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The 55 Best Stocking Stuffers Of 2023

From the grandkids to the grandparents, find the best stocking stuffers for the whole family.

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Best Stocking Stuffers Of 2023

Southern Living / Goutam Barigali

It’s easy to spend a lot of time searching for the perfect Christmas gifts for loved ones, only to end up neglecting the stockings over the fireplace. While the big gifts under the tree are important, stocking stuffers are a fun way to shower them with small gifts that can make a big difference in their daily lives.

Elisabeth Noel Jones, founder and CEO of GiftMeChic, says, “The biggest question is for whom you are stuffing the stockings! The items vary greatly between an adult, a child, and/or a pet.”  We spent hours researching the best stocking stuffers, across all ages, budgets, and categories. You’ll find the latest gadgets, cosmetics, jewelry, and even personalized items. Plus, Jones shares her expertise on how to choose the best stocking stuffers for your loved ones this year.

If your loved one has a pair of AirPods, then this cover will protect them from damage. It  has a clip so they can attach it to a purse or backpack for easy access. The case is waterproof and supports wireless charging. Choose from a whopping 40 color options. 

They may not think to purchase this scalp massager from themselves, but it’ll soon be a regular part of their shower routine. Made from soft silicone, this massager provides a deep clean while shampooing. Not only that, but it can also reduce stress. This massager works with most types of hair. And it’s small enough to bring on the go, too.

This is the perfect stocking stuffer for the little Lego builder on your list. Kids ages 9 years and older will love building this pair of polar bears—one baby and one adult. And the set comes with a rotating base and a Christmas tree to complete the scene.

If they’re still using plastic straws, you’ll save them money and help the planet with this purchase. Whether they like to sip iced coffee, tea, or just water, they can use the straws to drink their favorite beverage. Choose from gold, silver, and copper. For a complete set, consider purchasing the brand’s Ceramic Travel Mug, too. 

This internet-famous jewelry box will keep their jewelry neatly organized as they travel. Inside the box, there are three slots and a side to store rings. You can use the slots to store small bracelets, necklaces, and earrings. And since a mirror is included with the box, they can put their jewelry on from anywhere.  

This is a great toy for kids who become easily bored or fidgety on long road trips, or even adults who struggle with anxiety and need something to relieve stress. The toy is designed to keep hands occupied, thereby improving focus and reducing stress. 

If your family member is constantly losing things, an AirTag is just what they need. They can attach it to their phone, keys, backpack, and more. Once they pair the tag with the Find My app, they can see its current and last-known location and easily locate the lost item. When purchased through the Apple website, the AirTag can be engraved with emojis, initials, and numbers for a personal touch. 

This Christmas, they can enjoy a chilled glass of wine from anywhere. They don’t have to worry about adding ice or storing the wine in the refrigerator for a set amount of time. Instead, they can keep the chiller stored in the freezer between uses, and the thermal fluid will take any glass from room temperature to chilled in no time. It even features a condensation cradle to collect any drips. Whether they like enjoying a chilled glass of wine by the pool, at the table, or on the couch, this stemless wine chiller will keep wine cool for hours.

These cleaning gels will help them keep their car, keyboard, tablet, and other surfaces clean. The pliable gels easily get into hard-to-reach nooks and crannies to remove dust and other debris. Each set contains a four-pack of cleaning gels that can be used over and over again.

For the college student who needs help focusing or anyone with noise sensitivity, the Loop Experience Plus earplugs provide up to 18 decibels of filtered noise reduction. The Experience Plus comes with three different size foam ear tips, four different size silicone ear tips, two sets of Loop Mute noise reduction plugs, and a keychain carry case. Regardless of whether they like to workout with earplugs on, these are designed to stay put. 

This digital meat thermometer takes the guesswork out of cooking for both beginner and avid home cooks alike. With this tool, they can easily check their food for doneness—no more overcooking or undercooking. And batteries are included, so it’s ready to use right out of the package. 

Just like pumpkin spice is the official flavor of fall, peppermint bark is the official flavor of the holiday season. This gourmet dark chocolate peppermint bark arrives as a whole block of chocolate, and they’ll have fun breaking it up themselves to enjoy over time or share with others. It comes in a festive, artful box that is ready to give, no wrapping required.

