Oh my, you all have given me a real case of “I miss my Mom.”
My family’s tradition, too, was fruit, nuts and candy. Our stockings were knee-high socks.

I have no idea where Santa Mom shopped for Christmas, but we all had a perfect, gigantic Red Delicious apple, a gigantic Naval orange & a huge tangerine, the likes and size of which we never saw the rest of the year. The Brazil nuts were always the last to get eaten…who could crack those? Almonds and filberts (hazelnuts) were the first nuts eaten. We always had ribbon candy, and the kind of candy with the little picture in the middle. It’s now very hard to find that candy in my neighborhood (another excuse to ask the internet). Each child got a candy cane and a chocolate Santa.

Every year was the same, except for the nightmare year when Mom decided to get earthy & gave us some horrific stuff called horehound candy. Lordy, was that stuff awful.

OK, time to start on the stockings for the grown-up kids.
Thank you all for stirring up the memories.

maybe I'll try that. It was just what used to be a regular cotton knit stocking-- I don't really remember anyone wearing anything like it, I think they were "old fashioned" 50 years ago (when my stocking was made!), but a ladies' stocking, only cotton instead of nylon, thick like tights, but "pre-pantyhose". My grandmother may have worn them...

Florence

I crocheted our socks to look like knitting. They stretch like crazy and you can put in an incredible amount of stuff. I never lined any of ours--so they could stretch. The only holes we have are from dogs chewing them (and the kids wouldn't let me make them new ones). So, I wonder if you could just take the lining out and see how that works. What kind of sock was it lined with? Tube sock?

Maybe you gals can help me with a stocking issue... my aunt knit stockings for us when we were kids, so my Mom used the same pattern and knit them for all of our spouses and kids. From her own experience stuffing, she learned to make them SMALLER! Mine was lined with a REAL cotton stocking, thus is as big as a real leg, up over the knee!
So anyway, here's the problem. The original cotton stocking lining is ALL torn up. (too many things with sharp edges over the years?) and I can't find a source for a replacement! I totally don't want to try to make one... any ideas?
Florence

I will be having my 18 month old grandson here for Christmas. We will have a tree and do some decorating for the first time in many years... We always use to be gone for Christmas holidays visiting various relatives.

This will be the first Xmas we will stay home. I have no idea on what we will do for our holiday traditions. I think we will start some new traditions. I anticipate some arguments about the baby spending time with the father's family. We try to divide the time evenly, but their idea of what would be equal time is weighted on THEIR SIDE. There were arguments last year when the couple were together, I do not know what will happen this year when they are estranged. MY DD has said the baby will be home on actual Christmas Eve and Day... no traveling. Who's home I an not sure. The baby can go to family parties on the weekend before and after Christmas but the actual day... he will be home....

We will see...

Stocking Stuffers ... I like new pJ-s, slipper socks and home made gifts... dvds, computer games are great... inexpensive kind... I find great games and software for $10....Most of the DVDs I like watching can be bought from the $5.00 bin at Walmarts ... books by my favorite authors are great. Both of these items can be an oldey but goody version. I do not need the newest bells and whistles. Of course quilty stuff....



My hubby is easy... choc chip cookies and chocolate (sugar free) Jars of fancy nuts, tickets for after Xmas special events or plays, Coupons for personal or special favors... ie back rub, foot massage, a special dinner ( ie lobster, shrimp or lasagna -home made from scratch. ) etc.

We both tend to like the home made ...or the I know this is what you love type of gift giving. For the past 5 years we have not bought each other anything major... We decide we did not really need anything so why waste the money. If and When we need or want something that is when we go for it... ie vacation in Florida for 3 weeks last winter... We got a great deal on tickets and just went for it.
I loved it ... I think I got a FQ from every QS in the state... 32 Florida type FQs...

This year grandson and daughter are in the house... what more do we need?

