5 Days of Frugal Stocking Stuffer Ideas: Day 2 = Boys

Welcome back to 5 Days of Frugal Stocking Stuffer Ideas! It will be a great week, and by the time we’re done, there will be no excuse for empty stockings! Unless someone gets coal, of course… :-)

And that brings up the whole issue of Santa. In our house we’ve never perpetuated the Santa myth — but we have stockings anyway! There is just something about getting up and seeing bulging stockings hanging by the fireplace (in our home they get too heavy, though, and we have to lay them on the floor after filling them, lol). It’s the first thing our kids do on Christmas morning. Nothing is wrapped inside the stockings, so they just reach their hands in and start pulling out their goodies.

This gives The Man and I time to get a cup of coffee and make sure all of the other presents (that we may or may not have stayed up the night before wrapping) are under the tree. And I will start preheating the oven for my Christmas morning sticky buns, so they’ll be ready just about the time we are.

Who says having stockings means you have to do the whole Santa rigamarole? Not me!! So there is no reason not to read all the posts in this series for great stocking stuffer ideas for all the kids in your life. :-)

Here’s the rundown for the week:
Monday: Girls
Today: Boys
Wednesday: Teens
Thursday: Educational
Friday: Everyone!

Today we are listing stocking stuffer ideas for boys:

For so many of these toys, you can just hit the bargain section of the W-mart toy department. We usually just take a walk through there and see what looks like fun! All of these ideas are under $5 — cuz I’m all about CHEAP — and have been boy-certified!

1) Plastic army men — in the big bag for just a few bucks. Boys can always use a few more of these, because they get lost or broken or stepped on.

2) Hot Wheels cars — Again, how can a boy ever have too many?

3) Marbles — There is something so nice about the feel of marbles jiggling together in one’s pocket. Maybe it’s time to teach your boy how to play the old-fashioned game. Or help him build a marble run with straws.

4) Gag items — Every boy needs to experience the joy of hearing the sound of a well-placed whoopy cushion being sat upon. Or the old buzzer in the handshake trick. Or the snake in the can. You get the idea.

5) Tools — And I’m not talking about toy tools. A real screwdriver, hammer, or wrench of basic quality don’t cost that much. And every boy feels great having his own that are just as real as dad’s.

6) Super ball(s) — That’s what I grew up calling those little bouncy balls that you just have to drop on the floor and they take off all over the house. They truly are a super fun thing for a boy. Bouncing them outside or even around the house is so satisfying! (Have you noticed I am not taking mom’s sanity into account on any of these ideas? Lol!)

7) A flashlight — Boys like stuff that simulates adventure. Holed up in a dark closet with only a flashlight and your wits? Now that’s adventure!

8) Socks — Boring but oh so necessary.

9) A snap-together glider — My brothers used to get the balsa wood kind, with the propeller that wound up with a rubber band. I have no idea where to look for something like that, but the link goes to one that Michael’s has that looks pretty fun!

10) Astronaut food — I was stuck for one last item for this list and ran across the Astronaut Cookies and Cream Ice Cream Sandwich at Michael’s. It’s freeze dried, just like the astronauts eat!! So of course I couldn’t resist; I mean, what boy wouldn’t love to have one of those? It comes in other flavors, like Neopolitan and Mint Chocolate Chip, too. (While you have to order in quantities of 6 or 9 from the website — which is not so frugal — it also says that they are available individually in stores. Phew!)

Boys are easier to shop for in some ways (you can pretty much just roam the aisles and pick up stuff as you go); but they are also harder in some ways, because the range of things they might like seems a little smaller than for girls. Hopefully these are some good suggestions that your son(s) will enjoy!