It’s Christmas Eve and your kids have hung up their stockings ready for Santa. Here’s a guide to the best stocking fillers for your kids, whatever their age… along with the REAL reason you put an orange in their Christmas stocking
It’s Christmas Eve and your kids have hung up their stockings ready for Santa. Here’s a guide to the best stocking fillers for your kids, whatever their age … along with the REAL reason you put an orange in their Christmas stocking.
We've got Christmas stocking filler inspiration for all the kids on your Christmas list – from babies and toddlers to tweens and teenagers.
And if you ever wondered where the tradition of hanging up Christmas stockings came from, have a look below the gallery for the answer!
1. Chocolate coins
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Chocolate coins are a classic when it comes to Christmas stockings.
The chocolatey sweets are said to date back to the legend of Saint Nicholas.
The story goes that, in the fourth century, St Nick threw gold coins down the chimney of a family in need, which landed in the stockings they had drying by the fire. Which is why we eat chocolate coins today.
2. Novelty pens
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A novelty pen is a great stocking filler, some of our favourites include:
– colour change pens
– scented pens
– glitter pens
– pens with crazy toppers
– pens with your child's name on
You might want to treat older children to their first fountain pen, too.
3. Temporary tattoos
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Is it even Christmas if your kids don't have glittery unicorns on their face?
Temporary tattoos are fun and tend to come in packs, so you can save some for rainy days and parties.
4. Jelly beans
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There are so many unusual jelly bean flavours to try, kids will love tasting all the crazy combinations.
You can also get some pretty gross flavours, such as dirt and earwax. Bleurgh. Will your kids dare eat them?
5. A whoopee cushion
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There's hours of fun to be had with a whoopee cushion.
Kids will love trying to slip it under grandma's bum before she sits down for dinner or hiding it on the sofa for their next unsuspecting victim.
Any other joke shop finds will go down a treat, too.
6. Hair accessories
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If your child loves hair accessories then treat them to some new ones in their stocking.
Perhaps you could pick something to match the Christmas outfit they're going to be wearing that day?
7. A book
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If you've got a bookworm on your hands, the latest book by their favourite author makes a great stocking filler. It gives them something to read when the excitement's died down on Boxing Day, too.
For younger kids, a new picture book or fabric book is a good choice.
8. Stickers
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Stickers come in so many different shapes and sizes – from sharks to solar systems – you're bound to find some your kids will love.
You can buy sheets of stickers or get them a sticker book or album so they've got somewhere to keep them all.
9. Glow-in-the-dark stars
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You may well have had these in your own room as a kid.
These inexpensive glow-in-the dark stickers can be placed on the ceiling and glow when the lights are turned off. Magic!
10. A secret diary
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If your child's hitting their tweens, they'll love getting a diary to write down all their secrets. If you can find one with a key so no one can snoop, even better.
11. Socks
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Even the most mundane of items are exciting when Santa brings them!
If your child needs new socks, underwear or other essentials, they'll make a great stocking filler.
12. A new pencil case
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At this stage of the year, your child's pencil case might be looking a bit battered. Treat them to a new one – maybe a sparkly one or one featuring their favourite cartoon character.
You can add a few little bits of stationery inside, too.
13. A kazoo or musical instrument
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You might regret this but a kazoo or warbling bird toy will keep young kids entertained.
For toddlers, a mini tambourine or drum might go down well.
14. Nail varnish
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Older kids, tweens and teens might enjoy experimenting with makeup.
Keep them away from your own expensive cosmetics with some fun nail varnishes in bright colours.
15. A joke book
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Who doesn't love a good joke? Put a joke book in your kid's stocking and get ready to groan all holiday!
Want an idea of what you're in for? Check out these 100 hilarious jokes for kids.
16. Pop It toy
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Pop It toys are the new fidget spinners.
Similar to bubble wrap, you pop the shapes in and out. They've been so popular the last year that they caused the price of the material they're made from to skyrocket in China.
They're pretty addictive, and some experts even say the toys could even help kids concentrate and cope with feelings of anxiety.
17. Bubble bath or a bath bomb
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Make bathtime special with a fun colour-change bubble bath for younger kids or a decadent bath bomb for teens and tweens.
18. Sticky hand toy
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An oldie but a goodie. These sticky hand toys can be used to splat against anything from the walls to dad's back.
You could also get sticky wall crawler toys. Throw them at the wall and they'll slowly flick flack their way down.
19. Toy cars
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You can never have too many toy cars. They're cheap to buy and you can guarantee they'll get played with, so pop a couple in your child's stocking.
For younger toddlers, a push-along car that fits neatly in their hand is ideal.
