The stocking stuffer post

[wesleysgirl]

We still do stockings in our family (for Mr WG and I as well as the boy) because... well, I don't know, because they're festive, I guess. And I like shopping for little things that will fit in a stocking but are interesting/practical. Still, I find that I buy the same things year after year (with minor variations) and I'd like to create a master list from which to draw inspiration. So I was hoping people might be willing to participate in some brainstorming?


Men:
Socks
Gloves/mittens/scarves
Tie
Holiday boxer shorts/underwear
Lip balm
Tiny bottle of moisturizer (good for those in office settings)
Toothbrush
Sample sizes of things like toothpaste, mouthwash
Aftershave
Soap (I put inside ziplock bag before wrapping so the scent doesn't invade everything else in the stocking)
Candy (chocolate, hard candy, etc)
Mints/gum
Snacks (honey roasted nuts, trail mix, etc)
Tiny bags of gourmet coffee
Tea
Mini bottles of liquor
Gift cards for coffee shop, home improvement store
Movie tickets
CD
Jewelry
Little pocket knife
Lighter
Tiny puzzles (the mind-teaser kind)
Good quality pen
Tiny picture frame with photo of wife/pet/child (for office)
Wallet
Corkscrew/wine stopper (Gargoyle bottle opener!. We have one of these and everyone loves it.)
Super glue (can never have too much of this in the house)
Duct tape (ditto)
Multi-tip screwdriver
Film for camera
Key chain
Nail clippers
Kitchen utensils (wooden spoons, garlic press, measuring spoons, peeler)

Kids:
Socks
Mittens/hats
Lip balm in kid flavors
Nail polish
Markers
Crayons
Colored pencils
Glitter Glue
Pens/pencils
Tiny pads of paper
Paintbrushes
Rubber bouncy balls
Tiny stuffed animals
Puppets
Little wind-up toys
Candy (chocolate, lollipops, etc)
Snacks (tiny packages of pretzels, animal crackers, cookies, etc)
Fruit
Stickers
Temporary tattoos
Small bath toys
Bubbles
Small flashlight
Card game
Trains/matchbox cars
Fancy toothbrush
Novelty watch
Coin purse (with coins!)
Pencil sharpener
Slinky
Magnifying glass
Silly putty
Yoyo
Special ornament for tree
Calculator
Measuring tape
Sidewalk chalk
Fancy hot chocolate
Hair accessories
Rubber stamps and stamp pad

Women:
Socks
Mittens/gloves/hats/scarves
Nail polish
Lipstick
Lip balm
Lip gloss (gllitery!)
CHOCOLATE
Moisturizer that smells yummy
Hair accessories
Jewelry
Gourmet coffee/tea/hot cocoa
Gel pens
Blank books


Good online places to buy stocking stuffers --
Oriental Trading Company
Plump Stocking

Comments

[mpoetess.livejournal.com]

women - perfume/oil sample bottles? Not necessarily BPAL unless they're already fans, but essential oils, massage oils, stuff you can pick up in Body Shop or pagan shops...

[cheesygirl.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's an awesome list!

As for places to buy stocking stuffers, I'd suggest those $1 bins they have at Target. There are all sorts of fun stuff in those.

[julia-here.livejournal.com]

One thing that kids love is Post-it notes, especially the neon ones. My kids, and now my nephew, really liked office-supply kinds of stuff: Post-its, big paper clips, hole punches, small notebooks.

We always do stockings, although it's gotten way too expensive for me to buy socking stuff for the big gathering at my sister's house.

Julia, making quince/ginger marmalade and home-made tigerbalm like substance for Christmas gifts this year, I think

[orchid-slayer.livejournal.com]

do you have a recipe for home made tiger balm type stuff? we go through so much of it here, that would be very useful.

[julia-here.livejournal.com]

I'm working my way toward the recipe: mix first, record later. It's the way I go at most things. Will probably post it on my LJ when I get it right.

It is going to be more salve-like and not quite as hot as red tiger balm.

Julia, not good at following directions

[tx-cronopio.livejournal.com]

Damn. I always thought I was the queen of stocking stuffers, but I bow in awe before you.

Short of tucking $50 bills into their underwear, I'm not sure what more you can do :)

[cindershadow.livejournal.com]

I second Julia on the post-its; Staples has them in all sorts of shapes (hearts, etc.) and colors, great for kids and older.

For all: good back-scratchers. I found some at the Relax-The-Back chain; an end that looks like a fork with blunt, curved tines, and a telescoping handle. You can actually reach all the good spots, and it feels nice. I may well buy them from everyone I know this year!

Great list--I'll be borrowing many ideas.

[entrenous88.livejournal.com]

*flails*

I want that back-scratcher! Seriously, I'm forever in search of a good back scratcher. My current one (purple, plastic, obtained with a stack of Skee-Ball tickets at Coney Island) is not exactly up to snuff. :)

[betagoddess.livejournal.com]

You have a huge list already! Myself, I head to our local Dollar store where EVERYTHING is a dollar or less. It is amazing what you can find there for stockings! =>}

[tabaqui]

My mum always includes some fun toy, for adults and kids alike. One year it was neat, wooden 'catchers', where you have a ball on a string and you toss it up and try to catch it in the cup? One year those paddles with balls that you hit, and the ball bounces back, you try to get a really fast rhythm...
Little balsa-wood models of things, kitchen timers that go up twenty-four hours, bookmarkers, those 'ex libris' book plates, pencils and pens, one year little toothpick holders in animal shapes...

Heh. Have fun!

[piratepurple.livejournal.com]

I didn't see batteries. I ALWAYS want AA's for my CD player.

[way2busymom.livejournal.com]

We're a family of foodies, so we include small kitchen gadgets like peelers, a lemon reamer, measuring spoons, tongs. Pot holders, dish rags (especially those nice knitted cotton ones) are also welcome. Dry soup & scone mixes, salsas, hot sauces are also big hits. Cooking magazines are also good stuffers.

[zortified.livejournal.com]

Zortwife and I have a semi-tradition with our stockings. The idea is, you can go to one store, and at that store you get everything for the stocking. It's fun because it forces you to be creative, and to accept non-traditional stocking stuffers. Really - anything that fits into the stocking is a good thing. I like to give snack food, and batteries, and other everyday useful items as well as special gift things.

For instance, I would go to the grocery store, or hardware store, while zortwife has been known to go to her museum's science store to do all the stocking shopping.

Keychains, small flashlights/penlights, gift cards, tins of mints or other candy, lollipops, special luxury bath items (hair treatment oil, etc), small puzzles (or those pens that have games attached to them), gourmet food (dried blueberries), knick knacks, and so on.