What Are The Best Stocking Stuffers? 19 Small Gift Ideas That Fit Perfectly

Stocking stuffers are the small gift surprises that make holiday mornings a little more excited. It’s not uncommon for big presents that get the spotlight but for smaller items tucked inside a stocking which bring just as much joy. 

If you are looking for some unique ideas for stocking stuffers, you are at the right place. In this blog post, CustomAny will introduce to you 19 small gift ideas that fit perfectly inside holiday stockings. Keep reading to explore more inspiration on your holiday gifting.

How to Pick Gifts That Fit Stockings

Stocking stuffers are small and usually affordable gifts placed inside Christmas stockings. These stockings then will be hung on Christmas Eve and opened the next morning. The best stocking stuffers are small enough to fit easily without getting lost, and choosing the right ones makes this holiday tradition even more delightful.

Actually, there’s no official size guide for stockings, but there are some guidelines that may be useful for you while choosing stocking stuffers:

• Use your thumb and aim for items about the size of your fist
• Avoid things so tiny because they will disappear inside your Xmas stocking
• Choose compact and lightweight gifts to make sure they don’t weigh the stocking down.

You should avoid items like bulky gadgets, oversized toys, or heavy objects. They can stretch or damage the stocking, or even reveal themselves and destroy the surprise factor that makes stocking stuffers so enjoyable.

Suitable items that are commonly used to fill Christmas stockings are:

• Candy or other sweet treats
• Mini candles
• Cozy socks
• Travel-size lotion or skincare items
• Small notebooks or stationery
• Gift cards

19 Small Gift Ideas for Stocking Stuffers

So, we’ve learned that the key for choosing the right stocking stuffers is to keep their size and practicality in mind. Let’s discover 19 small yet thoughtful stocking stuffers that fit perfectly and carry the biggest joy.

Practical Stocking Stuffers

First, let’s think about the kind of practical gifts that people actually use every day.

1. Mini Hand Cream or Lip Balm

A mini hand cream tube or lip balm is always a good choice for harsh winter weather. You should choose those in classic scents to make sure your stocking stuffers are a practical gift for everyone.

2. Travel-Size Shampoo or Shower Gel

Travel-size shampoo and shower gels are great small toiletries for those who travel  regularly. They are also suitable for the gym, or people who want to try out new scents. 

3. Small Bath Bombs

Try bath bombs wrapped in festive paper and add a few different scents so they can enjoy more variety just by opening your Christmas stockings. 

4. Cozy Socks

Fuzzy socks with holiday-themed designs are the type of stocking stuffers that make cold mornings warmer. 

5. Reusable Metal Straw Set

Slim and long reusable straws are a perfect fit for stocking stuffers. This gift also shows that you are thoughtful and care about eco-friendly items. Remember to add a small cleaning brush and a pouch for convenience use.

6. Keychain or Key Holder

A keychain or key holder is a practical gift. The special thing about these stocking stuffers is that you can make them personalized by just picking one that matches the recipient’s hobby, favorite color, or with their initials.

7. Pocket-Sized Notebook

Another idea for stocking stuffers is a small notebook. It fits perfectly in any size stockings and is handy for jotting down thoughts for such a new-year welcoming event. You can pair it with a mini pen to make the gift more complete.

8. Small Pack of Coffee

A small pack of coffee is for brewing lovers. You can either choose a roast they enjoy, or surprise them with a new taste.

The 8 practical stocking stuffers above are thoughtful options yet keep everything useful for daily use.

Fun & Unique Stocking Stuffers

Next, we’ll try something fun and quirky. These little surprises will be the most memorable as stocking stuffers.

9. Scratch-Off Lottery Tickets

Lottery tickets are commonly inexpensive but bring excitement to every recipient. As every ticket carries a sense of possibility, you may want to put in a few into each stocking so your recipient has more chances to win.

10. Mini Puzzle Cube or Brain Teaser

Mini puzzles or other brain teaser games can keep everyone entertained. This will make the most interesting stocking stuffers for kids and adults alike. 

11. Temporary Tattoos

How about giving them a chance of getting tattooed? This gift idea is playful yet safe to try because the tattoos are easy to wash off with water. The most important thing is choosing the right designs that match the holiday theme or the recipient’s hobbies.

