Twelve months to fill a stocking

How to fill a stocking for less...Put saving money on Christmas gifts on your New Year's Resolutions this year! I'm broke this year, but had planned to fill two stockings for friends. I would have liked to have done more if I could, but I simply didn't have the spare money for postage or travel. So, what is a broke girl to do when she strongly desires to fill stockings and has made an agreement with a friend to exchange them each year? Sometime around Valentine's day last year, I had a brilliant thought. If I buy one small gift each month, I'll have twelve gifts to fill that stocking. I bought Andrea's favorite tic-tacs in February, and began searching a snowman related gift for January. In March, I found a green boxing Leprechaun that brought me much sillines. In April, I ficked up some sliquid in honor of April Fool's day. I continued like this much of the year, finding small gifts that suited the stocking filling I needed to accomplish. By the time December came, I had much of the stocking filled and ready. I added some incense and candles laying around, wrapped the gifts up (which is optional—though the sliquid formed a really cool looking tree), and filled the stocking. By now it is overfilling, and I hardly had to buy a thing for it in December, when we're all broke from making Christmas gifts happen. This is simply one little way to keep Christmas going all year round if you like. The second idea for filling a stocking wasn't cheaper by any means, but worked well for me. I trade stockings with my boyfriend each year, and since he likes certain stocking stuffer size foods, I've started getting them as they go on sale. Most of them are either non-perishable, or only semi-perishable. So I buy them in November and December as sales and cash flow allow. I bought Chocolate Covered Cherries, Pistachios, and Peanut M&Ms for this stocking. For the toe, and the one non-food item, I found an old Jade candle(still in wrapping), that I had yet to use. Since it looked good and smelled good, I added the candle to the toe, instead of the orange. I have started making this stocking rather a traditional mix, but plan to mix it up more next year. I almost forgot the bacon covered chocolate. In a weak moment at the mall, while waiting for him to purchase my gifts the Sunday before Christmas, I saw a stand called “Chocolate Freaking Bacon.” When I saw the Chocolate Smoked Habanero Bacon, I knew I had to get it for him. I was already technically over-budget on this guy, but I snuck the purchase in and dropped it in my coat pocket and watched his surprise as he opened this gift on Christmas Eve. He enjoyed it. If you can't afford to buy the chocolate covered bacon, perhaps you can make your own with a recipe online. I have not looked up any recipes yet, but may in the near future. Best of luck on next year's stocking filling. And now is a great time to buy! Happy New Year! And may you stick to your resolution for another day.