They can instantly create and print custom labels with this handheld label maker machine. It can print off different icons, QR codes, expiration dates, and other important text. To use the device, they will need to pair it to their phone’s Bluetooth. Choose from five different colors, including pastels.

If you know someone who's always eating on the go or just needs another storage container in their cabinet, we highly recommend Stasher bags. The sandwich size can hold 28 fluid ounces, making it a versatile choice for all their needs. It’s freezer and dishwasher safe and features a Pinch-Loc seal designed to prevent leaks.  

Acting as a ruler, LED light, screwdriver, and much more—this is the pen they didn’t know they needed. This nine-in-one multitool is great to keep at home or even to take to the office. If you know that this pen will be popular with a lot of people in your family, you may want to purchase more than one. 

Since 21 pieces are included in this shower bomb gift set, you can easily divide them up across multiple stockings or give them all to one person. Besides providing them with sweet smells in the shower, the steamers can also be placed in the car, under pillows, or on an office desk for an aromatic experience. All of the steamers are made from essential oils and are hypoallergenic. 

If you want to fill their stocking in one fell swoop, consider this set of five choose-you-own stocking stuffers from Harry & David. You have the option to choose from a caramel cocoa tree ornament, a milk chocolate cocoa snowman ornament, a peppermint cocoa Santa's hat ornament, a holiday single-serve cocoa cup, marshmallow cocoa stirrers, a dark chocolate cake cup, and peppermint cocoa stirrers.

They can listen to music in the shower with this wireless Bluetooth speaker. This speaker comes with a built-in microphone, a rechargeable battery, and can connect to devices up to 33 feet away. Since the speaker weighs 0.5 pounds, it’s easy to take on the go. Besides black, you can also purchase the speaker in white or pink.  

If you know someone who needs a new band for their Apple Watch, this one is a serious upgrade. With a resin band and a butterfly clasp, the Machete Smart Watch Band turns their technology into a stylish accessory.   

This Nessie ladle is perfect for any home cook on your list. Not only does it give the illusion of the Loch Ness monster rising out of the bowl, but the plastic feet on the bottom helps it to stand up on any surface. They’ll love serving up their favorite soups, stews, and even punches with this quirky utensil. Plus, it’s heat resistant and dishwasher safe.

This set of balsamic and Champagne vinegar makes a wonderful stocking stuffer for the chef in your life. The double-fermented vinegars can be added to salads, cheese plates, cocktails, and more. Each vinegar contains gut-healthy bacteria and is made on a family farm in California.

This is a great academic planner for students from middle school all the way through college. It comes with an about me page, timetable, deadline and finance tracker, yearly/ monthly overviews, recipe idea pages, weekly space for planning, and other features. Consider pairing it with a nice set of pens or highlighters. You can even personalize the planner with their name.

Sarabeth’s Cookies In A Jar will be a welcome treat on Christmas morning. The acclaimed pastry chef and restaurateur Sarabeth Levine ships her famous cookies nationwide. The set comes with two jars, with your choice of three different flavors for each—chocolate chip, chocolate shortbread, and classic shortbread. Each reusable plastic jar contains eight cookies. 

If he’s tired of cleaning beard clippings from the countertop (and his shirt), then this apron will be the perfect stocking stuffer. It comes with two suction cup hooks from which to hang the beard apron. Then he just needs to loop the bib around his neck like an apron, and he’ll have a net for catching all his whiskers. This is both a funny and functional gift that’s a guaranteed hit on Christmas morning.

Personalized cocktail napkins make every meal time a special occasion. Add their monogram or name in the font and thread color of your choosing, and they’ll think of you each time they pull these napkins out to host a dinner party or simply a weeknight meal.

The perfect accessory to add to any outfit, these sea glass earrings make a great stocking stuffer. Choose from seven different colors, including seafoam green, turquoise, purple, and more. The sea glass pendant is also available as a necklace, so you can purchase the set for an extra-special gift.

If you know someone who likes to capture special moments, this photo printer is for them. The HP Sprocket connects to their phone via Bluetooth to print photos instantly. On the HP Sprocket app, they can edit photos before printing and add fun borders and stickers. It’s compact enough to bring on the go, so they can print photos from anywhere right after taking them.

