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@shopaholic: yup, same here. Growing up, if we had them, they were just decoration. DH was the one who gave me my first fully stuffed stocking.

I still suck at stocking his.

There should be a stocking 101 class or something.

Our family didn't do stockings until we were older, for some reason. But then the stocking was for cheap/small gifts and candy--never totally full but with some things in there. We usually opened those first before the presents.

The advent calender we had didn't have treats or anything in it, but it was made of wood and each day had a little picture or figurine inside that you opened the door to look at. It was fun seeing what would be inside the door of each date.

Growing up, my sister and I would always wake up super early on Christmas day to see what Santa had stuffed our stockings with, usually small toys, crayons, candy, lip smackers, etc... It was one of my favorite things about Christmas. I still do it now for DH and LO.

Stockings were a big tradition for us as a kid. We'd get chocolates and other small stuff, but as we got older, it's where Santa put our money envelopes.

Even though we're doing an Advent calendar (it's DH's tradition) and it's essentially stockings with a small gift everyday, I still want us to have stockings stuffed. I'll put the dragon stuffed animal (from Ikea) that matches the rest of the little fairies I'm planning to put into her Advent calendar and maybe an Aquadoodle and stickers. Small things.

Yes!! My parents went a bit overboard with stockings... My brother & I could fit inside them! I would wear mine like a mermaid when I want little, lol. But it was always filled. Books, cds, toiletries, candy, clothing, smaller toys, magazines. We open our stocking items first & then the rest if our presents on Christmas morning.

My nana would send an advent calendar each year with a chocolate behind each day. They were the kind you throw away after, not the refillable ones.

@Bookish: yes, they're empty till Christmas! Then we would get little, practical gifts like toothbrushes, deodorant, gum, etc. in the stockings. I have no idea what to put in LO's stocking this Christmas!

we got small items in our stockings, little toys when we were young, and now more "practical" stuff like razors, lip balm, mini flashlight for key chain, pens,....that kind of thing. There is always chocolate, and an orange in the toe. We open ours before other presents. When we were little we weren't allowed out of our rooms until 6, and then we would go get our stocking to open on our parents bed while they woke up. This held us off so they could get up, make coffee and breakfast, etc

ETA: T is way too little to have any idea whats is going on, but I'm still so excited to do her stocking. I think it will just have socks, a puppet/finger puppet, and maybe a banana or pear-her favs!

Oh and advent calendars. We always had a decorative one that was hung upstairs. We just changed the icon on the date each day as our "countdown to Christmas." My husband got one of the boxes with candies in it.

We always did stockings growing up, and my parents actually still make us stockings! My dad always handled all of the stocking stuffers. It was usually necessities (tooth brushes, tooth paste, deodorant, shampoo, etc.), and then some fun stuff. We'd get lots of candy, gift cards, jewelery, movies, CDs, etc. We usually get stocking + a plastic bag of the overflow my dad couldn't get into the stocking -- he really goes all out!

I've been doing a stocking for Dan and I since we've been married, but they're definitely not as extravagant as my dad's. I hung one for Sadie last year just for fun, but I'll actually stuff one for her this year! Probably pacis, a new blankie, some puffs, etc.

My mom always buys us these type of chocolate advent calendars from the super market: http://www.amazon.com/Chocolate-Advent-Calendar-Santas-Workshop/dp/B001HLXZDU

Yes! Stockings were the best!!! That was the only thing we were allowed to "open" until our parents woke up. So on Christmas morning at 5am we would go downstairs and get our stockings and then all 4of us would sit on the bedroom floor and see what we got! So many great memories!!!

You have to fill the stocking =)

Yup! Like previous posters Santa filled the stockings and we were allowed to open them while our parents woke up. My mom made them so special and still give us a gift bag on Christmas Day for our 'stocking'. I can't imagine not having them - although they're a pain to buy for DH/DS - I find I spend a lot of time/money on them!

We fill each other's with small gifts and open on Christmas morning. Stockings were my favorite part of CHristmas when growing up and was so sad when my mom stopped doing them a couple years ago. (it just got to be too much with our ever expanding family!)

yep, with knick knacks, chocolate, etc. we open them on christmas eve

i never used to do it growing up, but DH & I started to when we moved in together, it's been a holiday tradition since and we can't wait to stuff DS' stocking this year!

as far as advent, we have one that's for decor and we have a few "choco" filled ones that DH finishes well before christmas

@mediagirl: OMG. Taking the stockings to Mom and Dad's bed. That is adorable...might have to steal this tradition from you

For us, stockings were hung empty until christmas, then they were filled by Santa overnight (usually with small gifts like hair bows, razors when we were older, shampoo, candy). We could open these in the morning while we were waiting for my Dad to come over and Mom to wake up more. Usually this happened sometime around 4-5 a.m. ha.

@bpcmarj: it was so much fun. Mom and Dad's bedroom also had a little nook attached to it that overlooked the family room downstairs. We loved going into the nook and looking downstairs to see all the presents under the tree!!

@shopaholic: Yes! Stockings are made to be stuffed! Similar to others above, our stockings would be full on Christmas morning. They were the only thing we were allowed to open before our parents got up! Lot's of little things (jewelry, candy, ornaments, etc.). So fun!

My mom was also awesome at making Christmas magical and a few times "elves" would visit and put something in our stocking in the weeks leading up to Christmas. An ornament for the tree, a book, stickers, pencil. Every day after school we'd rush to feel our stocking to see if an elf had come! Now I understand as an adult that my mom is a shopaholic and then couldn't wait to give us some of the things she bought, hence the invention of the 'elves' hehe

DH and I do stockings for each other now. Always candy, always a magazine or two. And fun socks have become a tradition too! Usually our stockings are so stuffed that we have to lay them under the tree. We are getting LO a stocking to match ours, but I have no idea what to put in it yet! Fun!

I love all the people who opened their stockings on their parents beds, that's adorable!

Growing up St. Nick came on Dec. 5th and filled our stockings. Googling it now, it looks like it's a German tradition, I grew up in the Milwaukee area and there's a big German/Polish community there, so I guess that's why we all did it. He brought candy and small presents like books, or movies, and we always had an orange in the toe.

DH and I do stockings on Christmas now. They're filled with smaller presents like candy, movies, or lotto tickets.

Similar to a lot of earlier comments, as a child, stockings were empty until Christmas days and we were allowed to open them before our parents were up. Always small stuff and candy. The fruit thing is because in the past it was really considered a treat to have fresh fruit in the winter, so it was special to have an orange in your stocking. (Not the same now when we live in a world where we get fresh fruits and veggies all year round.)

Now that we are adults, we still do stockings in our pjs on Christmas mornings, but there are several "Santas" and we get a fun assortment of small gifts (<$10) and candy. I really enjoy shopping for the stocking stuffers and since my mom and sisters are putting stuff in, there is not as much pressure to make sure that you have a full stocking for everyone.