What Was Inside a Classic '80s Christmas Stocking

Find out what was inside a Christmas stocking back in the 1980s with our latest blog post!

80s Stocking Header

Christmas stockings have evolved over the years and what is now considered a ‘stocking filler’ is a much higher value than it ever would’ve been back in the day, so how about we take a quick trip down memory lane and just remind ourselves what we ACTUALLY got in our stockings on Christmas morning back in the ’80s!

Satsuma

Yep, kids of today might think us adults are joking when we say we got a satsuma in our stocking back in the day but we’re not, that genuinely happened.

The satsuma in a stocking is a tradition from way before the ‘80s but was something a lot of families were still doing during that decade. It’s a bit weird and rarely got eaten but it was an integral part of Christmas morning.

As for coal, we didn’t get that in our stockings in the ‘80s!

Chocolate

Chocolate was as big a part of Christmas back in the ‘80s as it is now and we were getting pretty similar sweet treats in our stockings back then as kids get today!

Chocolate coins or personalised sweet boxes were common choices and let’s be honest, they were getting eaten way before the turkey was ready to be served!

Lego

According to Lego themselves, a survey conducted in 1980 found that 70% of all homes in Western Europe with children under the age of 14 now owned Lego which summed up why it wasn’t uncommon to find Lego in your stocking in the ’80s.

Care Bear

Care Bear toys were launched in the ’80s and a lot of children of the decade will have found one of the plush toys stuffed into their stocking at some point during this era.

There are now over 200 Care Bears to collect but back in the ’80s, it was early days for the brand and they weren’t hugely seen as the collectables they are now!

Transformer Figures

Transformers were a big hit back in the ’80s after their launch in 84, so a lot of children were waking up on Christmas morning to find one inside their stocking!

Although not a model you’d be likely to get in your stocking, according to CBR, the most expensive vintage Transformer toy nowadays is Optimus Prime that in opened condition is now worth over $12,000!

Cabbage Patch Dolls

If you were getting a doll for Christmas in the ’80s, you were probably getting a Cabbage Patch Doll.

These chunky plush dolls came in an array of skin and hair colours and there was plenty of clothes and accessories to buy for them, so whether you were getting the doll or something to go with it in your stocking, a lot of young girls in the ‘80s were getting something Cabbage Patch Doll related for Christmas!

Times were tougher in the ‘80s and we certainly weren’t getting extravagant Christmas sweet gifts in our stockings but we were definitely more than happy with what we did get!

Do you remember what your stocking looked like in the ‘80s? Let us know on Facebook or Instagram! 

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