I remember as a child going down and finding all kinds of treasures in my stocking Christmas morning (Thanks Santa!) As a mom now, I understand how expensive these can be. I find the best plan of attack is to find BIGGER items that take up more room or lots of items that don’t cost too much. Here is a big list of thrifty ideas for you!
Stocking Stuffers that Take Up a LOT of Room
A Can of Pringles – these babies are big and take up a lot of room!
A Water Bottle
Oranges – I always found oranges in my stocking. That and peanuts.
A Package of Socks – just tear it open and add them all in rolls. – Maybe you might have stocked up on Black Friday at Fred Meyer?? All socks were 1/2 off.
Lifesaver Story books – there is a Target manufacturer’s coupon available for $1.00/2 at target.com.
Tootsie Roll or other Candy Banks
T-Shirts – especially character ones.
Bubble Bath – dollar store 🙂
Tubes of Plastic Animals or People – again…dollar store 🙂
Playdoh tubes – usually like $1.50-$2.00 for a tube! Or get a multipack and divide it up if you have multiple children.
Winter accessories – a new pair of ski gloves (these are nice + puffy…lol) or hat and gloves, scarf etc. At Old Navy right now you can get performance fleece items $2.50 each. They are priced at 2/$5.00 through 12/20! There is a 20% off coupon code that expires tonight too, and check their website for coupons before you shop to save more.
Teddy Bears or other stuffed animals – these can take up the whole top section.
And here are some everyday other Stocking Stuffer Ideas for you too
- A Muffin or cinnamon roll (for Breakfast, that way you know they will eat something healthy before all the treats & candy canes)
- Card Games
- Bouncy Balls
- undies 🙂
- Hot Wheels – get them $0.69 at Walgreens right now
- Mini Lego sets
- Crayons – I still have some from back to school stocking up I could throw in…
- Color Books – I find these at dollar stores
- Character Toothbrushes & Toothpaste – If you have been coupon shopping there have been deals on these.
- Character Socks
- Baby bottles or diapers for dollies
- Hair Clippies, bows, headbands
- Jewelry or play jewelry ( I got a few of these $1.00 owl necklaces this year – score!)
- For crafty kids maybe beads+ string for bracelet making or other kits
- Sports Cards packages
- Small hand-held games ( I have seen some really cheap ones at the dollar spot at Target through the year)
- Gift Cards or Movie money – I think my kids would go nuts for a $5 gift card to DQ.
- Homemade coupon books you could make (example – one get out of my chore free card, my mom makes my bed today card, or favorite meal and so on..)
- Stickers
- Gum
- Candy – and candy canes
- Disposable camera
- Lip gloss or makeup
- Perfume – we always had dollar store stuff growing up…
- Books
- Lottery Tickets – a favorite of many older kids
- A new ornament (some have this as a tradition and get a new one every year.)
- Lets not forget about MONEY – most kids would love a few bucks added to their stockings.! Lets face it – Kids love money!
Let me know of any other Stocking Stuffer ideas you have!
Great ideas! Thanks, and have a very Merry Christmas!
To go along with that $5 DQ gift card idea – right now they are giving a free Julius when you buy $15 in gift card money. And you can choose to receive the card to get the Julius later. So then you have another stocking stuffer for the Julius lover! (coupon just has to be redeemed by 4/30/13)
BTW – growing up, and still, the stocking was my favorite part of Christmas. I too always got an orange and peanuts with little odds and ends of things but those odds and ends were the best part!
Leggings also roll up well to stick in the stocking!
As we got older Santa left us magazines, calendars, and necessities like deodorant and cologne for the guys. Always got lipgloss and fingernail clippers too. Out socks were always over flowing! Everything was wrapped even the small things. We also got the cheap but oh so yummy boxes of chocolate macaroons or slowpokes etc. Oh how wish I was young again!
My 20 year old son loves cinnamon toothpicks.