47+ stocking stuffer ideas

I don’t love the materialism and consumerism that has become associated with Christmas, but I LOVE giving gifts. It is my love language and has to be something in my personality too. I especially love stocking stuffers because, even if  you can’t be creative with the rest of the gifts, it seems like you can still have fun with the stockings. This is a list of some of my favorite stocking stuffers or just less expensive gifts if you need some ideas:

1. Card games. I always sneak a few new card games in our stockings. Some of our favorites include:
   • Uno (I’m not sure you can have too many of these. We have a set in each car, at home, and we always pack one for vacations). We really love the Uno Dare version (fun for just adults too because you make up your own rules a la college).
   • SkipBo
   • Phase 10
   • Sleeping Queens – one of our favorites (related: always buy the tin version if it is available because it makes it easier/safer to just throw them in your purse and not worry about them. Plus, the tins are easier for the kids to put them away inside versus those cardboard boxes.)
   • Rat-a-Tat-Cat
   • Any of the Spot-It games – they seem to have versions for every different thing. This is another one that we have several copies of for easy play when we’re waiting anywhere.
   • Blink
2. Manoomin: Wild rice harvested by the native Anishinaabeg people. It is delicious, the only grain indigenous to North America, and your dollars are supporting native people in their fight against the tar sand pipelines in their native places.
3. Skincare
   • I bought several of these little tins for stocking stuffers (and a few extra for myself!). The owner has amazing ingredients/formulations – and I am trying to support more native artisans, so win/win!
   • I love this local shop’s (I found her via MarketWagon originally) daily moisturizer, but I bought some of her after shave for the men in my life.
   • Last year, I made a big batch of lip balm using this recipe. It was fun, didn’t take too long, and I still have some left to give away this year. I put the balm in tins like these because they were easy to create labels on the top, and I can reuse them endlessly.
   • Akamai goodies. My full review here, but I swear by their toothpaste and skin fuel.
4. Local tea and coffee. I especially like to buy my favorite local teas and coffees for out-of-towners. Or I typically buy some Just Coffee or Dynamite for Grant’s stocking (probably because he always shares with me). Here are some easy tea recipes to make your own – this is a really affordable option because buying in bulk will stretch your gifts a long way – and leave you plenty for yourself. I also recently found this tea company from Bloomington, IN that is my current favorite treat for myself.
5. Cloth napkins. We just use washcloths like these as our napkins, but I like the idea of either making some of my own this year or there are tons of options on Etsy. This would be a fun gift idea because your recipient would think of you every time he/she uses them.
6. Washi tapes and stickers. Last year, I gave Maeve a few rolls of washi tape, and she could have cared less about the rest of her gifts. Fun tape and stickers are always welcome gifts for the crafty folks in your life.
7. Alignment socks or toe separators
8. Massage balls – Grant and I use these nearly every night. It all starts with your feet, so grab some of these for yourself and your friends.
9. This narrow spatula. Grant bought this for me at least five years ago because my other small one had ripped. It is the most used tool in my kitchen. Every kitchen should have one – or two. Before with the narrow types, they would rip every few years (I admittedly use the heck out of these things), but I’ve had this one for at least five years, and it is still going strong.
10. Pura Vida bracelets. These are cute, inexpensive, and I like buying from their charity line to match the recipient with a cause they are passionate about.
11. Reusable cups and water bottles. Because we really try to avoid single use items, we have lots of travel cups and bottles so that they are easy to grab on the way out the door or leave in the car. They still seem to disappear every once in awhile, so I always give them in stockings. We have lots of favorite types:
    • Grant and I swear by the Contigo travel mugs for our coffee every morning (we actually have two that we use only for tea because once you’ve used them for tea, it makes the coffee taste funny).
    • I have my eyes on this Keep Cup for Grant who does lots of coffee runs for clients for work.
    • I swear by this for getting more water intake – it holds 30 ounces, which is almost a liter, so if I can drink three of these throughout the day, I’m almost to 100 ounces, ensuring that I’m pretty well hydrated even if I don’t do anything else.
