Stocking Stuffers
The stocking, in my opinion, is the best part of Christmas as it is the place where I have received some of my favorite, most unexpected gifts that were both creative and really personalized. If you do stockings in your family, it can be the best place to get creative and be meaningful with a gift. Here are some cute, small gift ideas to ask for or to give to others:
- Lip Balms: like those from Rhode or Summer Fridays
- Body Washes: my favorites are from Native and Philosophy
- Sundae Whipped Shower Shaving Creams
- Face Masks/Eye Masks: can be so fun to do together!
- Body Scrubs: I love the ones from KP or Ouai (at Sephora) but the Tree Hut ones are amazing too!
- Makeup Brushes: the Elf set can be a bigger gift, but a nice makeup brush like the ones from Patrick Ta and Hourglass are really nice gifts
- Lash Serums: I love the ones from Babe Lash, the Ordinary, and REM Beauty
- Makeup Pallets: MakeupByMario has the best eyeshadow pallet I have ever used, same with hourglass
- Hero Pimple Patches: while it may seem mean to get, these are some of the most practical gifts for people because then they won’t have to go out and buy the patches themselves
- Nice Shampoo/Conditioner Sets: I love the Kerastase and Redkin sets
- Hair/Body Oils: L’Occitane has incredible body/shower oils and lotions, and Morrocain and Verb have the best hair oils that also smell incredible
- Candles: a nice candle from Anthropologie or Bath&BodyWorks can be so fun to personalize
- Mini Jellycats: a gift that you never necessarily want to buy yourself, yet it’s so nice when someone else gifts it to you
- Headbands: the tortoiseshell ones are trending right now, but I also love fun prints like polka dots or even studs
- Mugs or Coffee/Matcha Sets: they can be Christmas themed, funny, or personalized (a great gift for coffee/matcha lovers)
- Herbal Tea Sets: especially great for those who love to try new teas
- Stanley Leak-Proof Lid: great for people always on the go (who have a Stanley) and are worried about leaks
- Books!: As a book lover these are some of my favorite gifts to receive in my stocking. These can be personalized depending on whether someone is more of a mystery, romance, action, etc. lover. (Nice coffee table books on fashion or travel can also be great for parents!)
- Journals: with the mental health space growing, journals are a beautiful gift to give to someone (I love the brand Papier)
- Phone Cases: fun printed phone cases are a great way to spice up someone’s stocking (polka dots and stripes are really in right now) and Wildflower has really good quality cases
- Gift Cards: if you don’t know what to ask for, gift cards can be the best things. Whether they’re for a clothing store you love to shop at, a restaurant/coffee shop you go to all the time or want to try, a nail appointment, or (one of the best gifts I’ve ever received) for a bookstore, they’re so fun to add to anyone’s stocking
- Lottery Tickets: my dad has the tradition of getting my whole family lottery tickets to try our hand at it every year (spoiler alert: we never win, but it’s still a fun tradition)
- Chocolates: whether it’s the beloved chocolate Santas, or my favorite, the Bethesda Chocolates Dark Chocolate Caramel Covered Pretzel or their truffles, this is the perfect addition for any chocolate lover
- Silk/Satin Pillowcases: a great gift for people wanting to help their skin and hair, these can be a nice stocking stuffer or even present for people. I love the ones from Slip (they sell them at Anthropologie too)
- Belts: I love receiving accessories in my stocking and belts are no different. Last year, I was given a beautiful brown belt with gold hardware from Sam Edelman, and it’s the best belt I own.
Gifts
Moving onto the gift portion of this guide to Christmas, this is arguably the most stressful part as either you don’t know what to get other people, you feel bad asking for things (which is usually my case), or you have no clue what to get other people. Here are some ideas for you and for the family members who are the toughest to gift:
- Workout Sets: with the rise in the “Pilates Princess” aesthetic, workout sets have made the dreaded gym and exercise classes more motivating. My favorites are from 437, Alo, and Set Active.
