Old Saint Nick first began filling stockings many, many years ago when he came upon a house of a very poor family. Knowing this, he dropped three small sacks of gold coins down the chimney. As it turns out, earlier that day, the three sisters in the house had hung their socks up to dry by the fireplace. So as a result of these two actions, the sacks of gold coins from Saint Nicholas landed right inside of the socks. And thus, the tradition of stuffing stockings began.
Times have changed, everyday socks have turned into seasonal and decorative stockings, and a large variety of different presents now appear each Christmas morning, but the magic of this tradition is still the very same. I don’t know how it happens, but every year I believe I’m done with my Christmas shopping, but then I remember... the stockings! I have a preschooler and a toddler this year, but I’m pretty convinced that no matter the ages, stocking stuffers can always be categorized into three compartments: practical, playful, and seasonal. However, to be more age-specific, I’ve compiled a list of the perfect stocking stuffers specifically for toddlers! (For stocking stuffers for infants, click here.)Practical
This category consists of typical and useful items that will be used throughout the year. You know, things like the following:-
Underwear
KicKee Pants Boxer Briefs Set - Dark London Stripe and Navy Fox
Stance Girls Socks Box Set - XO
Stance Girls Socks Box Set - XO
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
Baby Banana EleFriend Bendable Toothbrush for Toddlers
- Hair accessories
Meri Meri Hair Accessories - Pom Pom Pins
Playful
Although I’m slowly but surely figuring out that there is indeed such a thing as too many toys, my toy rotation strategy allows me to continue to buy my kids all things playful. The tricky thing with toys as stocking stuffers is finding age-appropriate toys (read: toys that wont be choking hazards) that fit inside of a stocking. Tricky, but possible. Here are a few ideas:
- Faux electronics
- Cars
- Musical instruments
Seasonal
I don’t quite understand why we buy so many Christmas-themed stocking stuffers that will be outdated exactly one day later all the way until the next December, but alas, we continue to do so. And these additions are my favorite because of the extra Christmas Magic that is added in! This category most often presents itself as candy or treats, but there are a few other fun ideas to throw into the mix as well, such as the following:
- Tattoos and stickers
Meri Meri Temporary Tattoos
- Books
Chronicle Books 12 Sleighs of Christmas
- Nativities
Little Sapling Toys Modern Block Nativity 6-Piece Set
- Mittens and boots