    • For the same reason, I really like the big stainless steel water bottles. I prefer this type of lid because it is soo much easier to clean. The kids prefer ones with straws though. Related tip: We don’t usually take these hiking because they’re so heavy, so we use hydration packs with bladders instead (a great gift idea for the outdoorsy person on your list by the way). BUT we like to pack a few big stainless steel water bottles with lots of ice water and leave them in the car to enjoy after the hike. 
12. Koozies. I talk about our mason jar versions here, but this would be a fun stocking stuffer – and it has significantly cut down on the amount of dishes around here.
13. Stainless steel straws. Plastic straws are an environmental disaster, so encourage people on your list to ditch them by gifting them a little portable pack of stainless steel straws. Those are the wider ones. The kids love to use these for smoothies, so I just get the bigger ones because they’re easier to keep clean too.
14. Reusable produce bags. I keep these in the car for grocery runs. Mine are old now, but I love this version that has the tare weight right on it to make buying in the bulk section super easy. As a bonus, these seem to keep veggies fresher longer than those plastic bags anyway.
15. Bee’s Wrap. I swear by this stuff to replace plastic wrap, and people love it once they try it.
16. Local coffee shop gift card. Receiving a $5 gift card to a local coffee shop makes me feel so known and loved. I like to give them in hopes of duplicating that feeling in someone else.
17. A book. Think back on your favorite reads from 2018 – what a great gift to give someone you care about to give them a book you loved. Or go to your favorite local bookstore and ask them to help you pick out the perfect thing for your recipient/s. Good booksellers have never steered me wrong. Plus, it’s just really fun!
18. Essential oils. I like and use the Plant Therapy line. I love their Germ Destroyer and Germ Fighter blends. I’ve done lots of research on the various EO companies, and I think Plant Therapy wins for their standards, cost, and quality. I love that they are really clear on their packaging what is “kid’s safe” and what isn’t. A fun gift for someone on your list would be a diffuser, and then stick an essential oil or two in their stocking.
19. Emily McDowell goodies. I love her stuff. A few people on my list are getting this, and she has a fun list of stocking stuffer ideas under $10.
20. Ear bud holder. I thought this was silly at first, but I got some new ear buds this year that came with their own case. It made them SO much easier to keep track of, plus I can throw them in a pocket or my purse without worrying about them getting damaged or tangled. I plan to put these in the kids’ stockings in hopes of them taking better care of theirs.
21. Journals. What better gift to give someone than a gift that helps them record their own thoughts and memories? I love all of these:
    • Q&A Five-Year Journal. I bought this one for Grant last year, and it has made for some fun convos.
    • One Line a Day Five-Year Journal. I have one of these and tried to use it as gratitude, but it doesn’t quite have enough space for that. I’m planning on just going back to writing one line a day, as it is intended. There are tons of different designs of these, so pick one that fits your recipient’s personality. What a fun practice to look back on if you could keep up with it!
    • Five Minute Journal. I first heard about this via Tim Ferriss, but I’ve heard raves reviews about this practice from plenty of people since. You could always just use a blank journal (this would be a fun addition to your bullet journal), or you could buy this more guided version.
    • Gratitude Journal. I’ve always just used a blank journal for my gratitude practice, but I like the idea of something a bit more structured. I might be more likely to stick with it.
    • Q&A a Day for Kids: We gave this to the kids last year. I stuck with it for approximately four days. Oops. They’re both writing better now, so maybe it will be easier to incorporate?
    • I gave this journal to a friend this year, and she loved it.
22. Experience coupons. I love thoughtful gift giving, but there isn’t really a more thoughtful gift than that of your time. Make a coupon (or seven) to put in your people’s stockings. Here is a massive list of ideas for your partner, and here are some free printable templates if you don’t want to make your own.

Add your favorites in the comments, so I can add to my list for next year!

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