Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year from seeing Christmas lights to putting up the Christmas Tree and everyone’s Christmas Stocking. When I say everyone’s I mean everyone from my family to my siblings pets and Charlie’s friends who may be spending Christmas with us.

We have Stockings we’ve used for years and then we have one’s we just purchased because something people’s taste change. For Charlie he has 2 or 3 Stockings and I don’t ask Santa to fill them all but I try to if I can.

This year before we start filling those Christmas stockings, we need to find the stockings! We’ve been talking about Advent calendars and all the little surprises that can make the countdown to Christmas fun. But that got me thinking: you can’t have stocking stuffers without stockings!

And I don’t think everybody needs to have the exact same stocking. A little boy might want something completely different from a teenager. A grandmother’s stocking might look nothing like Dad’s. And yes, the dogs deserve stockings, too! So let’s go stocking hunting and find something for everyone.

A Stocking for Everyone: Here are some of the stockings I’d look for when shopping:

Little Boy– Look for something that matches what he loves — snowmen, trucks, dinosaurs, superheroes, sports, or another favorite character. Remember a stocking doesn’t have to be expensive. It just needs to be his.

If you have a little boy you might give them a personalized snowman stocking which can become something he brings out year after year. For Charlie when he was little he had a Transformers Stocking and now he has a white stocking he picked out.

Little Girl- This is where you can have a little fun! Look for pink, purple, glitter, snowflakes, princesses, animals, or whatever she’s currently loving. A sweet pink stocking can hold tiny treasures now and become a Christmas keepsake later.

I even have a Stocking for Suzzane and we put flowers in it to take to her grave. It’s pink and it has Angel wings on it. I found it at Walmart’s on there clearance aisle once Christmas was over one year when David and I were shopping.

Dad– If you were to ask most Dad’s they would say they don’t need a Stocking. But David did and his stocking didn’t need to be a stocking covered in Santa faces or even a plain red Stocking. Maybe football is more his style. Since it’s football season, a football stocking can be a fun choice.

You can also look for something simple, traditional, plaid, personalized, or even something connected to his favorite hobby. David’s stocking is the Grinch because we all know David can get pretty Grinchy during the Holidays.

Teenager– Think about the teenager before you buy the stocking.

If you’ve got a gamer, look for a gaming-themed stocking. If they’re into sports, music, cars, photography, or another hobby, use that as your inspiration. And for teenagers, I’m going to say something I don’t always want to admit: Sometimes a gift card really is the safer stocking stuffer. I know. I know.

I would rather find something fun and useful than hand somebody a gift card. But if you’re buying for a teenager and you’re not sure they’ll actually use that cute little gadget, a gas card, fast-food card, coffee card, or favorite restaurant card may be much more useful.

I’d rather give them something they’ll use than something that ends up in the bottom of a drawer. That is why like I mentioned earlier Charlie’s Stocking is white because it’s what he picked out a couple years ago.

Woman– For Mom, Grandma, a sister, daughter, friend, or another special woman, look for a stocking that feels pretty but still gives you enough room for useful surprises.

Velvet, quilted, personalized, floral, traditional red and green — there are so many choices. And don’t forget that handmade stockings can be especially meaningful. My sister and brother both have a Stocking at my house my sister’s is green velvet because it’s her favorite color. Gerald’s is red and came from the Dollar Store because he came to stay when I was broke.

Grandparent– Grandparents don’t have to have matching stockings with everybody else. David’s dad never had a Stocking of his own but Charlie bought his grandmother a Tomater Stocking because he was her’s and Charlie’s favorite character from the Cars movie.

If Grandma loves gardening, choose something pretty and traditional. If Grandpa loves fishing, woodworking, sports, or another hobby, let his stocking reflect that. And if you find a personalized stocking with their name, that can become a keepsake the family uses for years.

Sister & Brother If you’re buying stockings for siblings, you can either match them or deliberately choose two that reflect their personalities. Maybe one gets a stocking with a favorite color and the other gets one connected to a favorite hobby. Matching doesn’t mean identical.

The Dogs or any Pets you may have– Of course they get a stocking! Because if they’re part of the family, they need their own place for Christmas treats and toys. You can find traditional pet stockings, paw-print stockings, bone-shaped stockings, personalized stockings, and even stockings with your pet’s name or picture. And honestly, watching the dogs discover their stockings on Christmas morning is part of the fun.

Now Let’s Fill Them!

