Help with unique Christmas "stocking" ideas!

For Christmas on my fiance's side of the family, we do stockings with his two sisters and their husbands. It's not your normal stockings though. We usually do themed ones; the first year I was involved, we pulled names out of a hat and bought things that started with the person's first initial. This year, since the couples pulled the couples names(my fiance and I pulled his sister and husbands name, other sister & husband pulled our names, etc.) , if that makes sense, we decided to couple presents and have them more practical instead of useless things people will through out.

So this year it's a scavenger hunt. We have 9 categories, and one wildcard. So far we have 7 of them finished, but still have no idea what to get for the other 3. If you guys have some ideas, that would be great! We have about $20 left to spend on them for the last 3 categories.

1) An item that would be useful/appropriate when it's dark outside (We've thought of a flashlight for this, but would like something more unique)

2) An item you would use on a long car ride

3) An item that you would give to an alien to remember his trip on earth.

Any suggestions would be great, we are so stuck with what to get!

I don't know whether you can get them in the US - but I bought a wind-up flashlight (torch) for my Uncle last year. It doesn't need batteries and is ideal if you're stuck somewhere as you're never without light.

Can't think of anything for the other two though. Good luck!

Originally Posted by yam102284

1) An item that would be useful/appropriate when it's dark outside (We've thought of a flashlight for this, but would like something more unique)

2) An item you would use on a long car ride

3) An item that you would give to an alien to remember his trip on earth.

Any suggestions would be great, we are so stuck with what to get!

Click to expand...

1) I'd say go with a little flashlight, too, they are very useful.

2) What about one of those cool little atlas books?

3) Chocolate!


This sounds fun!

I agree about the wind up flashlight or maybe some pretty scented candles?

A book of car trip games, always fun. Or even make your own and leave them space to add their own games. Our faves are Roadway and Walmart and the alphabet game. Always great ones! I can tell you the rules (although you have to make up your own as well) if you'd like

Um... not sure on that one... maybe a small globe?

Originally Posted by yam102284

1) An item that would be useful/appropriate when it's dark outside (We've thought of a flashlight for this, but would like something more unique)

2) An item you would use on a long car ride

3) An item that you would give to an alien to remember his trip on earth.

Any suggestions would be great, we are so stuck with what to get!

Click to expand...

1) well we sit outside at night in the summer-how about a can of mosquito spray??

2)many long car rides too. hmmmm......how about a book on a CD to listen too? Or a gift card for a gas station? Or a fast food gift card?
wet ones to clean your fingers after eating in the car??

3) I would give something unique to your home state. food or sport apparel for instance.

Thanks for all the great ideas everyone! This is really a lot of fun. It's something that the adults can still be kids. It's just for us and his sisters and husbands. One of his sisters has 3 kids, so we do it after the kids are asleep so we can enjoy it more and not have 6 little hands trying to touch what we got and what not.

We ended up buying one of those wound up flashlights tonight so that takes care of the first one. I think for the other 2 we are going to do little gift bags.

For the alien one, we'll make up a "Alien Survival Giftbag." Stuff to help an alien survive on earth, but will also make him think of his time here. So far, I have chocolate, batteries, and maybe light bulbs. But I need more interesting things. Any suggestions?

And for the long car ride, we'll do a gift bag as well. We'll put in some of those wet wipes, earplugs (we have the sister and husband with 3 kids), some sudoku or word searches, and maybe a giftcard to a gas station. Any suggestions for this as well?

I hate asking for all these suggestions, but you guys are awesome and have good ideas. I would've never thought of some of those things.

For #1: Glowing or flashing jewelry.

For #2 - write up silly car games. The one that I play with friends of mine when we travel is called the "Cow Game". Every time you pass a farm with cows in the field, you count (or estimate) the cows in the field on your side of the car (drivers side gets cows on the left, passenger side gets cows on the right). You keep adding to your count unless you pass a cemetary on your side, at which point your cows "die" and you start over. The side of the car at the end of the trip with the most cows wins. It's particularly funny when there is a large pasture and you start arguing what the estimated number of cows in the pasture are. And if you don't know a rule, make one up as you go along. You would be surprised at how long this can keep you entertained, particularly in the midwest!

For #3: The book, A Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy.