Everyone has someone on their Christmas shopping list who is just plain hard to shop for!
Perhaps they really are one of those people who ‘have everything’. Or, their tastes are a bit out of the ordinary and hard to pin down. What can you do to share the holiday season with such individuals? Assemble a collection of stocking stuffer Christmas gifts and hang a Christmas stocking for them to find!
Everyone enjoys a Christmas stocking!
The Best Stocking Stuffer items are the unusual, funny or personalized type of things often found in some unusual places! When visiting local flea markets, crafts show or even swap meets, I always keep my mind open to stocking stuffer possibilities. Before tossing those junk mail catalogs as well scan thru for any unusual or comical items.
While tradition is some places say that the Christmas stocking is to be stuffed by gifts that will stimulate the five sensory organs, around our house when considering stocking stuffers, we always must include edible goodies, a ‘joke gift’ of some type, a reminder of childhood days, and as many individually wrapped items as the Christmas stocking will hold.
The first thing to consider is the Christmas stocking itself. After all, the size of the stocking will determine the number and size of items going into it. Traditional red felt Christmas stockings, character stockings or even knee high nylons have all been used as Christmas stocking in years past around our home.
As you begin wrapping all the individual items to stuff the Christmas stocking, have a game plan in mind. Think about saving ‘the best for last’, that is, whatever small stocking stuffer you consider the best one in the collection, wrap first and place into the toe of the Christmas stocking first. After stuffing the stocking with all remaining items, that special item will be the last to be found and enjoyed.
For the person who seems to have everything you really have free-range in the combination of items!
Edible goodies are a must of course . These can include anything non-perishable and individually wrapped.
Department stores often carry specialty candies at holiday time that are hard to come by the rest of the year making them a special treat. Consider any favorite brands or categories as well such as a chocolate lover, or maybe a fruit and nut collection. Small scented candles may even be a welcome gift for a candle lover you know.
Joke gifts are a fun surprise to stuff a stocking with as well. Be sure to keep it funny and not rude or offensive. Noisy miniature animals, even the old standby whoopee cushions and hand shake buzzers have all been found in Christmas stockings throughout the years.
Childhood memorabilia can stir memories of Christmas past. An orange is always in our stockings because great grandma has shared how as a child, that was the only time they got a whole orange to themselves. My daughter, now a mom with little ones of her own still doesn’t think she has a real Christmas stocking unless it contains a color book and crayons. Yes she does still color in it on Christmas Day and beyond right alongside the rest of the kids!
A collectible ornament can decorate the stocking and remind the recipient of your generosity next year.
Stocking stuffers in miniature work well to fill in all those cracks and gaps between larger items. Think individually wrapped candies, nut in the shells. Don’t forget traditional candy canes!
A small decorated envelope expressing your well wishes and a gift card can round out the perfectly stuffed Christmas stocking sure to please that person who has everything!
Collecting stocking stuffers can begin right after Christmas this year and make a fine way of sharing the season with everyone on your list next year. A central location or Christmas chest works well. A sturdy plastic storage container to be kept in an out of the way but accessible spot makes it easy to keep everything in one place. Separate bags or boxes could be labeled with individual names or you can simply add all small stocking stuffer finds to a large collection to sort through next year.
Grabbing close-out bargains, end of the year sales items, or even those flea market or craft show pieces a few at the time during the year will easy the burden on your Christmas budget next year as well. Planning a nicely stuffed Christmas stocking as your gift to friends and loved ones this year gives a creative way to personalize your gift. For those who think they may have outgrown a Christmas stocking, there are always
gift basketsto be made! But, what is Christmas tradition without a Christmas stocking for everyone in the household?
Merry Christmas & Blessed New Year!
