Stocking Stuffers She'll Actually Use
Updated: 4 days ago
A good stocking stuffer is small, useful and a little bit lovely. It is the lip mask she reaches for every night, the scrunchie that does not crease her hair, the water bottle that goes everywhere. Not a novelty that ends up in a drawer by New Year's. Stocking stuffers are where you show you pay attention. The small things often say the most.
This is my edit of stocking stuffers she will actually use, from beauty to sleep to the bag she carries every day. Every piece is linked in my stocking stuffers post on LTK, and the rest of my holiday edits are on my LTK page.
What are good stocking stuffers for women?
Good stocking stuffers for women are small things she will use every day: a lip mask, silk scrunchies, cozy socks, a candle or a slim card case. Choose useful first and pretty second, and the stocking takes care of itself.
The full edit:
Each one is covered below, grouped by where she will use it. If you are shopping for a host this season, too, my best hostess gifts under $50 and the longer Hostess Gift Guide follow the same idea: useful, pretty, and easy to give.
Before you shop, think about her day. Where does she spend the most time: in the car, at a desk, at the gym, at home with a book? Choose two or three things for that part of her day, and the stocking will feel personal.
Which stocking stuffers will she use every day?
The everyday pieces are the Owala FreeSip, the LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask, Slip skinny scrunchies and Barefoot Dreams waffle socks. They go with her to the car, the desk, the gym and the sofa.
Why each one earns its place:
Owala FreeSip. The lid lets her sip through the built-in straw or tip it back and drink from the wider spout. The Poinsettia and Holiday Hygge colorways are seasonal, which makes it feel like a Christmas gift and not just a water bottle.
LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask. An overnight lip mask that sits on the nightstand. Small jar, easy to tuck in the toe of a stocking.
Slip skinny scrunchies. Slip makes them in silk, which is gentler on hair than a standard elastic. A set comes in several colors.
Barefoot Dreams waffle socks. Soft, waffle-knit socks for cold floors and lazy mornings.
The trick with everyday stocking stuffers is to choose the nicer version of something she already uses. A water bottle is ordinary. A good one in a holiday color is a gift.
Color is an easy way to make it personal. Choose scrunchies in shades she already wears, and the Owala in the seasonal color that feels most like her. Socks are the classic stocking stuffer for a reason: a soft pair she wears every winter morning gets more use than almost anything else in the stocking.
What are good beauty stocking stuffers?
The LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask, the Sol de Janeiro Sol & Cheer set and a Kitsch satin pillowcase make a complete beauty and sleep set. Together they cover lips, body and hair.
How they fit together:
LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask for the nighttime routine.
Sol de Janeiro Sol & Cheer set, a holiday set from a brand known for its warm, beachy scents. Check the link for exactly what is inside this year's set.
Kitsch satin pillowcase, a smooth pillowcase that many people choose for their hair and skin at night. It folds flat, so it fits in a stocking.
To make it feel like a set, put all three in the stocking together and add a handwritten tag that says "for Sunday night." It turns three small things into a ritual.
If you know her favorite scents, check the Sol de Janeiro set against them before you buy. Scent is personal. A pillowcase, on the other hand, is easy to get right, and it is one of those things people rarely buy for themselves.
For someone who prefers a book to a beauty routine, my edit of the best coffee-table books to give this Christmas has Slim Aarons, Ina Garten and Assouline titles.
What small luxury fits in a stocking?
A Tory Burch card case and a Voluspa mini candle are the small luxuries in this edit. Both are designer pieces in a size that fits a stocking.
Why these two:
Tory Burch card case. Slim enough for a small evening bag or a coat pocket. It is the kind of thing she might not buy for herself.
Voluspa Crushed Candy Cane mini candle. A holiday scent in a small size, so she can light it through December without committing to a big candle.
Small luxuries work best in the toe of the stocking, where they are found last. Wrap them in tissue so they feel like a surprise.
A designer piece in a small size is often the most memorable part of a stocking. It does not need to be big to feel special. It needs to be something she would not have bought for herself. For a reader, a paperback or a coloring book fits, too, and my sister brand, South Nook, shares book recommendations for exactly that.
If you want to pair the candle with something for the home, the hostess gifts under $50 edit has a gold candle warmer lamp and the Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir candle.
Is a stuffed animal a good stocking stuffer for adults?
Yes, if it is a Jellycat. Jellycat has a real grown-up following, and the Bashful Bunny is one of the brand's best-known designs. It is soft, sweet and a little bit funny in a grown woman's stocking.
When it works:
For a daughter, sister or friend who already collects them.
For someone who just moved, as a small comfort in a new place.
For a college student who misses home.
At the top of the stocking, with its ears sticking out. That is half the charm.
Jellycat makes many of its designs in more than one size, so check the size on the link and choose one that fits your stocking. A small one also travels well, back to college or across the country after the holidays.
If there are children at home, too, the Christmas activities for kids post has printables from Tiger Eleven Studio, my shop on Etsy, plus gingerbread kits and craft supplies.
How do you fill a stocking so it looks full?
Put the largest, softest item at the bottom, the small luxuries in the toe, and something with height at the top. Fill the gaps with socks, scrunchies and wrapped treats.
A simple order:
Toe: the small luxury, like the Tory Burch card case or the Voluspa mini candle.
Bottom: the soft pieces, like the waffle socks and the satin pillowcase.
Middle: the beauty pieces, like the LANEIGE mask and the Sol de Janeiro set.
Top: the Owala FreeSip and the Jellycat, which give the stocking its shape.
Gaps: scrunchies, chocolate or a small note.
Wrap a few pieces and leave a few unwrapped. A stocking with everything wrapped takes too long on Christmas morning, and one with nothing wrapped has no surprise. Hang the full stocking on Christmas Eve, after everyone is in bed. Half of the fun is seeing it full in the morning.
If you are hosting before Christmas, my Friendsgiving checklist has a week-by-week plan, and A Beautiful Thanksgiving Table shows the candlelit table.
Frequently asked questions
How much should you spend on stocking stuffers?
There is no rule. Many people set one total budget for the stocking. Decide the total first, then choose one small luxury and fill the rest with everyday pieces.
What is a good stocking stuffer for someone who has everything?
Choose the nicer version of something she uses every day, like silk scrunchies, a lip mask or a good water bottle in a holiday color. Things that get used up, like a mini candle, are also safe choices.
Are stocking stuffers wrapped?
Some are, some are not. Wrapping the small luxuries and leaving the everyday pieces unwrapped keeps Christmas morning moving.
What is a good stocking stuffer for a teenager?
The Owala FreeSip, Slip skinny scrunchies, a Jellycat and the LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask suit teenagers as well as adults.
Where can I shop these stocking stuffers?
All of my picks, including the stocking stuffers post, are on my LTK page.
Shop the edit: every piece in this guide is linked in my stocking stuffers post on LTK.
Shop the Post
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