This guest post is brought to you in collaboration with Just Miniatures. I know, I know, it’s only September, but I’ve already bought some of my gifts for this year, otherwise I’d never make it through the holiday season.
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The Christmas stocking might seem like the easiest gift to handle come Christmastime, especially as you don’t have to faff about with all that wrapping paper and sellotape. But then when the time comes to put the stocking together you can often find that you don’t have enough small gifts to fill the space.
Every year it can be a challenge to come up with creative ways to fill Christmas stockings, especially if you continue the tradition as your kids get older and their tastes change, or if you do stockings for the entire family – adults included. Here’s a guide to make the Christmas stockings just that little bit easier this year, and help you find great gifts for all the family.
A New Hobby
We think of stocking gifts as little, fun, throwaway items that will probably end up in the bin – or eaten – after a few months; and while this type of stocking gift most definitely has a place, it can be nice to include some more long-term gifts – such as something to start up a new hobby.
There are a huge amount of options when it comes to hobby gifts, for example you could include a little ceramic plant pot and a packet of vegetable seeds so your kids can start growing their very own crops, albeit on a tiny scale. You could also go for a starter kit of magic tricks to learn – they’ll love putting on a show for all the family.
For slightly older kids who already have hobbies, you can always include items to make their current hobbies more enjoyable, for example if they’re really into sports then you could add a pair of headphones specifically designed to stay put during activity. For big kids – aka the husband – you could go for a poker set so he can teach himself to play, and then have game night with his friends once the festivities are over.
Don’t Forget the Edibles!
Sweets and treats are pretty standard stocking fare as they’re guaranteed to be a hit with all ages. Whether it’s the traditional Satsuma and walnut, or something more avant garde like a gift voucher to their favourite restaurant, there should always be something delicious in a stocking – Christmas is a time of guilt-free indulgence.
For younger kids go with a gift pack of their favourite sweets, as well as a few surprises that they might not have tried before – even if they end up not liking them, it’s an exciting experience to discover and try new things. For slightly older kids you can include things like jelly cubes in interesting flavours, international sweets that they won’t have seen before, or bake mix – an activity and a treat!
For avid chefs a good wild-card option is to include a Christmas themed recipe book, and maybe a little ingredient kit for one of the recipes so they can get straight in the kitchen. Finally for adults include some of their favourite chocolate, a selection box of truffles, and other snacks – including savory ones like beef jerky. Don’t forget to include a little of their favourite tipple from a company like Just Miniatures… well it is Christmas after all.
