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A successful stocking stuffer needs to be many things: Compact, to fit in a stocking; whimsical, to add surprise; and affordable, so as to not overshadow larger gifts. Stocking stuffers might be easy to overlook in lieu of bigger gifts for the men and women on your list— but they also carry the potential to add an extra special spark of joy to the holiday season.
MORE: The best white elephant gifts under $25
No matter what your stocking stuffer gifting style looks like, we’ve got you covered. We’ve compiled a careful list of 20 stocking stuffers under $20 that are sure to delight kids, kids at heart, in laws, friends — or whoever you’re sharing the holidays with this season.
Jump to: Gifts Around 5 | Gifts Up to $10 | Gifts Up to $15 | Gifts Up to $20
Gifts Around $5
1. Rabbit Wine Stoppers (2 pack)
Pop in a Rabbit wine stopper to easily preserve an open bottle of wine a few days longer. These wine stoppers are dishwasher safe and fit most bottle shapes and sizes. Pair with a nice bottle of red (or white!) from a local wine shop for a thoughtful, classy gift.
2. Nag Champa Incense Sticks
Give the gift of ambiance with this set of incense sticks. You can’t go wrong with Nag Champa, an iconic and beloved incense scent. This three-pack will ensure this gift lasts a while — even if your giftee is burning sticks back-to-back.
3. Transparent Sticky Notes Set
This sticky note set will fit right in with the day to day of any color-coder, bullet journaler, or rigorous note taker. These small stickies are easy to stick and remove, making them great for jotting down notes on the go or attaching reminders to a fridge, mirror or other surface. This set also comes with a quick-dry felt pen to prevent frustrating smears and illegible messages.
4. Portable Mini Humidifier
Help a remote worker spruce up their home office with this mini humidifier. This portable humidifier can be programmed to spray mist continuously or intermittently, depending on preference and the dryness of the environment. A colorful LED night light setting adds a little extra excitement to the home office, too.
5. Microfiber Screen Cleaner
Banish fingerprints and smudges on glasses, smartphones, tablets and laptops this year with this microfiber cloth screen and lens cleaner. Conveniently bundled into a tiny pouch, this microfiber cloth is easy to attach to a keychain or toss in a purse. Choose from several designs or colors.
Gifts Up to $10
6. Smunchys Velvet Zipper Pocket Scrunchie
This velvet zipper pocket scrunchie combines style and functionality. With a hidden pocket to store small valuables — such as cash, chapstick or keys — this scrunchy is the ideal solution for those times when a full purse is too much but you still have a few odds and ends to carry. The Zipper Pocket Scrunchie is available in a range of colors and patterns to fit any style.
7. LEGO City Great Vehicles Race Car
Everyone can get into F1 racing this year with this race car set from LEGO. Perfect for ages 4 and up, this beginners LEGO set includes an F1-style car, mechanics tools, driver and winner’s trophy.
8. Cactus Tealight Candles
You don’t need a green thumb to enjoy this delightful succulent set. This quaint collection of unscented tealights features six different succulent shapes and work well as decor at home, in the office, and at events.
9. The Screaming Goat (Book and Figurine)
$8 at Amazon $16 at Barnes & Noble
Sometimes the most cathartic reaction to a stressful situation is to let out a nice full scream. If that’s not an option, however, this pocket-sized screaming goat figurine should do. With just a gentle press, the Screaming Goat emits a short, “lifelike” goat scream. As a bonus, this set comes with an illustrated guide with fun goat facts and trivia.
10. Bananagrams
Bananagrams is a tried and true word game ideal for puzzle enthusiasts and Wordle devotees. Each game comes in a highly portable, banana-shaped case containing all the tiles you need to build crossword grids with friends or family.
