Best Inexpensive Christmas stocking ideas!

If you are like me, stockings are an afterthought. I put the presents under the tree and then those stockings are hanging there…staring back at me…begging me to stuff them. I’ve usually already spent my Christmas budget on REAL gifts, so I don’t want to spend much on the stocking stuffers. So, I decided to make a trip to the Dollar Tree to see what I could find. Would you believe that I found enough to fill all of my kid’s stockings – for under $10 each!! Here are things I found!

My #1 favorite idea EVER for Christmas stockings:

1. JOURNAL

Put a journal in your child’s stocking with the following questions (one question per page):

• What was your favorite book or movie this year?
• What is one happy memory from this year?
• What is one thing you learned?
• What did God do in your life this year?
• What are you looking forward to in 2018?

After everyone answers the questions, do two things: FIRST: Have each person share their answers and SECOND: Put the journal back in their stocking for the next year.

Not only will we get to reflect on good memories from THIS year as we talk about our answers, but we will also get to look back on all that we’ve learned, relive the happiest memories, and remember what God has done YEAR AFTER YEAR!!!!!

(Can you see why this is my favorite stocking stuffer idea EVER!!!!????)

There are LOTS of options for journals at the Dollar Store – I found a unique one for each person in our house!

2. CHAPSTICK OR LIP BALM

It doesn’t seem like we can ever have enough of these. Especially in the winter or dry climate of Colorado!

3. PAINT WITH WATER BOOKS

I LOVED these as a little kid and was so pleased to find them at the dollar store for my youngest boys!

4. DRAWING BOOKS

My kids enjoy drawing and I was so happy to see that the dollar store had books that will teach us how to draw animals and sea life!

5. BOOKS TO READ

There are tons of books for all reading levels.

6. ACTIVITY BOOKS

These are handy for holiday road trips. My kids also keep them beside their beds to work on puzzles when they can’t sleep.

7. LEARNING GAMES AND BOOKS!

These are perfect for 3-8 year olds who are just beginning to learn letters and numbers, or who are learning to read and write.

8. PUZZLES

Honestly, the puzzles at the dollar store aren’t my favorite, but they do make a simple and inexpensive stocking stuffer. Your kids can do this once, and you don’t have to feel guilty about throwing it away.

9. PLAY MONEY

My kids love to ‘set up shop’ in our house and sell their toys to each other. This gift idea a little too wide for our stockings, but I still wanted to add it to the list because it’s an expensive gift you can put in a gift bag!

10. GAMES

There are so many to choose from – Checkers, Mini Jenga, TicTacToe, Card Games, Ball Games and more!

11. LEGOS

I can’t say what the quality of these are, but I went ahead and put one of these in each of my kid’s stockings so we could try them out.

12. CANDY or SNACKS

They have a ton of snacks from which to choose.

13. CUP OR WATER BOTTLE

Encourage your children to drink more water by adding a special cup to their stocking.

14. HAIR ACCESSORIES

I have four boys, so the only one in our house that uses most of this stuff is ME. However, I grew up with FOUR sisters, and I know how handy it was to have extra bands, bows, clips, combs and brushes!

15. CRAFTS

Lots of items to put in the stocking for the child who loves to draw, paint and color!

BONUS – If you are filling a stocking for your family pet – they have stocking stuffers treats for dogs and cats too!

Do you have a favorite item that you add to the stockings in your house? Comment and let me know!