12. Funny Fridge Magnets

A selection of quirky magnets will add personality to any kitchen. You can select humorous quotes, cute animals, or even custom designs to make sure your stocking stuffers are fun and unique.

13. Fun Die-Cut Sticker Set

Similar to tattoos and magnets, stickers are interesting, customizable and easy to tuck into stocking stuffers. Die cut stickers even emphasize the unique shape of the designs, ideal for holiday themes or any other bold artwork you may have in mind. You can include custom die cut stickers of various shapes or themes so your recipients can decorate their notebooks, laptops, water bottles and more.

14. Quirky Christmas Ornaments

Ornaments can be both silly or meaningful, suitable for this holiday season. They also make them perfect keepsakes for any family.

Choosing fun and unique stocking stuffers like these will ensure our holiday gifting experience is more exciting and memorable.

Personalized Stocking Stuffers

Showing you put in more time and effort in creating them, gifts with personalized details always feel more thoughtful for any occasion, including Christmas. 

And among different ways to add a custom touch, from direct printing, engraving to embossing, adding custom stickers stand out as the quickest, most affordable, and most versatile option. Our custom products are easy to design and produce in bulk, yet each one can look unique and festive. Adding stickers to small items to turn them into stocking stuffers is the method we highly recommend, especially when you need to prepare Xmas stockings for many people at once. 

So, let’s take a look at some highlight suggestions for personalized stocking stuffers using our custom stickers. 

15. Hot cocoa mix in small sealed bags

A bag of cocoa powder instantly feels more special with a festive label. You should try adding rectangle stickers or rounded-corner stickers as the label for these bags. The key is to design them with warm holiday colors or a cozy winter theme. 

16. Tiny cookie pack with “From [Name]” sticker

Cookies are a classic holiday snack, and a custom sticker can make them look like thoughtful handmade gifts. Circle stickers will work best for this application. Let’s create stickers with sayings like “From [Your Name] with Love” or include a short holiday greeting. You can add some snowflake or star patterns to make this sticker label more festive.

17. Mini jars of candy

Small jars filled with colorful candies do nothing but bring out the holiday spirit. Consider personalized these glass jars a sticker with the recipient’s name or a cheerful holiday symbol.

18. Scented candles

A candle is a cozy gift for this holiday season. However, this year you can make it feel more personal with a well-designed sticker. You should use it to label the scent, mark it with the recipient’s name or add a  short festive phrase.

19. Compact mirror or tin case

These small, practical compact mirrors or tin cases are perfect stocking stuffers because they are easy to slip into any stockings. To make them special, you can customize the surface with festive sticker designs—like snowflakes, candy canes, a word of encouragement, or even a fun seasonal doodle.

We highly recommend customizing these items with our premium UV DTF transfer stickers, whether it is a mini jar of candy, a scented candle cup, or a compact mirror. 

You may wonder why we should choose this sticker type. It is simply understood because UV DTF transfer stickers adhere especially well to such smooth, hard surfaces. 

Besides, unlike paper or vinyl stickers, these premium stickers are produced in a different method. They are printed using curable UV ink directly onto a special film and then cured with UV light. This process creates a finish that is durable, glossy, waterproof, and scratch-resistant, suitable for 

Not just that, what makes these stickers premium is that they have no background, making your design look as if it has been printed directly on the product. This special feature makes your mini jars, cups, or tins a polished, visually appealing and professional look.

Adding these tiny personalized touches onto ordinary stocking stuffers will create memorable gifts in an efficient way.

Last words

When being wisely chosen, stocking stuffers are the small gifts that can carry big meaning during the holidays. With all 19 practical, fun, and personalized ideas we’ve just discovered above, you now know how to find the right Christmas stocking stuffers for your needs, just remember to create something special and memorable, bringing joy to your loved ones. 

For delicate personalized details added to any gift, you can consider printing your own custom stickers with us. With various options available, from die cut vinyl stickers, clear stickers, to UV DTF transfer stickers, our custom products will make sure your gifts have their own unique look and show the love you put into them.