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As a child, opening my stocking to see what Santa had left me was an annual tradition met with much enthusiasm. In our family, it was custom to include nuts and oranges as a reminder of how rare a treat they were for our ancestors. After I had children, I carried that tradition on and added a variation of my own. With it came a fuller stocking, bulging with inexpensive trinkets to the velvety brim.
When the children were small, it was easy to figure out what to add to their stockings. But, as they grew, it became a challenge for me, which piqued my creativity. I've compiled several suggestions for different age ranges, including some ideas to help with grown ups as well.
Newborn-Age 1
Let's face it. A newborn doesn't really require much beyond necessities. However, it isn't too soon to stock up on a few extras for later down the road. Bath toys and accessories are excellent choices for wee ones. Tuck a traditional rubber ducky, foam letters, a water spout cover, and a couple puppet washcloths in your baby's stocking and he will scream with glee instead of fright at bath time. For a more practical route, jars and jars of baby food add up, so preparing early isn't a bad idea.
Ages 2-3
By the time your baby is on this side of being a toddler, she is fascinated by anything small and is improving her fine motor skills. While physical advancement is wondrous, her fascination is not necessarily a good thing because choking on tiny objects is still a concern. Keep in mind one word when selecting toys for this age group: chunky. Choose items with no miniscule, detachable parts such as dolls, Lego building blocks, bubbles, and balls.
Ages 4-7
As children grow, so does the variety of stocking stuffers you can choose from. Girls are especially interested in anything Barbie, so clothing and accessories for the doll are nearly a given. Some other ideas for girls include jewelry sets, make up kits, hair bows, purses, and nail polish. Matchbox type cars are a joy for any boy as well as creepy, crawly, rubber critters, SuperBounce balls/Koosh balls, action figures, and small Lego kits. For both genders, travel games such as miniature Etch-a-Sketch, stickers, comic books, coloring books, crayons, pencils, pens, and workbooks are simple things all kids enjoy.
Ages 8-12
The only real difference between the interests of the previous age group and this one is that children in this age range are moving toward putting away more childish things and opting for more grownup versions. Girls still want beautification products. They just want them from the grown up section of the store instead of the toy department. Bonnie Bell Lip Smackers, small bottles of nail polish in a rainbow assortment of colors, body glitter, barrettes, a brush, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets are all fine choices. Boys tend to like most of the same things included in the previous age group. However, a few other items to keep on your list of possibilities are electronic games such as GameBoy, baseball cards, and inexpensive computer games.
If you haven't introduced your child to activities such as art, journaling, music, or photography, a great way to get them started is to supply them with the necessities like a journal, painting/drawing materials, music tapes, film, and an inexpensive children's camera.
Age 13-18
Luckily, for the person who'll be shopping for the stocking stuffers, items such as nail polish, body glitter, and other makeup essentials are still appreciated. Perfumes, body sprays, and colognes are nice options as well. CDs are high priority with this age group, so subtly inquiring as to what music genre they might be interested is a prerequisite for purchasing. Other gifts that teenagers would love to receive in their stockings include movie passes, gift certificates to their favorite fast food places, posters, and books.
If they have a special interest like photography or art that has carried through, including items appropriately suited would be useful and well liked.
Adult
Far too often adults forget to pamper themselves in their busy day to day, so relaxation items such as bubble bath, candles, potpourri oils, slippers, flavored coffees, herbal teas, personalized mugs, and books from their favorite genre or author are considerate gifts. Certificates for lunches out during the work week and movie rentals for a night they want to stay in are excellent choices.
No matter the age, people typically love sweet treats, so tucking in candy canes or other candy for the kids and a couple gourmet chocolates for the adults is a delectable addition.
Be creative. Set a goal and challenge yourself in using a thrifty strategy to come up with ideas of your own and your gathering resourcefulness will be reimbursed with radiant smiles come Christmas morning.
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