Gift Filled Christmas Socks occasionally does nothing

There are two different items in the game:
- Magic Christmas Stockings, which pop out of the Shining Santa Boxes.
- Magic Christmas Socks, which were in last year's box (?). I picked up a few that other people discarded. I don't think there's another way to get them this year.
Both items have the same picture, they both can be planted in the Item Pot and fed to sleep, both grow into Gift Filled Christmas Socks.
But when you double-click on them to get the reward, the Gift-Filled Christmas Socks that grew out of the old Sock will have lost its cheer.

If you're quite certain that you used a fresh Stocking, and still got the "lost cheer" message, then there might be some other issue going on.

I just had this issue pop up.

Appears that they reused last years' sock intro quest. On new chars and those who did not do it last year, there is a quest which introduces the whole idea of the sock and gives you a sock. appears that they just recycled last years, giving you the expired sock.

I also have had the stocking fail and give nothing - but it does not say that the cheer expired. it still adds to the count of stockings i opened in the chat dialog box.

appears the cheer expiring only applies to last year's, the "socks". or so i think, have not opened enough "stockings" to know. but given the dismal yield of coins probably will not bother to feed many more.