to find in a stocking ... but it's not something you could buy in a shop

Spendless

I have no problems with DS using a pen-knife. The best thing about him being a cub then scout was learning independance and how to do things safely in a 'controlled' environment. Only this morning he was telling me (using a dinner knife) how you can tell how sharp a knife is safely - something learnt in Scouts. The reason I probably wouldn't get him one till a later age, is he forgets to take his head to school with him most mornings;) so the liklihood of him forgetting to remove it from his rucksack or coat pocket is high and would give him an automatic exclusion if caught with it on him.

Today I found a mans manicure set in Home bargains. It was £1.99 and with all the mens toiletry gift sets. It has tweezers, small scissors, nail clippers, nail file and cuticle (gadget??). It comes in a small black zip up case, which is in a boxed see -thru plastic pack, so you can either remove it from its box if it's too big to fit or make it an under the tree present instead.