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According to a survey by Sprint, four in five Americans say that holiday stockings are for adults as well as for children. We couldn't agree more. After all, why should the kids have all the fun?

Themed holiday stockings are a fun and simple way to combine related gifts. As an added bonus, the stocking serves as the "wrapping" for the entire contents. Choose "stuffers" relating to an interest of the recipient—gardening, music, sports—or center "stuffers" on a message you wish to convey.

• A stocking filled with such items as a prepaid calling card, a disposable camera, stationery, stamps, a cellular phone, and Internet software says, "Keep in touch.

• Send the message, "Take time for yourself," with a stocking filled with luxurious bath and shower products.

• Stuff a golfer's stocking with a generous supply of her favorite golf balls—chocolate truffle golf balls among them.

• A stocking stuffed with compact discs, music scores, symphony tickets, and a music store gift certificate would please the music lover.

• For the junk-food junkie, fill a stocking with his or her favorite snacks.

• Fill a sports fan's stocking with trading cards, autographed baseballs, game tickets, and baseball magazines.

• Fill a gardener's stocking with hand tools, packets of seeds or bulbs, a farmer's almanac, and gardening gloves.

We must admit we rather like St. Nicholas' original stocking stuffer—gold coins. Krugerands or American Eagles would be just fine, thank you.

Give an "advent stocking" filled with 25 small, individually wrapped gifts, confections, or holiday ornaments to be opened each day in December leading up to Christmas day.

f you are at all creative, make and give the Christmas stockings themselves as gifts. Crafts books, women's magazines, and Internet sites are filled with patterns and instructions for make-it-yourselfers of all skill levels. If you can knit, crochet, appliqué, cross-stitch, needlepoint, tat, embroider, patchwork, or glue, you might come up with a potential heirloom. (Crafts fairs also feature a variety of handmade stockings.)

Present Perfect: Unforgettable Gifts for Every Occasion is filled with gift ideas for Christmas stockings and every kind of gift. In addition, you get tips on gifting etiquette, shopping, wrapping, special presentations, and much, much more. To order the book, click here.

NEW!  To start shopping for gifts right now, click here.

Have any Christmas stocking ideas you'd like to share?