Even during the holiday season, you can still prepare the kids for summer. These adorable, kid-size sunglasses have a round shape that will add a retro flair to all their summer looks. You have the option of purchasing the sunglasses for ages 0-2 and ages 3-5, as well as several different stylish color options. Made with impact- and shatter-resistant lenses and flexible, rubber frames, these glasses are designed to withstand all that kids throw at them. But in the event that the sunglasses get lost or broken within the year of purchase, the company will replace them for free.

Surprise your little ones with this My Learning Remote. This remote toy and smartphone bundle is designed to promote cognitive development and sensory stimulation. Both the remote and phone have buttons designed for little hands that play realistic sound effects. And if your child has a tendency to drop things, this set is designed to survive falls. 

If she’s into journaling or self-reflection, this notebook will be a great gift. This book contains 110 pages and is filled with self assessments, a self-discovery questionnaire, a 52-week planner, self-care ideas, and journal pages. While this is a great gift in itself, consider adding a special pen, pencil, or another writing utensil to go along with it. 

For those that are passionate about skin care, this Olay Super Serum provides hydrated and smooth skin. It contains niacinamide, vitamin C, collagen peptide, vitamin E, and alpha hydroxy acid, all of which work to improve skin texture and create a more even-looking skin tone. 

If they’re tired of ponytail holders that damage their hair, the Snappee hair ties are the solution. They can unhook and rehook the holders as needed. Designed for vigorous exercise, sports activities, and everyday wear, these holders will work with any style of hair. 

They can spray this lavender-scented spray on their pillow at night and gently drift off into a deep sleep. In addition to the spray, there’s also a deep sleep roll-on that can be applied to the temples, ears, neck, and wrists. The blend of lavender and chamomile extracts will help lull them to sleep, and since this is such a small spray bottle, they can also use it for travel.

With this nail polish set from Dear Sundays, you have the freedom to choose up to three nail polish colors from dozens of options, or pair with the brand’s top and base coats. The brand’s professional-grade and vegan formula provides long-lasting color. 

Whether they want to remember their wedding day, graduation, or another special occasion, these coasters will allow them to happily reflect on any special day. Available in sets of four with a different photo on each, these coasters can be customized with borders and text.  

This full leather wallet case can store two to three cards, and the raised camera bump will help protect their lens. And when it’s time to charge their phone, they won’t have to fool with removing the case. It’s designed to cover the base without obstructing the charging port, and it’s compatible with wireless charging. According to the brand, the leather will develop a natural patina over time that’s unique to their use.

For all the wine connoisseurs in your life, this is a great stocking stuffer. Not only does it purify red, rosé, and white wine by catching sulfites and sediment, but it also aerates the wine. They’ll just need to rest it on a wine glass or carafe and pour. In addition to the wine purifier, it comes with a travel bag, display base, and four sulfite filters. And it’s dishwasher safe.

For the host or hostess on your list, or anyone  you know who likes to collect cute kitchen utensils, these wood salad servers are just the kind of gift they need. The affordable set comes with two handcrafted acacia wood salad servers perfect for serving a crowd. 

The bird watcher on your list will love this instant bird feeder. They can hang this festive ornament on a tree in the backyard or from their porch and watch the birds flock to it. It’s packed with seeds that birds can’t resist—including safflower, nyjer, sunflower, red millet, and peanuts—and it’s designed to attract a variety of birds including cardinals, jays, finches, nuthatches, grosbeaks, chickadees and more.

This personalized compass is a gift they’ll treasure for years to come. You can add a personal note in your own handwriting on multiple sides, and you have the option to add a leather pouch that can also be engraved. Made from solid brass, it’s durable enough to withstand outdoor use.

For those that are passionate about makeup, this eyeshadow palette is made up of six bold yet wearable shades. You can choose between three different versions, each with varying colors in satin, shimmer, and matte finishes. The eyeshadows are vegan and cruelty-free to boot. 

This stocking stuffer is for all the babies and toddlers in your family. The set comes with four silicone finger puppet toothbrushes and a copy of The Brushies Book. Together, this set is designed to make brushing fun and develop daily toothbrushing habits. And the food-safe silicone is more gentle than typical nylon bristles.

This mist both sanitizes and moisturizes at the same time. Unlike gel sanitizers, this is a mist sanitizer that they can quickly spray on their hands. There are a variety of scents available to purchase, including vanilla, watermelon, and lavender, to name a few. Each mist delivers up to 500 sprays, so they’re sure to get lots of use out of this product.

