Graphic by: Logan Linder
The most wonderful time of the year is right around the corner! Christmas is all about togetherness, festivities, love and celebrations. Celebrations like these call for gifts, be it big or small.
One of the most common and popular Christmas traditions is the hanging of stockings. These stockings are usually hung above the fireplace and are filled with gifts inside.
However, deciding what to stuff in them can sometimes be a little tricky. How much should be filled? What’s the biggest item that can fit in it? What should you put in it? There seem to be too many things to consider.
Let’s take a look at some small gift ideas to fill the pretty stockings, along with some helpful tips and tricks.
Snacks
It is no surprise to see snacks on the list, considering how much everyone seems to love food all around the world. You can never go wrong by adding a few mini packets of snacks in the stockings, whether sweet, sour or savory.
It’s a good way to get started and given the wide variety of holiday-themed snacks around this time of the year, you have plenty of options to choose from.
Tip: Target has some great options, with candy under $2. You have a range of choices to pick from, whether it be mini hot chocolate sachets, Christmas-themed Reese’s cups, peppermint bark or holiday-themed M&M’s. Have fun exploring your options!
Gift Cards
The best solution if you don’t know what to gift someone is to play it safe and buy a gift card from their favorite store. This way, people have the liberty to buy whatever they wish.
You can set the card’s value based on a budget, and it doesn’t take up a lot of space in the stocking either. Talk about hitting two birds with one stone! Whether it be to a bookstore, a coffee shop or a clothing store, there are an abundance of options with gift cards as well.
Socks
When it starts to get cold around this time of the year, staying warm and cozy is so important. For that reason, socks are the perfect addition to a stocking as it appeals to every age group and the designs can be altered to anyone’s preferences.
There are very fun and silly festive socks for the season as well if you’re going for a holiday-themed stocking. Some ideas can be found here!
Self-Care Products
When it comes to self-care, the door opens to so many gift options that it can be quite difficult to stop at just one item. Whether it be for men, women or children, there is something for everyone.
Miniature scented candles can be a safe option if you’re unsure of someone’s self-care routine. The soothing fragrances can be very welcoming during the festive season. Due to its size, candles can also help fill the stocking without making it look too empty or too bulky.
Some other options for women include little nail polish bottles or even moisturizing lip balms. For men, you can throw in a pocket-sized fragrance or a miniature shaving kit in there as well.
Other Fun Miscellaneous Items
There are so many other things that can be added to this list, but this is a fun little way to categorize them. Stocking stuffers can be an assortment of very random, silly and meaningful items, customized to the recipient’s personality.
If it’s for a book lover, add some lovely bookmarks in the stocking. If it’s for a friend, add some card games that you all can play together. If it’s for little children or younger siblings, sticker books or keychains to add to the stocking. The choices are endless!
By now, you (hopefully) have an idea of what to stuff in the stockings. Now, let’s move on to some tips and tricks to get the stocking stuffers just right!
Tip: Make Sure to Grab the Holiday Discounts
Firstly, make sure you have a set budget in mind for the stocking stuffers to allocate costs to different items you wish to add to the stocking. If you’re shopping online, you can always filter your price range so that you don’t overspend.
Tip: Add the Longer Items in the Stocking First
Next, be generous with stuffing your stockings! As said, the more the merrier. It really depends on the size of the stocking to begin with. The larger the stocking is, the more you can afford to fill it with bulkier items.
Sometimes, it looks cute to add longer items (like a candy cane) in there as well because they stick out of the stocking and give out hints about its contents. It looks very appealing as well and adds to the excitement. If you’re worried about the stocking being too heavy, you can always do a test run and hang it beforehand to see if it will fall.
Tip: Fill the Leg of the Sock with Smaller Objects
Whether it be a bath bomb or a yo-yo, another trick is to stuff the sock with the rounder objects first. This will ensure that your stocking is stable when it hangs since it will be holding the weight of the rest of the stocking.
Tip: Make Sure You Have Fun with the Whole Process
Lastly, just make sure you have fun making the stockings because the whole process is supposed to be a happy one. You can choose a specific theme to base your stocking stuffers around or be thoughtful about what the recipient may like. At the end of the day, you have the freedom to be your creative self and make some of the cutest Christmas stockings.
Use these gift ideas and the little tips and tricks, and hopefully, it is insightful in some way! May your Christmas stockings turn out just the way you want them to be.
A very merry Christmas to all those who celebrate. May this season be filled with joy, warmth, hot chocolate, good food, love, comfort and of course… cute stockings.
Recent Comments