Mini Traditional Stockings

In England, certainly during my parents and grandparents generations, Christmas stockings were filled with simple treats and a toy if you had been good that year. For my siblings this year I am going to recreate the simple Christmas stocking of previous generations, although it certainly won't be replacing their sack of gifts.
I plan to include this in their Christmas Eve parcels (which I will talk about at a later date) but they are not to be opened until Christmas morning.
First I needed to find a suitable but cheap stocking. Stockings are surprisingly expensive so I settled (very happily) on this adorable little personalised sack from SnapDragon which is currently being sold for £3 a bag on notonthehighstreet.com. You can choose your own message and they will print it on the bags which are 100% natural cotton. They ship internationally.

I chose the message "(Name), Don't Open Until 25th December". It seems the perfect size as a larger sack might have looked a little empty while this will only require a few treats to make it look stuffed with exciting gifts.

Now with planning what to put inside of it. Although I have purchased the bags I don't plan on buying the treats until November/December so they are as fresh as possible. I plan to include:
A candy cane
A clementine
A sugar mouse
Chocolate coins
A guardian angel

The chocolate coins are simple as they are sold everywhere in England at Christmas time. We used to attempt to hang the bags from the tree every year but they would inevitably fall through the branches and get lost or eaten by an apparently suicidal dog. But here is a cheap online buy on Amazon at only 70p a bag. I only plan on scattering some coins in each stocking rather than putting a full bag in so I will only need a couple of these.

Again clementines sold with their pretty green stems and leaves still attached are commonplace around England in the build up to Christmas but make sure you get them before they sell out.

Sugar mice are a little harder to come by but quality old fashioned sweet shop Hope and Greenwood do some very pretty pastel coloured sugar mice at 3 for £3.99.

As for candy canes in previous years I have opted for the American import of Hannah's Natural candy canes as they are satisfyingly thick and have a variety of interesting flavours but I can't currently find them on sale on this side of the pond yet.

And finally a guardian angel. These are tiny handmade clay angels which are a sweet little protection charm which while not holding any real powers can be used as a good luck charm for the year ahead and beyond.

These mini Christmas sacks are a lovely way to start the day especially for impatient children waiting for their parents to wake before they can open their presents.

Once I have collated all of the pieces I will make another post on how I put it all together and finished it.