For various reasons the cardinal rule in our family was that my brother and I could quietly get up Christmas morning and take our filled Christmas stockings back to our bedroom to see what was inside.
This allowed Mom and Dad to sleep in until a reasonable hour on Christmas morning rather than being woke up at 4am, 5am or 6am.
It was a great trade-off and because of it I remember all the things that were in my stocking more than I remember any of the “big” presents that came later.
Number one on my list of favourite stocking stuffers was always the LifeSaver Story Book. That, along with a big red Delicious apple and a huge Christmas orange were always included.
Icy cups were also in the stocking (anyone else feel these were so much better than Icy Squares?) Also Chicken Bones. One year I got a Terry’s Chocolate Orange but didn’t like it (what was I thinking!?!) and gave it to my Dad.
Underwear and socks were stuffed in that stocking and usually a few of those plastic Little Green Army men. Little flat packs of balsa wood airplane gliders which never made it through the Christmas holidays intact. Usually a metal (later plastic) Dinky toy car or truck.
But the smartest thing Santa did for my parents was include a paperback book and a couple of superhero comics. I’d get engrossed in reading those and inevitably would fall back asleep until Mom or Dad would actually have to get us up to see what Santa left under the tree!
What was in your stocking? And what do you look forward to finding these days?
