Handmade Heaven: Mini Christmas Stocking Fillers

Good things

Aimee Brock
30 November 2010

Good things come in small packages – and even better small things come inside Christmas stockings. It’s the most exciting part of Christmas morning for littlies – diving their hands inside a bag full of treats. And the smaller (and often cheaper), the better!

As well as large sized Santa Sacks or stockings being made by crafters around New Zealand and Australia, Auckland-based Greta at Topography has made teeny tiny Christmas stockings personalised with your children’s initial that you can hang on the tree, mantelpiece, or their bedroom doorknob… or use as a way to identify a pillow slip as their bag, if you don’t have a large Santa Sack (simply pin or tie to the top). They even have little pockets to tuck even smaller treats into. After being chosen as the image for the front of the Felt.co.nz Christmas shopping guide, and highlighted on Lil Magoolie, they have become one of the most demanded Christmas decorations around – so get in quick to order yours!

The interest in her stockings made me realise there’s a real buzz going around for small things. So if you are keen on cute small things, here’s some ideas for other teeny tiny handmade treats to pop inside a mini stocking or a Santa Sack:

· Christmas themed cookies and baking cutters from Little Cookies – always on the ball with seasonal cookies and special classes for kids to decorate their own, Little Cookies has a full range of cookies, cupcake wrappers, cookie cutters and decorations perfect for budding chefs.

· Magnets and buttons from Nut and Bee – 'cute' is a serious understatement! Annette M Russell designs kawaii-style illustrations that often have a New Zealand twist. There are over 132 designs to choose from and you can buy individually or choose a set of your own choice.

· Hairclips from Songbird Designs – why not have a set of bobby pins custom made in a fabric of your choice – perfect to find a set to match your daughter’s special party outfit on Christmas Day.

· Fingerpuppets - for an older child, what about these ‘fish and chip shop’ finger puppets from Boocraft?

· Christmas wands from Kiana’s Headbands, available on MumMade – I love this limited edition range of fairy wands with Christmas charms attached.

· Toy Softie Reindeers – super cute and perfect for totting around in the car visiting family on Christmas day!

· Crayon Rocks – often ‘upcycled’, these crayons are designed to be easy to hold in little toddler hands – we love the Kitty Baby Egg Crayons already featured on babybites, or try these Crayon Rocks available down under from Bubbalooz

· Play food – there’s a wide range available on Felt including felt fruit and crochet food with rattles inside

· Dinky Dough – these little pots of playdough are available on Felt and are perfect for quiet time towards the end of an (over) exciting day on Christmas Day. They come available handmade in essential oils, in either “Sleepytime” mix (a calming mix of Bergamot, Lavender, Neroli and Clary Sage, perfect for wind down time or before bed) or “Breathe Easy” mix – perfect for the sniffles that often arise when the kids start to relax on holiday or go swimming each day (contains eucalyptus, tea tree, camphor and peppermint).

Next week – I’ll compile my favourite handmade Christmas Cards available around NZ and Australia!

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About the author:
Aimee Brock is a life-long admirer of handmade crafts and gifts, and recently started her own handmade children’s label, lily pad designs.