50+ Christmas Stocking Traditions

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Stockings are definitely my favorite Christmas morning tradition (and the most fun gifts for me to pick!).

In my family growing up, we always had Pez dispensers and I loved seeing what characters my parents picked out for each of our stockings.

My husband’s family always did a massive amount of snacks with Pringles as a favorite and we’ve continued both of those stocking traditions in our family.

I asked on Instagram what stocking traditions other families had and I loved hearing the wide variety of answers!

Some of the traditions were around what gifts or treats went inside the stocking while other stocking traditions were about where and when they were opened!

If you need some good ideas for stockings for Christmas, I hope this post will helpful!

50+ Christmas Stocking Traditions

Fun Breakfast Item
Think like Pop-Tarts, mini cereal boxes, or a favorite cereal – it makes for a playful stocking stuffer that keeps the hangry at bay if you open stockings first while the rest of the morning unfolds.

Chocolate
I don’t think anyone is surprised this made it on the list. The fun part about chocolate is there are so many different kinds – here are some of the items people said they find every year in their stocking!

Water bottle
This one is a simple, useful stocking tradition. One of those gifts everyone needs and always appreciates – because you really can’t have too many.

Quarter
It may sound a little silly, but I can totally see this becoming a charming tradition – fun to discover in a stocking, and honestly, there are still places where a quarter comes in handy.

Toiletry Items
Giving something practical and consumable is something I love doing. Here are some of the suggested toiletry stocking items

Jewelry
It may come in a small box (perfect for tucking into a stocking), but opening it is always a thrill. Whether it’s a necklace, earrings, or a ring, any piece makes a perfect gift. My favorite place to get jewelry is Hey June. I wrote all about it here.

Lottery Scratcher Tickets
For only $1, they add a spark of fun to Christmas morning as everyone scratches to see if luck might be on their side.

Fun Drinks
Mini Martinelli’s, a Jarritos, a small soda, or even a Kool-Aid packet – little drinks feel extra festive tucked into a stocking.

Socks and Underwear
I mean, who couldn’t use a refresh of these essentials!? I love this one too because you could go very basic or you could go super crazy fun!

Whoopie Cushion
A silly, timeless joke gift that somehow never stops being funny.

Wrapping Paper Clue
A tiny crumpled slip of wrapping paper in the print/design that tells you which gifts under the tree are yours. Simple, clever, and surprisingly fun.

Bandaids
A box of fun bandaids or a small ace bandage is practical but still feels playful – kids especially love these.

Magazines
A favorite magazine rolled into a stocking feels old-fashioned in the best way and gives everyone something to flip through on Christmas morning.

Small Stuffed Animal
A tiny plush or character stuffy is a sweet, cozy surprise for little ones.

Movie Theater Tickets
A pair of tickets for a post-holiday outing – easy, fun, and something to look forward to.

A Special Ornament
A simple angel ornament (or any small ornament) adds a sentimental touch and becomes part of the family’s collection.

Roll of Tape
A surprisingly useful little stocking add-in, and one that always gets used.

A New Movie
A DVD or digital movie code for a family favorite or a new release, it’s the perfect gift for a movie night later in the week.

Snacks
Dried apricots, popcorn, chips, pouches, nuts, Easy Cheese with crackers, olives, cherries, smoked oysters – stockings are the perfect spot for everyone’s favorite little treats.

Fun or Nostalgic Candy
Pop Rocks, Life Savers books, gum, “coal” candy, Neccos, or treats from your travels, nostalgic sweets make stockings feel magical.

Small Toys
A wind-up toy, Schleich animal, or classic Hot Wheels cars, such a simple idea that will get a whole lot of love!

A Piece of Fruit
From a mandarin orange in the toe to a grapefruit (or even a full pineapple or coconut) fruit is a traditional and charming stocking filler.

Traditions:

Open Stockings Last
Some families save stockings until the very end of Christmas Day. It’s a sweet, way to wrap up the holiday and gives everyone one more moment to look forward to.

