Cheap Stocking Stuffers | Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

I totally love the tradition of Christmas stockings but my goodness the cost of all those little stocking stuffers and fillers can really add up!

And in last minute panic you can spend heaps on stocking stuffers that don't even get played with.

But kids appreciate the simplest things and so you can save loads on stocking stuffers by stocking up on crafts, clothes and kitchen stuff they need anyway and on making lovely gifts of your own.

And you really can make lovely gifts without any crafting skills at all ... a ball of sparkly play dough in a confectioners bag tied with ribbon, for example, will go down a treat but really couldn't be simpler.

As part of my Christmas planning I am going to try and tick a few of these fabulous cheap stocking stuffers off my list every week between now and Christmas.

I'm also sharing the list with friends and family to give them some low cost options for presents that will really be appreciated.

If you're looking for more Christmas ideas check out the links from brilliant bloggers at the bottom of this post ... and do share all your own wonderful Christmas posts old and new ...

100+ Cheap & Home Made Stocking Stuffers

Crafts

Sparkly home made play dough in confectioners bag or jar with ribbon
Decorate a doll kit - print out doll pictures on card & pack up scraps of fabric, ribbon, yarn & pretty paper plus a little stick of glue in a decorated jar
Note pads made from scrap paper, old wrapping paper & ribbon
Glitter - mix up different colours in an old spice jar & decorate the jar
Sequins
Googly eyes - I am such a convert to these, the self-adhesive ones are better
Crayons - put 5 or 6 really small ones in a little decorate tin they can carry around with them
Pens - replacement for those that have run out or tiny ones they can take out with them
Pavement chalk
Scissors - so many children's scissors are beyond rubbish, get some good ones that will genuinely cut paper and card
Feathers - a great addition to the craft kit that can be used for everything from hat making to bird inspired art
Balloons - children love them & you don't need to save them for parties - there are all sorts of fun static experiments that you can do with them with even tiny kids
Stickers - yes they are the bane of my life but they are cheap as chips and beloved by all kids!
A chalk board created by painting chalk board paint on a piece of wood

Food & Eating

Biscuits iced with their name in a jar or confectioners bag
Home made fudge in a decorated jar or confectioners bag
Pastry cutter in favourite shape
A big rolling pin
A packet of pretty cake papers - with a "Let's bake cake together" message on the gift tags
A jelly mold in a favourite shape
Chocolate coins in a jar labelled gringots
Cups
Cutlery
Plate
Bowl

Books & Music

Old childhood books of yours covered in pretty paper
A library card
A stamp album made from printed maps plus international stamps wrapped in a grease proof paper packet
Home made instruments such as shakers
Story about them written by you
Story about you when you were little
Personal play list
Recording of you singing their favourite songs (unless like me you have a truly dreadful voice!)

Family Love!

A set of mummy & daddy treat tickets ... tickets that can be presented to parents entitling fun free activities e.g. baking cakes, going to the park, making bubbles, going on an adventure
Photo of mummy & daddy with we love you written on it
A whole family photo montage
A photo family tree with grandparents + grandparents on it
Print your own family snap cards using photos of the family with funny moustaches etc drawn on
A family treasure chest made from a decorated shoe box with photos & recording of lots of different members of the family sharing family stories
A picture with mummy & daddy's hand prints

Imaginative Play & Dressing Up

A no-sew tutu
No-sew doll's tutu
A no-sew super hero capes
No-sew teddy's super hero capes
A felt crown they can decorate
Doll's sheets made from old sheets with dolly's name embroidered on
Old jewellery of yours
Hand made jewellery made up of old beads from broken necklaces
A nicely decorated jar of old beads & ribbon or a shoe lace for making jewellery
Hand made button jewellery
A chef's hat made from old pillow case
Plastic coins
Print your own toy notes
A funny wig or beard made from wool
Mostly home made doctor's kit
Funny glove puppet made from old sock
Transfers

Plants

Pumpkin seeds - you can split a single packet between several children
Sunflower seeds
Poppy seeds
Squash zucchini & other gourd seeds
Green bean seeds
Their favourite vegetable seeds
A strawberry plant
Self planted tiny acorn sapling ... put some in pots now & if you're in luck some will root by Christmas
Self planted tiny chestnut sapling ... pot now & if in luck some will root by Christmas
A pot of daffodil bulbs to watch grow

Science

A make yourself snail terranium
A home made science kit
Paper & nicely printed instructions on how to make a perfect paper aeroplane
Magnets
A magnifying glass
A planetarium for bedroom ceiling - you can make your own or buy stickers
Wormery - make your own in a large jar

Bedrooms

A cushion cover from fabric scraps
A floor cushion
Cardboard letters of their name covered in washi tape, fabric scraps or wrapping paper
Bunting with the letters of their name on
Flags with their initials on
A home made snow globe
Little bags made from scraps of fabric for storing all sorts of games

Games & Tricks

Marbles
Jacks or five stones
Joke book written by you
Small bouncy balls
Hand made bean bags from old jeans and appliqued shapes
A decorated 100 point score chart
Pack of cards
Whoopee cushion
Green slime

Clothes

Umbrella
A cap with their initial appliqued on
Hair clips
Bobbles
Hair bands
Bright coloured shoe laces
Socks
Tights
Underwear with favourite characters on
Gloves
Hat
Scarves
Pyjamas
Wellie boots
Slippers

Bath

A funny face mitt made from a face cloth
A toothbrush with a character head & suction bottom
Hair brush in their favourite colour
Bath toys
Home made bubbles from dish liquid & glycerine & pipe cleaner blowers
Lip balm
Soap
Bubble bath
Towel with a favourite character on

Now obviously I am not going to put all that little lot in one stocking ... ;-)

But at the moment three finds I am loving are these big pavement chalks, a pack of transportation cookie cutters I can split across stockings and as we are doomed to blinking stickers all over the house, I am going to make a virtue of it with this fab pack of 1,000 letters & number stickers from Melissa & Doug ...