I’m actually getting quite excited for Christmas this year. It’s not so much that I had a case of the bah humbugs last December but now that Hector is a little bit older I’m curious (and excited!) to see how he’ll take the festive proceedings this time round.

Technically this will be Hector’s third Christmas despite only turning two in October so we’ll be making our dedicated journey to the local farm where they grow trees especially for this season. I have photos from both previous trips and eventually I hope to make a collage of this family tradition which will record us as we grow as a family. Our local Christmas light ‘switch-on’ takes place this Friday and if last year’s experience is anything to go by then it should be super fun.

We also have tickets booked to this magic lantern festival and I think we’ll try out the ice-rink at Webbs which I’m wetting my pants about because I CANNOT skate to save my life. Talk about packing it all in. But I’ve got carried away; today’s post is about stocking fillers after all and not really about how we’ll be spending the lead up to Christmas.

Books

As children my sisters and I would always without fail be the lucky recipients of a least two books in our Christmas stockings. We adore books, and thankfully Hector seems to has inherited this love of literature too. I’ve already bought him this Mes musiques classiques and this Les instruments since he loves music and it’s never too early to start introducing them to another language. Unfortunately he spotted them when I opened my Amazon box expecting something else (mummy fail!) so they haven’t been saved for his stocking. On the plus side he adores them – we look at them ALL the time and I’ve since bought the books for other kiddos too who love them equally!

I have managed to save these Touchthinklearn books from his prying eyes though. Since he loves animals I’ve opted for this Farm version and given his love of all things motoring (which I talked about here) I added the Vehicles edition to the stocking too. That’s not to say that you have to purchase the exact same books for your own littles. There are also other titles in the series featuring colours, opposites, numbers, homes and so on and so on.

The concept behind the books is that of double page spreads with raised shaped objects that fit into scooped cutouts on their opposite page to offer kids an opportunity to explore their universe in a hands-on multi-sensory way. They are beautifully illustrated too which makes it a pleasure for you to read again and again. I highly recommend!

Wear

It’s Christmas! So what better then than for the girls to sport some festive ‘twinkle twinkle‘ slides which Santa has so kindly popped into their stocking. I’m not going to lie,if I had a girl then I’d definitely be buying a set for her as well as perhaps for myself too…

For those kiddos looking to make a bit more of an impact then it’s got to be these Boom Kapow cartoon slogan temporary tattoos in bright colours. I love the shiny, holographic silver foil detailing.

It’s pretty traditional to find a pair of socks in your stocking…well it is in our household anyway and this Tiny Cottons green pair is awesome…Just look at all the tiny faces.

Lastly when better than at Christmas to indulge in a brand new pair of slippers? This Danish design is made from warm, thickly felted wool with a stitched on calf leather sole. Snug, lightweight and very well made.

Miscellaneous

I couldn’t not include an eclectic mix of random objects either. I’m sure we’ve all had the ‘what was Santa thinking here’ at some point in our stocking history. Looking back though, it’s these moments that really make me smile and which I cherish.

For creative tots why not include some pencil crayons so that they can write thank you letters and make festive cards for friends and family. This Spaceboy pot from John Lewis contains 36 colours and is a bargainous £2.95.

I love the idea of personalised decorations; 32 years on I’m still decking out the tree with baubles that were knocking around when I was small so I’m determined to give Hector the same sense of nostalgia whenever possible. First up has to be this very on theme donkey decoration from Daylesford which I love for its humble appearance complete with red santa hat. Adorable and perfect for wrapping up and popping inside a stocking.

If you’re after a bauble with your littles’ names on then look no further than Coco & Wolf who have teamed up with their friends at Twenty-Seven to create some gorgeous Liberty print ceramic baubles. These baubles would also make excellent place settings and potentially a dinner party favour for each guest to take home!

Staying with ceramics I would very much like one of these awesome mugs for myself let alone Hector (who has almost mastered drinking from a cup now). Designed by liege Denmark, I thought that these were an awesome way to announce that you’re pregnant with number two/three/four too. And for those pesky kids who faff about at mealtimes how about capturing their attention with these ceramic egg cups. The polar bear is season appropriate but I like the badger too…

Toys

For toddlers I love the idea of small toys in the stocking. I purchased a couple of wooden T-Lab animals from Archie’s Boutique for Hector’s birthday and I’ve invested in this Bambi and this Boston Terrier for Christmas to add to his stocking as well. Given how much he loves playing with them I know that they’ll go down a treat, plus they’re super cute and very tactile too.

Staying on the doggie theme I’ve been in love with this large felted schnauzer from Cox & Cox for a long time but he was always too young to legitimately justify the expense. Now that he’s two and because he adores these four legged friends I’ll be including it in this year’s booty.

I love the Maileg brand – we have the fairground animals, the lion, the strongman etc. But Hector loves his tooth fairy mouse the best…probably because it comes in a matchbox that he’s subsequently destroyed. This ‘Louis‘ mouse with necktie, striped top and matching bedding is also very cute! And this Grocery set from the same brand is giving me all the heart eyes. I mean just look at the ketchup and beans!!

And then lastly bubbles. Just because. I’ve fallen head over heels for these animal inspired versions at Kid O.

Sweet Treats

I’m a sucker for a satsuma in the toe; you can’t beat the smell of the fruit as you approach the end of your stocking and the scent sums up Christmas for me. That and a sack of chocolate coins with their crinkly edges and jangly wrappers once the contents have been eaten. Lush.

If you’re looking for something a little bit less traditional then this gorgeous set of advent biscuits from Honeywell Bakes make a lovely gift for a child (or adult!) in the lead up to Christmas, and the last biscuit can be personalised with the name of the recipient. If you’re after a smaller number of sweet treats then their Polar Bear set is just as adorable.

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