Once you’ve found the stockings, we can start thinking about what actually goes inside them. And I’m a big believer in useful stocking stuffers. We don’t need to put 15 random things in a stocking just because it has to look full. Two or three things somebody will actually use can be much better.

Teenagers

• Gas gift card
• Fast-food gift card
• Coffee gift card
• Hand sanitizer
• Bath & Body products
• Small practical items
• Favorite candy or snack
• Something connected to their hobby

And yes, sometimes the gift card is the winner.

Girls

• Nail color
• Lip gloss
• Hair ties
• Bath & Body products
• Hand lotion
• Small beauty items
• Favorite candy

Moms

• Flower seeds
• Small journal
• Chocolates
• Hand lotion
• Bath & Body products
• Coffee gift card

And I really like the idea of giving Mom a coffee gift card so she can treat herself to a cup of coffee while she’s out running errands. Sometimes Mom doesn’t need another thing for the house. Sometimes Mom needs coffee.

Dads

• Miniature tools
• Small tool kit
• Flashlight
• Football item
• Socks
• Favorite snack
• Coffee gift card
• Lunch or restaurant gift card

If Dad works outside the home, a gift card that lets him grab lunch or coffee during a busy workday can be surprisingly useful. Just ask David who forgets his lunch more times than not and doesn’t have cash to buy anything with.

Grandparents: Think about what they enjoy.

For the gardener: Flower seeds

For the bird watcher: Bird seed

For someone who spends a lot of time in the car: Hand sanitizer or gloves

For someone who enjoys self-care: Bath & Body products

And for someone who loves to read, consider a small reading-related gift. The best stocking stuffers often start with knowing the person you’re shopping for.

Brother; Somebody like my brother might appreciate:

• A new flashlight
• Magnifying glass
• Reading glasses
• Socks
• Pajamas that can be folded small enough to fit
• Small tools
• Favorite restaurant gift card

And if we’re talking about Junior, we already know his restaurant gift card: Popeyes!

Sister: For a busy sister, practical can be perfect:

• Fast-food gift card for lunch
• Coffee gift card
• Hand lotion
• Hand sanitizer
• Small keychain
• Something that reminds her to stay safe while driving
• Winter-driving item
• Favorite snack

If she doesn’t have coffee available at work anymore, a coffee gift card could be a little treat she’ll actually appreciate.

Before you begin to fill Christmas Stocking check Dollar Tree before you finish your stocking shopping and remind Santa to check it out as well. Seriously.

More often than not, you can find a surprisingly large selection of gift cards there — including restaurants, fast food, coffee, entertainment, and other places you may not have even thought about. So before you decide a gift card is going to cost too much, look at Dollar Tree. You may find exactly what you’re looking for. And a $5 gift card tucked into a stocking can be much more useful than another little item nobody really needs.

And before we finish talking about stockings, I want to remind you of something. Handmade stockings make some of the best gifts. You don’t have to be an expert seamstress. You can sew one, quilt one, crochet one, knit one, decorate a purchased stocking, or create something completely different.

A handmade stocking is personal. It’s something that can come out of the Christmas decorations every year and remind somebody of the person who made it. That’s a pretty special gift if you ask me. What do you think?

We’re also going to turn today’s post into one of our GreatfulMoments activities. Gather some supplies and start planning or creating your own Advent calendar.

You can use:

• Small envelopes
• Paper bags
• Little boxes
• Clothespins
• Ribbon
• Twine
• A basket
• Scrapbook paper
• Markers
• Christmas stickers
• Small treats
• Notes
• Family activities

You can make it for a child, teenager, parent, grandparent, or the whole family. Complete the Advent calendar craft = 1 ticket And don’t forget: Read for 10 minutes = 2 tickets Pick up a Christmas story, your current book, a magazine, or whatever you’re enjoying and spend 10 minutes reading today.

We aren’t finished with stockings! Next time, we’ll have a Create Your Own Stocking Night and actually get creative. We’ll gather our supplies, make our own stockings, and see what we can come up with. Because sometimes the best Christmas memories aren’t made while we’re shopping. They’re made while we’re making something together.\

Today’s Ticket Challenge

Make or start planning your own Advent calendar: 1 ticket Read for 10 minutes: 2 tickets That’s up to 3 tickets from today’s post! Remember, the rewards are up to your family. GreatfulMoments is just providing the activities and the fun.

---

Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed.

GreatfulMoments.com

Thank you,

Glenda, Charlie and David Cates