Stocking Fillers

What makes a good stocking filler

A good stocking filler passes a simple fit test: it goes in through the top without stretching the stocking, and the full stocking still hangs without tugging at its hook. Measure the opening and the length, then think in shapes. Long, thin gifts lie down the leg, rounder ones sit in the heel and flat ones slide down the side. A few of our pieces are minis, so check the measurements.

Style is the other half. A mix of kinds feels fuller than several of the same thing, so pair something useful with something to play with and one gift just to raise a smile. Think about where the stocking hangs, too: at the end of a bed it can take more weight than on a mantelpiece hook. A few of ours also make a good birthday gift, so a spare need not go to waste.

Matching Christmas stocking fillers to the person

Start with what the person enjoys, and the choice narrows quickly. Some of our stocking fillers are meant for her and some for him, but interests tell you more than labels. A keyring is an easy win for someone with a first set of house keys, and a notebook and pen suit anyone who makes lists. You will find keyrings, notebooks and pens among them, along with some hair accessories.

Hobbies narrow it further. For a keen cook you will find a few kitchen accessories, and for a gardener a few gifts with the garden in mind, plus some storage tins and decorative bowls for anyone who likes a tidy shelf. Some pieces feature dogs, cats, hearts or flowers, and a few suit a teacher as a thank-you before the Christmas holidays.

Filling a stocking for a child

Stocking fillers for kids work best when there is something to do as well as something to open. Our range includes some toys and games, kits for making something on Boxing Day, temporary tattoos and erasers, along with some children's jewellery. A few feature unicorns, bears or other animals, and a few have a touch of glitter.

A few pieces are as useful when school goes back in January as on Christmas morning, so a notebook and pencils can earn their place twice over. Some also suit a party bag, which is handy if you have bought too many. Before a toy goes in, check any age guidance on its packaging, and keep games for the kitchen table rather than the bedcovers.

Putting a stocking together from the toe up

Fill a stocking in layers. The toe takes the heaviest, sturdiest gift, which keeps the stocking hanging straight, and it is where a satsuma traditionally goes. Soft and flat things fill the leg. Anything breakable goes near the top, wrapped, where it will not carry the weight of the other gifts, which matters for the few ceramic and glass pieces among our stocking fillers.

Wrapping makes the stocking last. Wrap the gifts that are fun to guess at and leave one or two unwrapped at the opening, so there is something to see straight away. Tissue paper is quicker for odd shapes, and little extras are easier to find wrapped together than loose in the bedding. A few of ours come as a set of two, handy for splitting between siblings.

Practical points for Christmas Eve

A few of our stocking fillers run on batteries, so check which batteries a piece takes and whether they come in the box, and keep a spare pack handy: a gift that will not switch on is a flat start to the morning. If you fill stockings once the house is asleep, lay the gifts out beforehand in the order they go in.

A few pieces are assorted, which means they are sent in a design chosen at random, and we cannot promise a particular one. If two children expect matching gifts, choose something that is not assorted, or be ready for some swapping after breakfast. Keep a note of who is getting what, too, so nobody ends up with two of the same.

Looking after stocking fillers once the paper comes off

Care depends on what a piece is made of, so start with the care notes on its listing. Some ask for a hand wash, a few simply wipe clean and a few should stay out of the dishwasher. For plastic or acrylic, a damp cloth is usually enough, though acrylic scratches, so avoid anything abrasive. Wood prefers a barely damp cloth and a dry towel, never a soak.

Metal likes to stay dry: tin, iron and cast iron can rust if left damp, and even stainless steel is best dried with a cloth to avoid water marks. Wrap ceramic and glass before putting them away, keep paper and card out of strong sunlight, which fades colour, and freshen felt with a soft brush. Fabric in cotton, polyester or nylon should follow its care label.