- Nice Skincare: skincare products are always desired and by gifting them to someone, you are not only giving them a nice present, but also something they will use everyday. I love Rhode skincare and Tatcha.
- Makeup: like skincare, gifting someone makeup is very practical and allows them to experiment with new looks they wouldn’t have otherwise tried. I love the Rhode and Armani blushes.
- Christmas PJs: These can be the best “night-before” or first gift to open because then you can all change into them and take a picture together. My favorites are from Skims (both the new prints they have and their plaid ones) or any from Target.
- Sweat Sets: As another cute gift, especially for seniors (with our sweatpants privilege), sweat sets are a cute way to look put together while still being comfortable.
- Slippers: Hands down one of the best gifts I received last year was a pair of teddy bear slippers from Skims. I wear them all the time and they are the cutest pair of footwear I own!
- Adidas: A classic pair of sneakers can be a great present as they can go with any outfit and be of great use everyday
- Jeans: Like sneakers, jeans are a great everyday-use present that can be fun to customize for a person.
- Scarves: Sometimes all you want is a beautiful scarf (especially for these blustery months). I love the chunky ones from Acne Studios and Anthropologie for colder weather, but a nice silk or satin one can be great for any time of year.
- Jewelry/Jewelry Store Gift Card: Unless you know exactly what a person will love jewelry-wise, gifting them a gift card to a jewelry store they love to shop at is amazing and it’s something that holds memories.
- Fragrances: They say your sense of smell is really closely associated with your memory bank. I believe this to be true as every time I smell my favorite perfume (Chanel Chance) that my dad bought me when we were in London, I am instantly transported back to the beautiful trip we experienced together.
- Diffusers: Closely related to perfumes as well, diffusers can make your house smell incredible and they’re fun to personalize depending on the person. Now whenever you walk into that person’s house, you are reminded of a wonderful present you gave them.
- Hatch Alarm Clock: These trending clocks are expensive, but I have heard they definitely are worth it as they gradually wake you up making you more at peace first thing in the morning.
- Jackets: as a fashion lover, any gift with regards to fashion is a gift I will love, but jackets are some of my favorites to receive because they really customize any outfit and I always remember the person who gifted them to me whenever I put one on.
Bigger Ticket Items:
The more practical the present, the more expensive. What my brother and I will do is each put in half for a bigger gift for either of my parents or my grandma as their wishlists are a little more expensive.
- Ninja Creami: This is another trend that I want to hop on as it’s a fun way to make customizable ice cream flavors. This is a more expensive gift so this would be one that you could chip in a little money with someone else to give to someone.
- Red Light Mask: As a great form of skincare, red light therapy masks are amazing to reduce acne scarring and puffiness. My favorite is from Shark (as a more expensive option), but there are others on Amazon as well.
- Noise Cancellation Headphones: Yet another trend, the AirPod Max’s have been all over many people’s wishlists. I just recently received them as a gift for my birthday and I have to say they are worth it! They drown out a ton of noise which, if you get distracted easily, helps you focus. There are other more affordable options as well that work just as well like the noise cancelling AirPod (earbuds) and the Beats or Sony headphones.
Non-Physical Items:
As Christmas has become more commercialized, the act of gift-gifting has become almost necessary and expected. Here are some gifts that are experiences that will hold more value than any physical thing you could receive that day. These hold memories and will allow you to spend time with a loved one rather than forgetting a few weeks after you’ve received a present.
- Tickets: for a show or a concert you both love. This can be an amazing opportunity to spend time with someone in a new light. They could be to a comedy club, a sports game (this is a good one for dads), or even to a musical performance.
- Plan a Day Out: you can book an experience for a day like a trip to a spa and spend the day there, then take them to a coffee shop and treat them to a special coffee or out to a nice lunch. Planning a day to spend with someone can be the best personalized gift someone can receive.
- A Vacation: as a bigger gift, you could plan a vacation with someone to a destination you both have been wanting to visit.