20. A card game
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Card games fit perfectly in a stocking and are something the whole family can play. Some of our favourites include:
- Top Trumps
- Snap
- Uno (Uno Junior for younger kids)
- Dobble
Or go for a regular deck of cards and check out our top card games for kids.
21. A keyring or bag charm
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Younger kids might not have their own keys yet but they'll still love decorating their school bag with a fun keyring or bag charm.
22. A craft kit
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From model-making kits to jewellery sets, there are loads of craft kits available in toy shops and craft shops containing everything your kids need to complete a craft project.
Perfect to keep them occupied during twixmas.
Take a look at our arts and crafts pages for some inspiration.
23. Mini toy set
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Whether it's a Duplo farm scene or Lego Star Wars set, a mini toy set gives your child something to play with when they open their stocking, and can be used with their existing toys later, too.
24. A kaleidoscope
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This traditional toy will fascinate toddlers and younger children.
Turn the end of the kaleidoscope tube to view ever-changing patterns.
Discover more classic games and toys here.
25. Something from their favourite TV show or video game
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Whether it's a mug, stickers or a figurine, something featuring a character from your child's favourite TV show, movie or video game will always be welcomed.
26. A torch
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Toddlers will love chunky torches that change colour and play music, while slightly older kids will enjoy playing with projector torches that show pictures and stories.
Tweens and teens will like a small metal torch they can clip to their belt and use for exploring.
27. A bouncy ball
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Bouncy balls are loads of fun to play with outside – just don't let kids use them indoors or something's bound to get broken.
They come in loads of cool colours and designs, some light up while others are unusual shapes, meaning you can't predict where they'll bounce next.
Just remember, bouncy balls are a choking hazard so shouldn't be given to children under the age of three.
28. A selection box
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Worried there's just NOT ENOUGH chocolate in your house this Christmas? Pop a selection pack in your child's stocking and see how long they can make it last (two days?!).
The good news is there's always one chocolate bar they won't like so you'll just have to eat it for them.
29. A toothbrush
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Pop a new toothbrush in your kids' stocking and maybe you won't need to nag them to brush their teeth this Christmas.
Make it fun by opting for a character toothbrush, a light-up toothbrush or maybe even an electric toothbrush for over threes.
They're going to need one after all the sweets they'll be eating!
30. A satsuma
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It's not a Christmas stocking without a satsuma! Just don't expect it to get eaten, not when there's so much chocolate on offer.
Why are stockings hung at Christmas?
There’s nothing as magical as your child hanging up their empty Christmas stocking, only to find it filled with gifts from Santa on Christmas morning.
But where does the tradition for Christmas stockings come from?
The most popular legend is about Saint Nicholas, the Bishop who eventually became the Santa Claus we know and love. He travelled around Asia Minor (what's now Turkey) delivering gifts for those in need during the time of the Roman Empire.
One year, he overheard a widower talking about how he was too poor to afford dowries for his daughters and was worried they’d never marry.
To help him, St Nick dropped sacks of gold coins down the chimney. These landed in the girls' stockings, which had been hung by the fireplace to dry.
Got more festive questions? From where Santa lives to why he wears red, get the answers to all your Christmas questions here.
Where does the tradition of putting oranges in Christmas stockings come from?
It wouldn’t be a Christmas stocking without an orange at the bottom. And again, this tradition is thought to have begun with the legend of St Nicholas.
According to US museum, The Smithsonian, the story is the same as the legend behind the origin of the Christmas stockings.
But instead of gold coins, St Nick threw three gold balls down the chimney which landed in the girls’ stockings.
The oranges in our Christmas stockings today are a symbol of that gold.
Another theory is that during the Great Depression, fruit was such a luxury it was the ultimate gift to receive in your stocking. Unlike today, when kids want Lego and Disney characters.
If you think fruit is a bit too sensible for Christmas morning, you could always give this tradition a modern twist by popping a chocolate orange at the bottom of the stocking instead!
What do you put in Christmas stockings?
There are a few things that can affect what you put in your child's Christmas stocking, here's what you need to take into account:
What size and shape is the stocking?
If you’re using an old sock, or have bought a personalised stocking, just bear in mind that all your stocking fillers need to be small enough to fit inside.
However, this obviously isn’t something you have to worry about if your child is using a pillowcase, and the leg of a pair of tights can stretch surprisingly far!
What's your budget?
It's easy to get carried away with stocking fillers so set a budget and stick to it.
Lots of parents buy small gifts as they see them throughout the year to help spread the cost.
Are you going to wrap the presents?
If you decide to wrap each individual stocking filler, just remember Santa probably has different wrapping paper, so make sure you use different gift wrap to the presents under the tree.
