Stocking stuffers for kids 0-18??????

[crayonblue]

For my extended family Christmas, we get together the Sunday before Christmas and give stockings to all of the kids. You get a stocking until you are 18 years old. Everyone contributes who has kids and the gifts should be around $3 or so. (Ends up being a huge box of stuff, not a stocking! We don't exchange gifts or anything for the adults. This works great because I have a huge extended family. It's fun to exchange gifts but really impractical with such a huge group. Anyway, I am hoping to get some ideas. This is my first year contributing to the stockings and I don't want to start off being known as the cousin who put crappy stuff in the stockings!

Here's the ages of the kids:
1. BOYS- 17, 16, 15, 14, 14, 13, 11, 11, 5, 4, 3, 3, 3, 8 months, 16 (he is developmentally delayed and likes kids toys)

2. GIRLS- 6, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 18 months, 1, 1

As you can see, we have lots of boys in the family! Getting together is so much fun and WILD!

Any ideas for $3 presents for the stockings?

[babymama]

Wow, that's a huge family!
For the girls 6 and 18 - I would say something like hair accessories bracelets, or earrings or some wacky socks - Claire's boutique is a great place for this sort of stuff. For the 18 month and 1-yr old girls, maybe a board book? You can get them for about $3 at TJ Maxx and Ross. Girls 2-5 - hmmm...all I can think of is hair accessories.

Boys 11-15 - what about a big water bottle? You know the kind with a screw top that stays attached (found in the camping section at Target). I've found some on clearance there for as low as $2.50 (Eddie Bauer brand). Other outdoor gear might be fun at that age. Last year I bought my (then 11-yr old) nephew wrist sweatbands for playing basketball, an he seemed to be really into them. Younger boys - coloring books, crayons, markers, sketch pads etc. The 17-18 yr old boys - maybe food coupons - like to burger or pizza or smoothie places or something like that or movie gift cards ($3 won't get them a ticket, but could pay for a popcorn or drink).

Lydia
Mama to Santiago, born 11/16/03

[new_mommy25]

playing cards, jax and ball, stickers, cool pens, markers, crayons, construction paper, coloring books, hair accesories, mini board books (Baby Einstein makes some cute, inexpensive ones), bubble bath, bath salts, candy, homemade CD's, jump rope, candles, wooden peg puzzles, pencil case, origami paper, squeeky bath toys

There are great things to be found at Ikea, dollar stores or bargains places like Big Lots, Ross etc.

[twinmama]

Definately check out the Dollar Tree if you have one nearby. I've found great little board books, candles, snacks, play dress-up shoes for girls and little picture frames there, and everything is really just $1. Also, check out the Dollar Spot at Target, recently they had some cute mini wooden trucks and mini Sesame Street characters and all sorts of fun little goodies.

At Nordstrom Rack this morning, they had cute little tubes of holliday bath confetti for around $2.50, which might be fun for the older girls. They also had lots of cute holiday socks.

Costco had a multipack of classic game pens (pens that looked like the game Operation, Twister, etc.), and I think it was $12 for 4. They also had a set of mini Muppet stuffed animals; 6 for about $13.

I second the recommendation for the fast food coupons. My Grandma always used to get me and my cousins a booklet of 5 $1 coupons to McDonald's and we LOVED them. We almost never ate fast food as kids, so it was such a big treat for us to be able to go there and "pay" for the food ourselves.

I love big family gatherings, can we crash yours? What's an extra two 1 year olds? ;)

Lisa

[jubilee]

some suggestions for the older boys (since I have an almost 13 year old) are:
--beef stick/pepperoni stick (like the long ones you see at the grocery store checkout stand) my son ALWAYS gets excited about those.
--gift certificate to a place that has good milkshakes (in my area that is Burgerville)
--glow stick/glow neckless- if you are getting together when it is night, those glow sticks that you snap and then they glow for 6 hours are fun. They can go outside and run around with the glow sticks. (the sticks die and are useless the next day, so it's not a very long-term gift)
--gift certificate to Cold Stone Creamery
--video rental gift certificate along with a bag of microwave popcorn
--bottle of that weird/cool soda- I can't think of the name, but they have holiday flavors and odd flavors. Each bottle has a picture that someone sent in to the company... Anyway, my son and his friends think it's the coolest soda and a real treat. It's a glass bottle. (Is it Jones soda??)

I think the whole idea sounds really neat!! I just might have to steal it... :)

[macassi]

I'm sure packs of Yu-Gi-Oh cards would be popular for the boys from around 5 to 11.

[crl]

1. Silly putty for everyone over about 3 years.
2, Playdoh for the 3 to 6??? set. (You can buy party packs at Target and split the little cans up among various stockings.)
Bubbles for everyone (you could even get the party/wedding size ones in bulk).
3. For the older kids, mini flashlights.
4. Candy--those orange chocolate balls are especially fun because you have to pound them into pieces. Also, Harry Potter every flavor jelly beans are a lot of fun.
5. Crackers--British tradition--you pull on them and they make a popping noise and things like paper crowns fall out.
6. For the 3 to 6 girls, little purses (even coin-size) or cheapo scarves.
7. For the 3 to 6 set, matchstick cars.
8. For the little ones, shaker eggs (found at music stores)

HTH,

[MelissaTC]

For the younger kids, Bath and Bodyworks has the fun foam antibacterial hand stuff. Matthew loves it and it comes in lots of yummy flavors. They are currently 3 for $10 right now.

I would check out the dollar store. They always seem to have lots of good stocking stuffers. I would also check the new $1 at Target. They have some neat things like decorative socks, little makeup cases, wood puzzles, etc..

[jubilee]

I came up with another idea for the older boys- Mad Libs! Do you remember them? The fill in the blank funny stories. I've found lots of them at teacher supply stores like www.learningpalace.com (I've never ordered from them since I live down the street from one of the stores). That could keep them busy too.

[crayonblue]

Yes, I remember Mad Libs! I'll look for them. Also what would you think of baseball cards for the older boys? My husband sells baseball cards. I don't know that kids are really into cards anymore. They are an expensive hobby. What age do you think would like them? DH is the wrong person to ask because he has collected since he was a little kid.

[crayonblue]

I like the water bottle idea. We are going to the Eddie Baurer outlet today, so I'll look for them.

Also, food coupons sound good.

[crayonblue]

Where would I find origami paper?

[crayonblue]

Sure! An extra two 1 year olds would fit right in!

I have a Dollar Tree, a Nordstrom Rack and a Costco a few miles away! Now, I have to find the time to get there!

[August Mom]

For the 8 month old, I would suggest a teether, board book, sippy cup or ball. Balls would probably be good up until 4 actually (maybe more).

For the 6 year old girls, I think Clik-Its would be fun. Target had them on sale recently. I thought there was a small package for just over $3.

Play-Doh/Play-Doh accessories would be good. Crayons and coloring books or paint with water books would be good too.

I think puzzles would be good for many ages. Also, for the girls (and if the parents approve) fingernail polish would be fun and inexpensive.

I would definitely check out Marshalls and TJ Maxx and see what you can find.

[crayonblue]

What are Yu-Gi-Oh cards? I don't think I am up on the current stuff!

[jubilee]

I know my son wouldn't be into baseball cards- but I'm sure it depends on the kids' interests. Jacob did have quite a collection of Pokemon cards. But at about 10 years old, any type of collector card became discarded by my son.