Or…Open Them First
Other families do stockings before anything else – sometimes even before parents are fully awake. Stockings left at the end of the bed mean kids can open them together and then climb in for 20 more cozy minutes while parents wake up.

Wind-Up Toy Tradition
A silly, delightful favorite: everyone gets a wind-up toy. Part of the fun is going to the toy store ahead of time and testing them all to find the funniest one.

International Treats
Santa “brings” snacks and drinks from the countries he visits on the way – everything from unusual candies to Japanese sodas. It turns stockings into a little taste-test adventure.

Sibling-Selected Stockings
Once the kids are old enough, they get a small budget and choose stocking stuffers for each other. It’s sweet, simple, and takes the pressure off making everything feel perfectly “even.”

Fruit at the Top
A banana at the very top of the stocking – and you had to eat it before opening anything else. A quirky tradition that’s delightfully old-fashioned.

Annual Ornament Tradition
Each year, every child gets a new ornament tied to something memorable from the past year – sometimes sentimental, sometimes just fun. By the time they leave home, they’ll have a whole collection of meaningful ornaments. Some families shared that the parents hand-make special ornaments (like a cross-stitched design) each year.

A Snack for Every Person
Each person has their “signature” stocking snack – I loved the family that said that in their home, it was green olives for the women and cashews for the men.

St. Nick’s Day Stockings
Some families do stockings on December 6th instead of Christmas morning. A fun way to stretch out the season.

Pez Dispenser Collection
Every family member has their own Christmas Pez dispenser that comes out every year, along with a few packs of refills. Some have had theirs since childhood!

The Diet Pepsi Tradition
A can of Diet Pepsi goes into a husband’s stocking every year (born from the year a newlywed couple forgot to buy gifts and threw one in as a joke). It stuck.

A Christmas Barbie
Even into adulthood, one daughter still gets a Barbie in her stocking every year. Now she’s planning to continue the tradition with her own daughters.

Beanie Babies Come Back
Parents tuck their old childhood Beanie Babies into their kids’ stockings – nostalgic, sweet, and completely unexpected.

In Honor of Mom
One reader said, “A box of candy Dots in honor of my mom. It was her favorite candy so now I include a box in all of our stockings. My siblings do it too for all of their family.” How sweet is that?

Nail Clippers in Every Stocking
A dad once shopped for stocking stuffers at Walgreens and always included nail clippers. Years later, his kids passed the tradition on, practical and surprisingly handy.

The “S” Stocking
Everything starts with S: socks, sweets, smelly things, silly things, small things. A fun theme that’s easy to stick to.

The Big Gift Goes in the Stocking
In some families, Santa’s big gift is unwrapped and placed in (or draped over) the stocking to make the stocking feel extra magical.

Stockings Are the Main Event
Stockings aren’t just for trinkets – some families fill them with beauty products, stationery, jewelry, and even bigger-ticket gifts. The stocking becomes the big deal.

Silver Dollars Wrapped in Foil
A reader shared “My grandfather always gave silver dollars wrapped in tinfoil to all the grandkids and great grandkids. When he passed away, my dad carried on the tradition. Then after my dad passed away, my husband and I took over the tradition.” I love this so much!

A Surprise Gift Card at the Bottom
One mother-in-law always added candy and a $100 gift card at the bottom of each stocking. The store changed every year, so the surprise was half the fun. This reader said she can’t wait to keep the tradition going once her kids are grown!

Stockings Instead of Gifts
Some couples skip presents altogether and only exchange stockings. It feels simple and intentional, while still giving each other something to open and enjoy.

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One Comment

  1. I found whoopie cushion bookmarks on Amazon! Unfortunately they won’t arrive in time to be added to our stockings, so I briefly considered just saving them for next year’s stockings. But honestly, I think I might be too excited to wait, my kids are gonna love them! 😂

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