From the legendary salt makers at Jacobsen Salt Co., these tins are the perfect stocking stuffers for those who like to add salt to all their dishes, whether camping, at a restaurant, or eating a packed lunch at the office. 

There’s nothing like a good sleep mask to help them unwind from a busy day. The Nodpod Sleep Mask applies gentle pressure, much like a weighted blanket. Choose from colors like sage green, sunflower yellow, black onyx, and more. Plus, the mask is machine washable.

If you know someone who frequents the drive-thru, consider getting them this stocking stuffer. This convenient (and hilarious) holder keeps French fry boxes in place—forget digging in the bag. It fits most standard size cup holders.

Add a personal touch to their Christmas tree. Choose to customize it with their name, and it will be hidden in the intricate, laser-cut design. Just like a real snowflake, this gift is truly one of a kind. Uncommon Goods also offers a gift option. 

These chilling cubes make a great replacement for ice in their wine or liquor. And unlike real ice, they won’t dilute their drink. The set includes nine chilling cubes and one dust bag for storage.

This set of carry-on essentials covers all the suncare bases for the jetsetter on your list. In the pack you’ll find suncare gel for both the face and body, as well as aloe gel and a sheer mineral sunscreen. All the items comply with carry-on regulations, so they can go through airport security without worry. 

This Decision Flip Coin is a wonderful gag gift for your teen. One side of the wooden coin says “One More Game” while the other side says “One More Bed.” Leave things to chance and see where it leads.    

This fun stocking stuffer is a great gift for kids who like to be outside. You can personalize the board by adding the child’s name to it. On the board, they can collect certain items such as leaves, flowers, rocks, moss, feathers, bugs, etc., helping to promote curiosity and more time spent outside.

Don’t know where to start on stocking stuffers for the little ones? This stocking stuffer set includes a curation of creative and engaging gifts, including an interactive book, crayons, ABC flash card ring, llama maraca, and wobble toy. And if you’re shopping for multiple little ones, you can divide the set amongst multiple stockings.  

The O&J Mani System comes with a universal polish bottle handle, cuticle serum, clean-up brush, polish remover pot, nail clipper, nail buffer, nail file, top coat, and your choice of one or six polish shades—everything they need for the perfect mani. Olive and June is all about helping you achieve that salon-quality experience at home, and The O&J system is a great place to start.

If you have a friend or family member who loves having the latest gadgets, then they will certainly need this tech folio to hold their cords and devices. Crafted from leather with a polyurethane lining, it features multiple sleeves, pockets, and compartments for storing everything they need. You can personalize it with their initials and choose from six different colors for a truly one-of-a-kind gift.

This DIY Root Beer Science Kit is perfect for little ones with an interest in food and science. Made in Virginia, this kit has everything they need to make a refreshing glass of root beer—sassafras extract, yeast, a funnel, labels and instructions. 

Questions and Answers

What kinds of gifts make good stocking stuffers?

Jones says, “Inexpensive gifts make the best stocking stuffers so you can fill up the stockings without breaking the bank.” While you do want to purchase items based on your budget, you also need to consider the person’s interests. For example, if your family member likes to cook, then these Acacia Wood Salad Servers would be a great choice for them. You can also purchase stocking stuffers that feature an item your loved one needs but might not want to spend their own money on. For example, if your loved one recently bought AirPods and needs a case, consider buying them the R-fun AirPods Case Cover. Or it could be something they've "liked" on social media but haven't gotten around to trying, such as skin care products like Isle of Paradise Self-Tanner.

How much money should you spend on stocking stuffers?

“Stocking stuffers don’t need to cost a lot of money, in fact, the less expensive the better so you can fill the stocking without it costing a fortune. It really depends on your budget but personally my max spend per stocking stuffer is no more than $25 for a ‘bigger item,’” says Jones. When you’re shopping for stocking stuffers, make sure you consider how much you plan to spend on gifts under the tree, as this will factor into your stocking stuffer budget.

Why Trust Southern Living

This gift guide was created by Moriah Mason, a commerce writer for Southern Living. For this article, she researched all kinds of stocking stuffers and selected the best ones across different age groups, budgets, and interests. She also reached out to Elisabeth Noel Jones, founder and CEO of GiftMeChic, to get her expertise on how much money you should spend on stocking stuffers, the types of gifts you should put in a stocking, and other essential tips.  

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