Photo credit: potterybarn.com
Can you believe it's only 15 days until Christmas? I have most of my Christmas shopping done, which is amazing for me. There have been times in my life that I was running around on Christmas eve looking for anything that would do. I love to give gifts, but I'm not always good about choosing just the right thing. Part of that is my frugal nature. I dislike waste and clutter so when I choose a gift it has to be practical, beautiful and a good value.
I'm still in a quandry about what to put in the Christmas stockings at my house. Here are some of the things I've done in the past:
small sewing kit
box of crayons and coloring book
hair stuff
chapstick
candy
gum
matchbox cars
mini flashlights
pocket sized notebook
gloves
novelty yarn (for my knitting daughter)
This year I'd love to put in crayon rolls for easy art transport. I'm a little worried about finding the sewing time. I'd also love to buy each one of my kids an invisible ink spy pen with black light decoder. (I want one too!) I'm having trouble finding the deal I want. http://www.lovetolearn.net/catalog/detail/pen/5 has them for $7 each, but that's a pricey stocking stuffer if I buy one for everyone.
So, I'm calling for help! Write a comment with your stocking stuffer ideas and I promise not to send spoiler messages to your kids. Just to say thank you I'll draw one name and send the lucky winner a little something for her own stocking: A beautiful Mary Kay lip gloss in any color of her choice. Winner will be chosen December 18th. To check out your color options visit my website: http://www.marykay.com/angelacoffman/default.aspx
Lips are in for a treat with this superlight formula that's saturated with moisturizers – more than 80 percent – so lips feel amazingly soft and supple. It smooths, softens and never feels sticky.
Apple and orange
Juice box
Cute Socks (maybe undies)
Pkgs of nuts & dried fruit
$1 book
Travel sized personal items (why do kids love small stuff?)
This year I get to add tights and hair bows!!!
And THANKS for the stockings : )
I enjoy getting your newsletter. The spy pen and light decoder thing sounds cool! My mom was just mentioning how she misses seeing what I put in the kids stockings. I like to find really different things. I tend to go to the Cracker Barrel to find things. Also World Market has had some classic finds that I wouldn’t throw away such as wood pop guns, harmonicas, metal cazoos, etc. Good luck to all of you!
How about stickers, mini-books, coupons to McDonalds, a bookmark, pocket-size kleenex, travel size shampoos, soaps, etc. My kids used to get so excited about Christmas that we’d let them open their stockings on Christmas Eve — they always enjoyed that very much!
A fun thing to do is put a note inside the stocking that includes a clue to where (in your house) a special gift can be found. Write another clue & put it in a box & wrap it up like a gift. Do this several times & at the final hiding spot, they will finally find their special gift. This is a fun game that creates wonderful memories!