I love a good stocking. It’s almost my favorite part of Christmas morning. When I was younger, my mom put together a mean stocking. She’d find stuff that I’d never seen before, and she’d wrap each item individually. It was a blast tearing through our stockings and squealing with delight at what she purchased for us. As a mom, I’m trying to emulate that experience and excitement for our son. However, let’s face it, some stocking stuffers can be a lot of money that add up to a lot of needless crap. That’s right, I said it!
The following list contains some creative items that you’ll find to be practical, useful (and won’t break the bank), for every member of your family! Happy stuffing!
Health and Beauty:
Electric toothbrushes: So I recently was told by my dentist that I needed to get an electric toothbrush….so I bought one! As it turns out, both my son and husband now want one. You don’t need to sink a lot of money into a good electric toothbrush. Check out Oral B and Arm and Hammer for everyone on your list.
Band-aids: If you have kids, you deal with your share of boo-boos. These are great stocking stuffers that you will use throughout the year. Store them in a convenient location (like your kitchen or linen closet) so that you can reach for them when the need arises.
Travel Size Bathroom Spray: Let’s face it, everybody poops! When you need to go, this is handy to have in your purse, briefcase or gym bag. It’s really a must have and can save you from some stinky situations!
Bath Bombs: A nice little gift that most of us don’t think to buy for ourselves. For those consumers that are into less harsh chemicals, there are many bath bombs on the market today that are organic or are made with more natural ingredients.
Gloves/Hats/Mittens: These are a necessity when the cold weather hits. These items tend to go missing as they’re left behind at stores, on the bus, or accidentally fall out of the car never to be seen again. Instead of investing in one expensive set, purchase a few different sets at the Dollar Tree. Buy some that coordinate with your outerwear and keep spares in the car and with your winter garb. Your ears and fingers will thank you!
For the Kiddies:
Washable crayons and markers: That’s right…washable crayons. I, for one, did not know these little beauties existed! These are great for your little artists that don’t always stay in the lines. You can bet that they’ll be in my little guy’s stocking this year! No more screaming and drama from this mama when his creativity accidentally leaps off the paper and onto the table.
On the Go Car Activity Sets: Melissa and Doug have some great activity sets that are reasonably priced and can be found at most major retailers like Walmart, Target and Walgreens. Store them in your glove compartment for when your little back-seat passengers get antsy on long car rides.
Food and Bevvies:
Snacks: Stick a few ‘fun’ snacks in your child’s stocking then store them in your cabinet to grab later on for school lunches, after school snacks and long car rides!
Hot Chocolate Mix: What a warm and yummy way to fill up your loved one’s stocking. You can buy individual packets of gourmet hot chocolate in many grocery stores and online. Throw in a few candy canes or sugar sticks to enhance the flavor and call it a wrap! Boom!
Tea: For the tea lover in your life, pick up a tea infuser. There are lots of tea infusers on the market. Check out these cute ones! Loose teas are another great stocking stuffer!
For the Writer:
Notebooks/Journals: For the person in your life who likes to write and journal. A pretty journal is a great way to fill her stocking.
Notecards/Stamps/Address Labels: In this technology-driven world, it’s nice to send and to receive a nice note. A few packages of note cards, along with a sheet of stamps and personalized address labels are very thoughtful and useful stocking stuffers.
For the Home/Car:
Oil Diffusers: Essential oils and aromatherapy are all the rage. A nice diffuser is a great way to show someone that you care. They come in many shapes and sizes to fit any décor.
Booklights: I like to read in bed; my husband does not like when I read in bed. Grrrr! A booklight solves that issue and comes with different features. You can thank me later!
Fun Office Supplies: Check out Quill.com for some super-duper cute office supplies. Cynthia Rowley has some fun office supplies like mouse pads, storage boxes, notepads, and file folders in coordinating patterns.
Gardening Gloves: These are a must have for all gardeners. You can pick these up at discount stores like Job Lot for very reasonable money. They even come in kid sizes!
Batteries: No explanation needed!
Hanging Hooks: I don’t like to put holes in my walls. Command has a solution for all of your hanging needs, without damaging your walls.
Reusable Totes: Environmentally friendly, cost-effective and necessary especially if you live in a town that bans plastic bags in stores. Pick a few up near the registers of most stores such as Michael’s, TJ Maxx, and Marshalls.
Mini Flashlights: I know that smart phones are equipped with built-in flashlights. However, if you’re like me, I can never get mine to work when I need it. Sadly, I think I may be turning into my mother. These are great to have in your glove compartment, your nightstand, your purse or your suit case. They are also great to have in your kids’ rooms for night time.
Ice Scrapers: They’re a necessary evil and most of us don’t have one when we need one. I’ve taken many white-knuckle drives to the commuter rail with the defroster blasting because I didn’t have an ice scraper handy.
Travel Umbrella: These are great to stick in your car or commuter bag!
Chargers and Adapters: Similar to gloves and mittens, these tend to go missing or you just don’t have one when you need one! Store in your car, your commuter bag, and your kitchen so that you’ll always be fully charged!
Night Lights: These are great for everyone! We have them plugged in throughout our house and they really come in handy at night when you need light but don’t want to turn on an overhead light. You can find cute character night lights for kids at the Dollar Store.
Practical Gift Cards: Who doesn’t love a gift card?? Gift cards to grocery stores, gas stations, coffee shops, pharmacies, and fast food restaurants are a big hit and can be purchased in nominal amounts.
What are your favorite stocking stuffers? Let us know!