By MICHAEL BOYLAN
Weekend Editor

The presents underneath the tree may draw most of the attention on Christmas morning, but the stocking stuffers are just as important.

Each year, the questions arise: What should the large red sock be filled with this year; how close should tradition be followed? The answer lies within, but here are several suggestions.

Candy: It doesn't matter what kind or even how much. Milk chocolate Santas or reindeer are always favorites, as are just someone's favorite candy. For instance, if your loved one loves Sour Patch Kids, then place a few bags of the tart treats in the stocking. You might consider candy canes, but chances are there are candy canes on the tree and even if there aren't, most people are sick of the candy canes by about Christmas.

Toiletries: This might sound strange, but shaving creme, razors, deodorant, new toothbrushes, soaps, colognes, perfumes and makeup make the perfect stocking stuffer. Typically, all of these products are very small so as not to take up much space in the stocking. They are also good gifts because purchasing most of these products isn't much fun. You are not giving the gift of toiletries — you are giving the gift of not having to buy them for awhile.

Reading material: A paperback book or a rolled up magazine can fit very nicely in most stockings. If there is a favorite topic or hobby that your gift recipient likes, search for a magazine that targets that interest. Also a good buy are the crossword puzzle books, word searches, jumbles, or horoscope booklets. All of these can be found close to the checkout line at your local grocery store.

As for paperbacks, this is an excellent opportunity to encourage reading. Again, target an interest and appeal to it. There are many local bookstores that sell used books at a very reasonable price. You can find books by a favorite author or just a classic that you really enjoyed and would like to pass on.

Toys: There are several aisles at Toys R' Us that have dozens of small toys just perfect for a stocking. Kay Bee Toys has them directly in front of the counter. These toys range in price from 99 cents to $5 and most of them are just smaller merchandise from a larger toy line. One example is the glut of Toy Story 2 and Pokemon merchandise that drowns the nation's toy stores.

Some favorites this year, though, are finger bikes and skateboards and milky pens. Finger bikes are little bicycles that can be operated with your fingers. They seem to be the rage with the elementary school crowd. The same goes for Milky pens, which are pens that write in white and can be seen on dark pieces of paper.

Pens and pencils are actually great stocking stuffers because both writing utensils have a tendency to get lost very quickly.

Trading cards also would be filed under toys, mainly because they can be purchased at toy stores. Whether sports cards or role playing game cards, they are extremely popular with people of all ages. Pokemon might be the hottest thing right now, but Magic is still a popular gaming series and baseball cards will never die. They vary in price, supplement packs are between $2 and $4 and starter decks can be as much as $15.

Ultimately, the fillings for stockings should be personal. You know what these people would like and what they wouldn't; you know their sense of humor and their tastes. Perhaps, you could place a piece of coal in the stocking to shake them up a bit, or purchase some outlandish underwear or socks to throw them off.

The gifts inside a stocking are the same as the gifts beneath the tree. It is the thought that counts.

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