Christmas Stocking Ideas

I have thought the idea of "the Bedroom Christmas Stocking" a brilliant one since I first heard about.  I have since heard of several families that follow this tradition.  I wish I had known about it when our daughters were little.  It would have saved us some angry Christmas nights (when they come in every little while - sending a different sibling each time - to ask if it is time to get up yet).

I don't know if this is the idea from one family or if I have collected  several ideas from several families - but here is how I think it would work the best.

Sometime on Christmas Eve - if desired - a package is left hidden under one of the beds.  It can be a board game that all of the children can play or a book they can read together or even Lego to play with - but some kind of quiet activity for the group of them.  When the children are asleep, the parents come in with the filled stockings and either hang them from the bedposts or prop them against the bed.  If there is a child that never sleeps, then both parents come in together.  Mom brings a full laundry basket with clean clothes to put away but tucked under the clean clothes are the filled stockings.  Dad tucks the restless child in bed as a diversion and Mom puts the clothes away and props the stockings against the beds but acts like she is cleaning up - so Santa will know the children are being good.  When the children awake - they can immediately open their stockings and play with whatever is inside.  The families that leave the other present leave a note that there another present hidden in the room.  After a few years, it is automatic - the stockings and present are associated together and looked for together.  One mother was telling me that her sons were having such a good time that when when they came to get them for the Christmas Tree to see what Santa brought, one of her sons said, "In a little while."  They had to be coaxed away.  She said it only happened one year. 

I think this is wonderful tradition.  If your children sleep through the night - this is not a necessary tradition - but if you have children like so many of us - that are up and down all night.  This might be a tradition that you might like to start in your home.