Stockings are one of our family’s favorite traditions. A few years ago, our three kids (including significant others!) started making a date a few days before Christmas to get together to go stocking shopping for DH and I! They really enjoy it, and pooh-pooh me when I tell them they don’t need to feel obligated to continue, as it’s more difficult each year for them to get together due to work schedules, etc. Part of the reason they started this was watching my DH over the years as he excitedly would go stocking shopping for their stockings on Christmas Eve; I gave up worrying about how much he was spending, because he enjoyed it so much!

Our family loves to get state lottery scratch-off tickets in their stockings. It's part of the tradition to all "scratch" to see if anyone wins. Our son loves his stocking as well. In fact now that he is married and a father, he still insists that I bring his stocking. It just goes to show you its the simple things.

My brother and I always had an orange and an apple plus nuts in our stockings. Plus sometimes a pair of socks and some small toy. The stocking was what we could get into first thing in the morning before the folks were up. Great memories.

When I was a child in cold Minnesota and orange was a rare treat and so were apples in the wintertime. So my stocking always had an orange in the toe, an apple on top, mixed nuts in the shell (another rare treat) and Fanny Farmer candies thrown in. The FF candies often came in boxes that were usuable later. Christmas tree ornaments or small boxes in unusual shapes for wonderful treasures. Since DH's family didn't have many special traditions for Christmas, we did the same for our children. Later ds introduced that to his stepchildren and dd does the same for dgd. Even though apples and oranges can be gotten every day of the year now, remembering former times with the grandchildren is always special. Only regret, the Fanny Farmer collectible boxes are a thing of the past. We also gave each of the children a Christmas ornament (usually hand made) each year and marked them with their name and the year. When they left home to have homes of their own, the ornaments went with them. Christmas has always been special for me and I plan for it all year long. This year's gifts are in Minnesota and Illinois waiting for Christmas. Now I can concentrate on the holidays for myself. Ann

This year, I made a few passport covers as gifts for a few loved ones who recently got passports. They are so fun, quick and easy to make and can be personalized for the recipients.

Here's the link to the passport cover tutorial I used ---> http://sewbunnybum.blogspot.com/2008/04/passport-sleeve-tutorial.html

I also made some matching luggage tags. Here's a few fun luggage tag tutorials--->

custom fabric http://www.susiescountrygarden.com/
cupcake http://www.urbanthreads.com/pages?id=363
two-sided http://justsomethingimade.blogspot.com/search/label/Luggage_Tags (This website has a lot of great tutorials, so browse around)

Enjoy,
Nancy

JoAnne, we had orange trees,, too, but I think I got tangerines. My DH came from eastern Europe and he had an orange once a year. I can remember nuts and maybe a new set of jacks and life savers.. I was an only child so had to entertain myself. I remember playing jacks by the hour on the hard wood floors.

I have found over the years that my girls think that their stockings are the best part of Christmas giving. I have tried to send their stockings home with them but they won't buy that idea. I put chap sticks, cosmetics(then I am sure they are throwing out the old stuff before bacteria gets too bad), finger nail polish and candy. The grands are harder to buy for and husband is about the hardest. I too have to fill my own stocking. I have stuffed my DH's with stuff to clean his guns, pellets for his pellet guns, hunting socks and of course, candy. Oh, I forgot--when the girls had homes of their own, I started making Christmas ornament and putting them in their socks.

I have found over the years that my girls think that their stockings are the best part of Christmas giving. I have tried to send their stockings home with them but they won't buy that idea. I put chap sticks, cosmetics(then I am sure they are throwing out the old stuff before bacteria gets too bad), finger nail polish and candy. The grands are harder to buy for and husband is about the hardest. I too have to fill my own stocking. I have stuffed my DH's with stuff to clean his guns, pellets for his pellet guns, hunting socks and of course, candy.

Each year my girls (15 and 10) know what is going to be in their stocking, toothbrush, a Christmas ornament to add to their collection and a dvd to watch on Christmas Eve, since we do not open any presents till Christmas Morning.