Your child's age
If you have young kids, double check any stocking fillers are safe and don't contain small magnets or anything which could be swallowed if your child opens them unsupervised.
For older kids, make sure you keep up any family traditions. If they always get a chocolate orange in their stocking and this year Santa forgot, there could be trouble!
Where are you placing the stockings?
And finally, think about where you're going to leave the Christmas stockings – upstairs in your child's room or downstairs for them to find in the morning?
Or 3am, when they wake up in excitement...
If they're opening their stocking in their bedroom, it's a good idea to put in a puzzle, book, toy or colouring supplies that will keep them quiet and occupied – so you can have a bit longer in bed.
What to put in a stocking by age
Stocking filler ideas for babies
If it’s your baby’s first Christmas, you’ll want to make sure it’s one to remember.
Here are 10 cute stocking filler ideas for baby's first Christmas stocking:
- Soft toy
- Small bath toys, such as a bath mirror
- Fabric books
- Sensory toys, such as different textured balls
- Teething toy
- Wash mitt
- Sippy cup
- Finger puppets
- Baby rice cakes (if your baby's at least six months old)
- Stacking cups
Stocking filler ideas for toddlers
Your toddler might still be a bit too young to understand Christmas, but they'll love opening their stocking on Christmas morning.
Here are 10 ideas for stocking filler gifts for toddlers:
- A pack of toy food with each item wrapped individually
- Squirty bath toys
- Alphabet flashcards
- Chocolate Santa or other novelty chocolate
- Mini tub of playdough
- Small soft toy
- Children’s cutlery set
- Building blocks
- Washable pens
- Toy car or vehicle
Stocking filler ideas for preschoolers
Your preschooler has probably been excited about Christmas for months, and has told you exactly what they want from Santa.
Here are 10 stocking filler ideas for preschoolers:
- Simple craft kits
- Wipe-clean books
- Small musical instruments such as castanets
- Colouring books
- Crayons
- Chocolate lollies
- Imaginative play toys, such as pretend money
- Small toys like pocket dinosaurs
- Individual Playmobil or TV-show-themed figures
- A picture card game, such as Snap
Stocking filler ideas for kids
Your child might be young enough to still believe in Santa. Or they might have just realised the (*whisper it*) truth…
Either way, opening their Christmas stocking is probably still one of their favourite things about Christmas.
Here are 10 stocking filler ideas for primary school aged kids:
- Scented felt tips
- Toothbrush (why not pick an exciting light-up one?)
- Projector torch
- Joke present, such as a whoopee cushion
- Chocolate sprouts or other novelty chocolate
- Hair accessories
- Character keyring
- Mini Lego figure
- Jelly beans (especially the gross flavour ones)
- Tub of slime
Stocking filler ideas for tweens and teenagers
Your teenager might have stopped believing in Santa years ago ... but that doesn’t mean they're giving up their Christmas stocking!
Here are 10 stocking filler ideas for teenagers:
- Cinema tickets or cinema voucher
- Body sprays or bath bombs
- Nail jewels
- Novelty slippers
- Fairy lights
- Xbox/PlayStation/Steam digital gift card
- Anything with unicorns
- Personalised water bottles
- Costume jewellery
- Retro sweets
Get more inspo with this ultimate list of gift ideas for teenagers
Traditional stocking filler ideas
If you want to stick to a more traditional Christmas stocking for your child, you could include some of the gifts that your parents probably put in YOUR stocking! These could include:
- Walnuts
- Candy canes
- Chocolate coins
- Small wooden toys
- Traditional Christmas stories, such as A Christmas Carol
- An old-fashioned game like Jacks and Ball
- An annual
Cheap stocking filler ideas
Christmas is an expensive time of year. And it can be hard to know how much to spend on Christmas stockings.
To help save money, choose some cheap, but fun, stocking fillers.
Ideas from Netmums members include:
- Stickers
- Chocolate selection boxes
- Pencils
- Bubble bath
- Hair ties
- Books
- Magic flannels
- Bouncy ball
- 50p piece
- Socks
Discover more stocking fillers for under a fiver.
Not bought your child's Christmas stocking yet? Amazon has a great range – see more details here.
Etsy also has a lovely range of homemade Christmas stockings – see more details here.
Take a look at : The 38 best Christmas Eve box ideas for kids in 2022
Add a little extra magic and sparkle to your child's Christmas by packing a Christmas Eve box full of little treats. It'll make the night before Christmas almost as wonderful for the family as the day itself (and help keep kids occupied while you're busy preparing!). Get some inspiration from this list of brilliant Christmas Eve box ideas for kids of all ages, from toddlers to teens...
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Looking for more Christmas gift inspo? Check out our articles below, or swap ideas with other parents in our forum:
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