Looking For Non-Toy Stocking Ideas

It's kind of silly, but my dad always gets us scratch off lottery tickets for our stockings. We never buy them any other time of year--or any lottery tickets for that matter--but it's always been fun to see if anyone wins anything. Someone always gets something (usually $1) but occasionally there's a big winner. I got $100 once! It's one true surprise for Christmas morning, and it's a lot of fun.
And to this day, my mom puts a new box of crayons in my stocking. I'm 33. I have a lot of crayons.

back when I was little, stockings always held the camera film and flash bulbs! Guess we won't be doing that anymore, but I do love the disposable camera idea for small ones to take their own pics (and if they are into it, they could do there OWN minibooks when they are finished!) For my sig other I fill with the little things that he is interested in...golf balls, tees, passes to the indoor golf dome, fishing hooks, fishing line, bobbers, Harley socks....anything little! AND always, a sack of red and green M&Ms. It is just not Christmas without them!

stocking stuffer ideas that are not candy or toys...
the mini-hang up calendars for their rooms, new toothbrushes (always a hit), and the much anticipated Husker or Dallas Cowboys socks. Even Dad likes these!

Ali when my brother, sister and I were growing up, my grandmother always came into town and spent the night Christmas Eve, and she made it her job to fill the stockings. Part of the fun of Christmas was opening those stockings from Nana... you never knew what you would find! From tube tops, to toothbrushes, to those tiny little packets of sour powder they sell at the convenience-store counter (pickle flavor, lemon, lime). And candy that was God-only-knows how old! Nana is 88 now and we believe in the beginning stages of dementia. Those fun and funny memories of her remind me of how important a role she has always played in our lives. Thanks for this post.

definitely toothbrushes! i got one every year as a kid and now i'm continuing the tradition with my son!

Chapsticks and hand lotions are a must! :)

This year for our stockings I am aiming for mostly perishable-type things. Maybe that's not the right word...I mean, stuff that gets used up and then is gone. Like: food things, art supplies etc. I got my kids their own packets of Kool-Aid to make since I am a 100percent juice nazi and never give them punch or lemonade. And bags of chocolate covered pretzels...treats they don't normally get. I just don't want to be overrun with a million little things once Christmas is over. I have three kids and I realize that for us, all the $1 toys and little teeny plastic animals and stuff just end up underfoot and unappreciated. So, colored pencils, pads of paper (small notebooks), their own bags of microwave popcorn, marshmallows, stickers, and yes, a disposable camera. This year I'm getting underwater ones, because they're in swimming lessons and would have a blast taking pictures of their teachers and classmates once of these days. Ooh, and the small packets of crayola modeling clay that air dries. I think that should do it...my husband is the tricky one. I usually get him a cool music magazine or something because it takes up a lot of room! Oh, kids magazines would be good too. Cricket? Tape is a great idea too, kids used that up like crazy. I like to take out the normal scotch tape plaid paper and replace it with a cute paper to personalize it for them. Bean bags for your baby might be fun too...

My girls are 18 and 21 now so I try to put lil useful but often overlooked things. this year I found the cutest lil lint roller that closes on itself so it's perfect to carry in their purse and they always get lip balm or gloss and a travel size hand lotion.

Ali, Last year I found these little plastic coin counters at the Container Store. My boys LOVED them. http://www.containerstore.com/shop/laundry/laundryAccessories?productId=10005039

the profile card for a world vision (or similar) child that you have started to sponsor?
new lunch box and drink bottle for school next year
pens, crayons, erasers etc for school
a christmas ornament
a cup/plate to eventually make up a dinner service when they leave home
a calender for the next year (you can make a personalised one up with photos from each month of the year just gone)

LOVE Working Hands lotion - we live on it during the winter & I've sent it to relatives in Michigan for Christmas too!

Silly string :)

ooh this is a great idea for big kids! i've posted some more ideas (from the grocery store) right here: http://martawrites.blogspot.com/2009/12/grocery-store-stocking-stuffer-ideas.html

with all the pictures you take what about those keychain size digital pictures frames you could load it up with pictures of the family. Otherwise everyone has covered all my other ideas. I am doing a USB drive this year for my step-daughter but she's in High School and moving between two houses.