Clutter free gifts / stocking fillers??!

A question about : Clutter free gifts / stocking fillers??!

Hello,

I love Christmas, especially with 3 kids (7, 3 and 17months old)! However, I am struggling to come up with ideas for stocking fillers.

The kids have so much stuff already, and I don't want to add to the clutter with more little bits and bobs around the place. However, I don't want them to miss out on the fun of finding a stuffed stocking at the end of their beds!

The things I have thought of are the obligatory satsuma, chocolate coins, socks (!), hair slides, pencils.

I was wondering if anyone had any more great ideas, and even for general clutter-free pressies?!

Thanks,
Mikki x

Best answers:

• we use money ..... special edition Ј5 coins for eldest and shinny ones for youngest(3) ...... they learn to save and are kept in their money boxes ... nice and tidy!!
• what about girly bracelets, necklaces, earings and rings, my DD loves these little bits
• how about a tape or cd - I've got nice nursery rhyme ones for £1 before !!
• What about theming the stockings....
  Maybe cookie cutters, a small rolling pin, an apron, icing pens etc for one...
  Craft stuff in another, look in poundshops for pompoms and funky foam bits, zigzag scissors, glue sticks, stickers etc.
  For your youngest i'd suggest some small cardboard books (have a look in chairty shops), bubble bath, shampoo, etc - they love opening the pressies but soon get bored of what's inside, obviously include the sweeties and such you'd give to the others but they won't miss the bubble bath and shampoo when you take it out of reach.
• I usually buy the kids things that they need anyway for their stockings like socks, pants, new toothbrush, nice smellies pens etc. These are thing you would have to buy anyway so it makes sense and now the kids expect them every year. Tesco Ј1 items at the moment are really good. I got letter shaped cookie cutters and hair bobbles the other day.
• Kids may be a bit young but is appropriate for 7 year old. One year was at a complete loss as to what to buy as little extras. So made vouchers.
  i.e Mum promises to tidy your bedroom.
  A picnic in the garden.
  An afternoon flying a kite
  feeding the ducks.
  The kids then redeam the vouchers as and when.
  You can addapt them to fit in with what your kids like doing. Not only was it really cheap, just cost me and hubby a bit of time, we all really enjoyed it. It made us realise that childhood goes all to soon.
  I have a 12,13 year old this christmas, I am going to do something similiar.
  I stole this idea of a very broke friend who made vouchers for her family which included iorning, babysitting etc etc
  after all time is really priceless
  regards
  to all
• My little girl was only 8 months old last Christmas, so I wouldn't have really bothered with a stocking if it weren't for the fact she has an older brother who would wonder why she didn't have one.
  Then I read on here last year about wrapping up baby biscuits and jars of baby food, which is entirely practical and clutter free as you need it anyway. I bought slightly more interesting chewy bars etc to jazz it up.
  Like the pants, socks, toothbrush idea. I will use that this year for both of them.
• we all like our own cup at our house so I usually wrap up a cup with a few choccie santas inside
• I too tend to get them things they need to go in the stockings.
  Shampoo, shower gel, bubbles, socks, undies, pencil case and all the stuff to go in it.
  If your little one has a dummy a new one def won't go amiss. Also a nice plastic drinking mug or lidded beaker or drinking bottle (sport type not baby type). How about some new arm bands for swimming - goggles for the older ones - swimming could be something you do in the new year if you don't do now.
  Sing along tapes or cd's for in the car - about Ј2 in Morrisons.
  Posters, a picture in a frame, a little tooth pot/trinket box for secret treasure.
  My children like to cut up so some safety scissors and some old birthday cards to cut up with glue and some card.
  I will come back if I can think of anything else.
  The other thing I used to do was fish an old sock out of the pile of odd socks I always have and get the children to decorate it to leave on their beds as a "trade" for santa.
  Louise
• How about some disposable things so when they have been used they are gone - eg comics, puzzle books, cheap disposable camera to record fun at Christmas?
• I don't let my children drink pop most of the time so a bottle/can of pop is a big stocking treat to them. Usually buy an obscure/vile looking flavour which they seem ot like.
  I also buy novelty food that we don't generally have - choc dips, iced gems, red laces etc - because at least they don't hang around for long. I probably sound like a real scrooge but the children have plenty of stuff and are generally thrilled with such edible bits because of the rarity value in our house.
  I also like GBA/ds games. We only play hand held consoles on long car journeys but at least the games take up next to no space.
• ASDA mag is full of ideas and bit and pieces for stocking fillers for less than £5
• I usually put in nice food treats too - so that's sweets and chocolate! last year they got cocoa pop straws too! and of course a chocolate orange
  and a new toothbrush and tube of toothpaste
• I do knicks, socks, bobbles, clips, chocolate Santas etc. Anything that they 'need' gets given by Santa, anything that's of value gets given by us so that they have a sense of worth.
  Quote:
• Apart from the ideas already mentioned, my daughters are all in their teens so I also add things like stamps , envelopes and note pads, Bath bombs, hair mousse, gel etc, disposable cameras, ear phones for ipods, sachets of wash in/out hair colour, craft items, and Santa always brings toothbrush and toastie socks. Hope these ideas help and I,m watching out for ideas for men,s/teenage boys stocking fillers.
• My sister was gob smacked when I said I put pants, pj's, toothpaste, shower gel etc in my kids' stockings. I am glad I am not the only one. lol
  A very good thread.
• i always put fruit at the bottom followed by lots of cheap sweets. then pens/pencils/notepads usually out of pound shops.
  baker ross and yellow moon do lots of cheap stocking filler gifts too like pencil tops, magic slates that you write on and peel off, stratchy men etc. and they always get a toothbrush :-)
• Traditional things like sugar mice,candy canes,sometimes buy these type of things from an old fashioned sweet shop-very christmassy.