One year I fished some charcoal out of the fireplace and told the kids Santa left them a lump of coal (in addition to their regular stocking stuffers). It didn't go over very big...
While I was doing my xmas shopping, I bought two sweaters for myself. And some little prints for the kitchen. And some cadles for the bathroom. All in all, about $70.
cjhsa- i did the same thing last year, filled 4 stockings with coal lol.
boy did i get the silent treatment for awhile.
My husband has a 'kid' brother -- 14 years younger -- and when we first got married we decided to do a stocking for him (since his parents never did it). Hubby insisted on topping the stocking off with coal as well. Pooer kid was sooo excited about getting the stocking until he started opening up the wrapped coal. We had to encourage him in order to get him to go further down and get to the good stuff. Wonder if he's ever forgiven us?
My mom's family had felt stockings made by a relative (I think my great aunt), and when my mom got married, her sister (my aunt) made one for my dad (nevermind that he's Jewish) and then for me when I was born. That same aunt then made one for hubby when I got married and the sozlet when she was born. Really nice. (Felt, with various handsewn Christmassy things like poinsettias and holly and wrapped presents and snowmen and santas and suchlike. 1 or 2 of those per stocking.)
I was an only child, so even though we were poor, I usually had a little toy peeking out the top, then nuts and a pomegranite in the bottom. My mom continues to take care of stockings -- she usually comes here for Christmas and I just get stuff for her (soaps, pretty little things like a small silver pin), and she fills up everyone else's stocking.
Bandylu, isn't in interesting how the moms do the shopping? Hubby gets a few things for me -- I do everything else. (Including shopping for his parents and 4 siblings and their kids, and including items specifically "from" him.)
And my hubby won't even do the shopping for me until I give him a detailed list (complete with sizes and colors) though he does usually slip in some sort of a real surprise. I am pleased to see that my daughter and her significant other shop together for all family presents and my son and his significant other each shop for their own family presents (though they are given from both). Maybe things are really changing?
I wish we had some 'heirloom' stockings like yours, sozobe. Ours are all store bought and though I still have the originals from when my son and daughter were born (they're now 29 and 24), it would be nicer if they were handmade.
Okay, I posted this after yours sozobe (obviously cause I was talking about what you'd posted) but it never showed up on the 'big page' so I'm posting again to see if it'll show up (I posted it just before A2K went down for me so maybe that's why though it is here so....)
bandylu
I KNOW what you mean
Now, with all the grandkids
and my daughters all being over 30
I have given up on the stocking deal
Half the time, they aren't even here.
Inlaws to see, friends to visit. Once in
awhile - there is time for old mom.
