Choose fun and practical gifts for the socks on the mantel

Christmas stockings are a huge tradition in my family. I handmade one for each of my children by their first Christmas, and I’m continuing the tradition with my grandchildren. I’ve also made stockings for my mother, husband, stepsons, son-in-law and my son’s girlfriend. Each person will wake up on Christmas morning to find a stocking filled to the brim with fun and practical gifts. It’s a major shopping spree for me, since I have 13 stockings to fill this year.

The challenge is to set a price limit for each stocking and shop wisely. You don’t have to spend big bucks to fill a stocking with useful gifts. My goal this year is to spend under $50 for each adult stocking (the children’s stockings cost about $10 each to fill).

Typically, I fill the adult stockings with mostly practical gifts, such as lotion, deodorant and socks. Additionally, the girls get cosmetic products and an inexpensive piece of jewelry. The boys get shaving cream, handkerchiefs and new razors. I only purchase items on sale or with a coupon.

I’ve learned that it pays to take your time and search for bargains.

When shopping at CVS for cosmetic products, for example, I found a flavored lip balm for $2.99. As I continued shopping, I found the identical product packaged with a lotion and hand sanitizer for the same price.

Shopping with a list helps to keep me within my budget.

When I was a child, Santa left my brother and me a few small gifts in our stocking as well as a $10 bill, oranges and nuts. Today, oranges and nuts are plentiful in our home throughout the holiday season, so I don’t put them in the stockings.

Even though my children are adults, I always put a toy or game in their stocking ranging from a Nerf football to card games, Silly Putty or a bolo paddle.

I’ve also been known to put an expensive piece of jewelry or money in my children’s stockings.

This year, though, I’m being more budget-minded. I’ve got a lot of stockings to fill.

MORE FAMILY TRADITIONS

* Katrina Beets Craven: “The gifts are never expensive, but we always try to find things that are thoughtful or funny,” said Craven of Chattanooga. “In addition to the small gifts, a Christmas stocking must contain some citrus fruit and nuts — a tradition passed down from my great-grandparents on both sides of the family. [It’s] a holdover from a time when citrus fruit was an exotic treat, especially in the winter.” Craven said the newest stocking tradition in her family started about five years ago with her then 5-year-old stepson. “We were joking with him one day about the need to be on his best behavior or he would get nothing but switches in his Christmas stocking. He had no idea what we were talking about, but he thought about it, made a connection and indignantly responded that he had been a good boy and didn’t want any light switches in his stocking. So, in addition to small toys, games and so forth, his stocking always has a light switch in it.”

* Renee Robinson Shoop: “Our stockings hold things like lip balm, a new ornament and a new, fun toothbrush,” said the Signal Mountain resident. “The ornament is so the girls will have enough when they leave home to decorate their own tree.”

* Laurie Perry Vaughen: When she was a child, Vaughen said, Christmas presents were opened on Christmas Eve. Stockings were saved for Christmas Day. “So it was the element of surprise and how good things come in small packages we enjoyed with the stockings,” said the Chattanooga resident. “We always got fresh fruit and Brazil nuts, chocolate coins covered in foil, Kennedy half-dollars and often an ornament or art supplies. Santa continues this tradition at my house with my kids. The coins tucked in the toe of the stocking are their favorite.”