Oh, raisins were always in our stockings, too. Mom was the stuffer of stockings (I don’t think that was a thing my dad’s family ever did - he’s an enthusiastic gift giver but he didn’t have a tradition to guide him) and her parents were teens to young adults in the Depression, so they probably passed those ideas of What Goes in Stockings to her. And she was a kid during WWII so with rationing and whatnot, similar treats would make sense.

Zen, holy shit, that's terrible! All good thoughts to Sam, and I hope those x-rays show up soon. Unbelievable.

I love opening stockings on Christmas morning, and would be delighted to have only a stocking of gifts and nothing else (you can fit at least a couple books in there, and everything else I like to get as presents is small stuff like earrings, magnets, fancy chocolates, etc.), but that is definitely not how my mother rolls. However, I have fully embraced the idea of stuffing my own stocking (M isn't big on stockings, so I'd have basically nothing in mine if I left it up to him, though he's good with non-stocking gifts) and am quite happy with the treats I've bought for myself!

Zen, that’s wild. And totally not okay.

We always got a clementine in our stockings. Every so often one would accidentally be left in a toe to roast over the fireplace for several days, so that was always special We still go overboard on those - if I could convince my family to go to all stockings I’d be happy. Small, fun, and easy.

They’re all over-invested in big presents though (the giving more than the getting) so we get to stress and overspend every year.

Porto’s offerings are so much, you could get several days from them alone, msbelle.

I hope everyone heals up.

Stockings for random things like tools, flashlights, kitchen implements, weird finds,nuts, clementines (when they were rare finds,) candy.

I’m gonna miss the stocking.

Mild funk from all *this* and realized today being in discomfort from being turned into human barometer is not helping.

The kittens are thumping upstairs, I should go let them make me laugh.

Our favorite dumb toys-for-grown-ups store went out of business this fall, so I might have gone overboard on stocking stuffers. But there are things we will need from that store! Like these little monster finger puppets we put on the Tabasco bottle?

I might have to make the Porto's tomorrow for tomorrow and the 25th since I do not thing I can get anyone to deliver on Christmas Day.

Like these little monster finger puppets we put on the Tabasco bottle?

Those are necessary!

Also, may I suggest an egg of Silly Putty is always welcome in a stocking.

A cheese/charcuterie stocking is pretty fun to put together. Lots of nicely preserved summer sausage type things.

EM doesn't like sweets at all so I always get her fancy smoked oysters and clams and anchovies (which she loves).

Zenkitty, I hope Sam is okay. Teppy's right about the X-rays. You're right about the lawyer.

In other news, I'm watching a miniseries on Netflix based on a Harlan Coben book, but transplanted to England, and all the murders are much more jarring than they were in the original New Jersey. (Also it has ASH in it!)

Giles!