I'm a very light sleeper so I hear the kids sneak and whisper as they're coming down their hall to the living room. The stockings keep them busy while I wake husband and we take a couple minutes to dress, put the kettle on for tea and hot chocolate, and preheat the oven for our breakfast. In our house, the stockings can be from "anyone"---Santa, parents, siblings, neighbors, whoever. The stockings are simple little gifts, some meaningful and others not so much, but they're fun to go through and talk, and have a little treat.
My husband and I both grew up with an apple, an orange, mixed nuts to put in the bowl on the bar, a candycane or two, some chocolates, and of course the lifesaver Christmas book. (When I was little I called it "church candy" because it was easy to sneak one and suck on it during church and get away with it at church...silly memory, but brings a smile). Jeremy is older and from England, and he says the apple is seasonal and the orange was special because it was an "extravagant" gift in the old days, since places that grew oranges were far away and not the easiest to get (for a good price). We also BOTH got hot wheels every year, and continue those traditions with our kids: a hot wheel, the same treats (apple, orange, nuts, lifesavers), and one favorite candy that we don't really get through the year (me: kinder bueno, husband: toblerone with fruit & nuts, older son: small fruit cake, younger son: sleeve of peppermint patties). We slip notes to each other in there, something that made us think of them that we've seen and saved throughout the year (ninja turtle things at McDonalds--those were big hits last year, the annual ornament-we each get one a year that tells something about an interest, hobby, vacation, or personality trait of what we were doing or who we were at that time, jerky, funky flames or other camping things that we find fun, travel games, itunes cards, lottery tickets, novelty items you come across like $2 bills or Native American $1 coins, an awesome rock for a rock collector in the family, and sometimes a wrapped surprise that is special like a watch...something to be showcased). Comic books, coloring books, a great photo, a little figurine, gift certificates to a class or event (a conference for his club, shooting classes for me, equestrian lessons or martial arts classes have all been done in past Christmases for us), basically anything that could actually fit in the stocking, goes in the stocking. We try to make it personal though, a little nod and wink to each person, and the letters are actually treasured little items that everyone keeps. That keeps everyone busy while I heat up orange cinnamon rolls (though I MAY try that breakfast casserole that you cook in the slowcooker overnight this year?).