We put in our kids’ stockings small toys (like Matchbox cars), packs of pencils or crayons, travel-sized toiletries, Pokemon cards, new toothbrushes, and whatever else we can think of that’s small enough to fit. Then we add some candy.
We usually don’t put anything in for each other except candy, just so there’s something in them. But I think that might change next year (stranded at home due to snowstorm now - too late to get anything else for ours).
I can’t break myself of the stocking-stuffer habit, even though my sons are in their 20s.
It was a lot easier when they were little: a tennis ball, matchbox car and a box of cereal which would never be purchased at any other time of the year and the stocking would be full.
These days I buy the biggest pack of AAA batteries I can find, lip balm, mini-cologne, potato chips etc.
Yeah, our family did the stocking thing big time, and still do. Chocolates, little writing implements or tissues, maybe a lottery ticket. Back when I was a kid, me and my brothers would get a couple of Matchbox cars in our stockings every Christmas. Man, I loved those things.
I get two stockings every year: one from my mother and one from my mother-in-law. I am 31. My mother puts basically the same things in it that she did when I was 7: squirt guns, mini-flashlights, random things that blink, silly string, and all kinds of wacked out novelty candy. My MIL tends to put small, useful things in it like tiny tool kits etc. I love both stockings and look forward to them every year. Christmas wouldn’t be the same without a stocking (or two). Our dog gets one too but we leave the cat out because she is a little pissy and never seems to get into the Christmas spirit.
We do stockings. The last couple years we have been each asked to provide a stocking gift for each person in addition to the regular gift, so that Mom doesn’t have to do it all - although she does most. Stocking gifts are anything that fits in a stocking - gifts to me usually include earrings, christmas ornaments, socks, gloves - and sometimes things that don’t fit in a stocking are placed on the mantel above the stocking - and are still considered stocking gifts.
Stockings are the first things to be opened. It can be a struggle to get the stuff out sometimes - the stockings are old & made of yarn, so the insides are sometimes tight because yarn is yanked out of place. Mine says Santa Loves Me.
For years my dad would put chocolate covered cherries in my mom’s stocking. Finally she said “Why do you give me chocolate covered cherries? I don’t like them.” It was because his mom used to get them from his dad. Now my mom’s default stocking gifts are licorice (which she does like), and extension cords.
Susan
Nah, in a lot of families, like mine, it’s an “everyone” thing not a “kids” one. My parents have gotten stuff for each other’s stockings since before I was born, and I suspect they learned that from their parents (my grandmothers died young, though, so I wasn’t old enough to notice when there was still one alive.)
When my brother turned three or four, they gave up and let us open our stockings without them there so they could sleep in. The tradition of opening your stocking as soon as you - and a witness because it’s no fun going through it without being able to compare notes - wake up continues to this day.
Now, the egg hunt at Easter, on the other hand, yeah…there’s a problem we hate it but it makes mom so happy.
I love my stockings!
I’ve gotten two since I was little, one from my parents and one from my Grandma. Grandma usually does gift bags more than stockings though (she makes them herself, so I have a bunch of cloth Christmas bags) mostly stuck with stuff from the dollar store. Pencils, notebooks, little toys, chocolate, a pair of socks… the adults all get a lotto ticket and often an amusing thing she picked up at the craft fair that year (eg Ukranian donut seeds, Snowman poop)
I get my toe socks in my stockings! By that time I’ve usually worn out my last couple pairs 
I’m even doing one for my son this year though he doesn’t quite understand it. His has some bath toys, a small stuffed animal and a t-shirt that I picked up with my college’s team logo on it.
Since my parents were going home today, we had our Christmas before they left this morning. My mom gave me a “stocking” (actually, a gift bag filled with stocking-type stuff: little bottles of hand lotion, cat toys, colored pens, scented candles, a box of petit fours, a movie trivia game, and of course a pair of panty hose). I’m 40, btw.
We have these really cool handmade stockings that everyone gets to use. My great aunt made the first ones, then my aunt has taken over. They really are wonderful, and it’s definitely a sign that you’re a part of the family. We even have one for one of my dad’s closest friends because he doesn’t have any family in town and often ends up spending Christmas with us.
-Lil
Not only do we do stockings, but we also do tree presents - small wrapped presents put in small paper bags and hung on the tree Christmas eve. These get opened first, before the main round of presents - except for the ones on the back of the tree that can’t be reached until the present pile is reduced.
Our youngest kid is 18.
We always do stockings. Anyone who is at my house on Christmas day gets a stocking. Normally we put in small toys, puzzles, puzzle books (especially for my mom) and some gag gifts. My dad always gets chocolate covered cherries. Some boxes are put in his stocking and some are wrapped and put under the tree. This year we decided to just do candy of all kinds. The stockings were bulging by the time I was done filling them.
One year when my brother was home for Christmas we put a wind up spider in the very toe of his stocking so he had to reach in to pull it out. He doesn’t like spiders. It was very amusing for us to watch him pull it out then jump a few feet straight up. 
He was a good sport about it.
Age 46
Scotch tape
dental floss
toothbrush
Chapstick (cherry flavored)
1 miniature Kleenex package
2 candy bars
candy cane
one maple-leaf shaped maple sugar candy
pen
pencil
post-it notes
hothands hand warmers
Q-tips
I am not making this up.
Oh, and every item was wrapped except the candy cane.
My family always does stockings, although I’m the only one who gets one (I’m an only child). My parents originally came up with it to keep me entertained so that I wouldn’t wake them up at 4AM to open presents. However, there were some downsides to this- the stocking they gave me has a bear head on it, and when I was little I insisted on sleeping with it. I’m surprised my parents never woke me up when I was little- I am in awe of their ninja-like skills ;).
Can we keep this thread going until next year? I’m getting some nifty ideas together. My stocking stuffing has got into a bit of a rut.
All the grandkids in my family have a lovingly handmade stocking that’s quite ornate and personalized, Great-Grandma couldn’t knit but she was smart enough to pay someone else’s Grandma to do it for her. So each year, getting out the stocking and hanging it is an important nostalgia moment now that Great-Grandma’s passed away.
In our house, Santa fills the stocking instead of leaving big ol’ presents, stocking stuffers are unwrapped and Santa can only buy stuff that’ll fit the stocking, too. Helps to keep Santa costs somewhat reasonable, although Santa decided a few years ago that items like gameboy cartridges and CDs will fit if taken out of the packaging, so they’re allowable.
None of the adults in my family do stockings for each other, but I can’t picture not filling my son’s stocking, so this answer might be different a decade or so from now.