11. Blue LED Lamp Mushroom Night Light
Bath & Body Works candles have become the stuff of legend, and after a whiff or two, you’ll see why: The company offers an intoxicating variety of scents, and their candles are known to have real staying power. Bath & Body Works’ special aromatherapy collection has sparked some of its best fragrances, including this ultra-relaxing eucalyptus-spearmint hybrid seen here. In an endlessly stressful world, there’s no indulgence quite like a whiff of this relaxing herbal medley.
Gifts Up to $15
12. The Dog Pawsonality Test
$14 at Amazon $14 at Barnes & Noble
Is your dog a diva? Dig into all of your dog’s personality quirks and behaviors with dog psychology 101 in “The Dog Pawsonality Test.” This book comes with several multiple choice quizzes in different areas — think confidence levels, favorite way to play — that then link your dog to different Canine Characteristics — Dominant, Well Balanced, Extrovert, Introvert, Adaptable, Independent. This quiz book is a fun and easy way to get to know your furriest family member a little bit better.
13. The Peanut Butter Spoon
Peanut butter lovers will rejoice at finding the Peanut Butter Spoon in their stocking this year. This hybrid spoon-spatula is specially designed to help you scoop every last ounce of peanut butter from the further reaches of the jar. This unique utensil is constructed from silicone and beechwood and could be used with peanut butter, jam, Nutella and more.
14. CPLA Moon Lamp
Explore the wonders of the moon with this 3D-printed Moon Lamp. It gives off a soft light that’s sure to delight kids or adults alike. If you’d like to use the Moon Lamp as a nightlight, a timer ensures it will turn off once you’ve fallen asleep. Different color modes also allow you to customize the appearance of the moon depending on your mood.
15. Yoga Dice
$19 at Amazon $19 at Uncommon Goods
Try Grilling Wraps for the gourmand or chef that has everything. To use, soak the wraps, place food inside, and set on the grill or in the oven. The result? Appetizers or entrees infused with a delicious cherry smoke flavor. These wraps pair well with chicken, vegetables and seafood.
Gifts Up to $20
16. Mini Magical Creature 3D Kits
Build a bit of whimsy into the holiday season with this mini magical creatures cardboard puzzle set. Each magical creature (you can choose either a unicorn, dragon, or narwhal) begins as 40 biodegradable and eco-friendly cardboard pieces. Fit each piece together, stick together with the included glue, and you’ve got a new magical friend. This gift is great for kids age six and up.
17. Lush “Sleepy” Gift Set
If you’re looking for a small gift that exudes relaxation, then the Lush “Sleepy” gift set is it. This dreamy duo includes a mellow body wash and a skin-soothing body lotion. Both come in Lush’s best selling “Sleepy” scent, which includes hints of lavender, tonka and ylang ylang.
18. 17VDerma Premium Korean Face Mask Sheets (5 pack)
$16 at Amazon $18 at Soko Glam
Soothe and smooth your skin with these hyaluronic acid-infused Korean face masks. These face masks are suitable for sensitive skin and include avocado extract. They come in a pack of five masks so you can split them among several different stockings, too.
19. Men’s Stripe Calf Socks by Bombas
Socks might seem like a boring gift — but these are no ordinary socks. These are some of the best socks on the market. We love these socks so much, we’ve also included them in our guide to gifts for men. What makes Bombas socks particularly nice to wear is that they’re designed with targeted cushioning and a unique honeycomb arch-support design that’s like a gentle compressive hug for the most tired part of your feet. Plus, because Bombas makes the three most requested items in homeless shelters — tees, socks and underwear — for every item you purchase, Bombas distributes an item to those in need.
20. Dino Kids’ Throw Buddy Pillow
This two-for-one stocking stuffer is a sure kid pleaser. A dino-shaped pillow serves as a perfect cuddle buddy, while the rectangular throw blanket offers comfort and warmth. Pack everything to go by
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Sarah is a big picture communicator with a fondness for creative storytelling. She brings a decade of communications and writing experience that spans disciplines, subject matter, and business needs. She loves the Oxford comma and Reese's Cups. More.
