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By Ingrid Skjong and Wirecutter Staff regular socks
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In fall 2024, we added a box set of Minions-themed socks, elastic shoelaces, stick-on mustaches, kids chopsticks, wacky boxer briefs, and several card games for older kids. We’ve also updated our entries on lip balms and the best kids electric toothbrush to reflect our latest testing.
Stocking stuffers are often the final piece of the gift-giving puzzle. Yet this assortment of small gifts needn’t be scraped together during an 11th-hour mad dash to the drugstore. Whether they’re part of a long-standing family tradition or a recent addition, petite presents can be as meaningful, thoughtful, and memorable as the big stuff.
We asked Wirecutter staffers—as well as our own families and friends—to share their stocking-stuffer go-tos, aiming to play Santa’s helper for a range of tastes from classic (socks, lip balm) to whimsical (temporary tattoos, wacky bath bombs) to practical (good ol’ undies and toothbrushes). The ideas we collected are appropriate for a variety of traditions. Little gifts like these could work well for Hanukkah—when many children receive small presents on each of the eight nights—or for any occasion when you’re looking for tiny but special items for kids.
Some of the gift suggestions may also be appreciated by adults, and we have ideas on the best stocking stuffers for grown-ups, too. We also offer more gift ideas for kids here.
Tucking an orange into a Christmas stocking is a tradition with a long history. In late-19th-century Europe, an orange was an exotic treat—both spendy and scarce. In the early 1900s, citrus growers pushed oranges as a delightful and healthful holiday gift, and gift givers jumped on the trend. During the Depression, the fruit was considered a luxury, and those in a position to get an orange considered themselves lucky. Although the sight of a lone citrus fruit hidden in a sock may generate a bit less awe than it did 100 years ago, the driving sentiment and emotional impact of the tradition are alive and well within many families. There are different reasons for keeping up the practice, but one common thread seems to be that the humble orange still reminds people of how fortunate they are. (Others appreciate that an orange rounds out the toe, creating a picture-perfect sock.) Some families give the tradition a twist: One Wirecutter friend reported that her Santa always places an interesting fruit in her family’s stockings—a rambutan, horned melon, dragon fruit, or anything they haven’t tried before.
Maple sugar candies add some New England flair to a Christmas stocking.
These chocolate-covered marshmallows are delicious, festive treats.
My siblings and I always found a special chocolate bar or marshmallow treat sticking out of our stockings on Christmas morning, and now my kids do too. When I lived in Los Angeles, paying a visit to See’s Candies was a part of my own holiday tradition; I’d buy the California confectionery’s chocolate Santas and marshmallow trees, as well as gelt for Hanukkah. A Wirecutter colleague who has tried both tells me the Hanukkah chocolates from Li-Lac surpass even those at See’s. After we moved to the Northeast, Santa became partial to giving little maple candies, which my kids confirmed as being a favorite after a trip to the sugarbush at April’s Maple in northern Vermont. Not that there’s any reason to get too fancy about the treats you choose: It turns out that finding these books of Lifesavers stuffed in a stocking is a treasured common memory of a number of my friends. The current version of the Lifesavers book is pretty lame in comparison, but now-unusual classic candies like Chuckles and Charleston Chews have also done a nice job of filling out the socks at my house.
Players compete to nab the best collection of delectable dishes in this easy-to-learn card game.
Dodging the exploding kitten card gets harder and harder as the deck dwindles in this rollicking game of luck and evasion.
Card games are another stocking staple, and for good reason—simple, family-friendly games can be lifesavers during the holidays, giving everyone something to do between big meals and long naps. To please a range of ages, we love Sushi Go, a fast-paced, pick-and-pass card game featuring cartoon illustrations of nigiri, dumplings, and other delicacies. We also love Rhino Hero, which requires a steady hand to stack cards into a tower that’s sturdy enough to support a wooden rhino. (Both are among our favorite board games for kids.) Some of our kids have also liked Exploding Kittens, a silly romp recommended for kids ages 7 and up. Rat-A-Tat Cat and Sleeping Queens, both in our guide to gifts for 6-year-olds, are also favorites. They’re easy to grasp yet challenging enough to be fun for all ages. Simple but fast-paced brain games like Blink or Spot It—or a classic like Uno (now with a slew of themes, from Minecraft to Avengers to old-school Mickey Mouse)—can also help fill a stocking.
This two-player game falls at a satisfying intersection of luck and strategy.
Some of our favorite board and card games for adults would fit nicely in an older kid’s or teen’s stocking. The Fox in the Forest is a low-key, two-person game that’s reasonably easy to learn. A trick-taking game at heart, it keeps things interesting with twists like every odd-numbered card modifying the game and a curved scoring system. We recommend Coup, a quick-playing party game of deception and sabotage, in our guide to gifts for teens. One Wirecutter staffer’s family has enjoyed traveling with Hanabi, a cooperative card game in which everyone holds their cards backwards, and you’re never allowed to see the cards in your own hand. Players try to signal what everyone else has in their hands to guide the group to victory. Monopoly Deal, a simple card game that packs all the fun parts of Monopoly into a 15-minute round, has also been a success (as has Sprawlopolis, a challenging collaborative card game whose deck is slimmer than most wallets).
A plastic egg of this beloved putty is an intriguing, nostalgic little gift.
Tactile putty introduces new twists to an old favorite with magnetic, glow-in-the dark, and sparkly versions.
Silly Putty is a no-frills classic that feels right at home topping off a stocking filled with surprises. Little hands like stretching, snapping, bouncing, and smushing the stuff. (Be sure to show kids how to transfer newsprint off a page to the putty.) If you want a more modern take, we like Crazy Aaron’s Magnetic Thinking Putty, several variations of which are recommended for kids 8 and older. Guaranteed not to dry out, it comes in a bunch of colors and effects—from scented to shimmering sparkles—picking up where its old-school predecessor leaves off.
A classic for a reason, a slinky’s spiraling frame is as mesmerizing as ever.
The metal Original Slinky made it to my family most recently as a little gift for my then 3½-year-old when his baby brother was born. Its undulating steps and specific texture were a hit with him; I was happy to see that something invented accidentally in the early 1940s could still hold a kid’s attention. (If you want one that will walk down the stairs, consider the larger size.)
This wooden puzzle is an engaging brain teaser and a fun token on a shelf or desk.
The David Weeks Cubebot Classic Micro, a scaled-down version of the original, 9.5-inch-tall puzzle, is a 1.5-by-1.5-inch cube until little (or big) hands manipulate it into a 4.25-inch robot. “It’s like a Transformer but so much more,” said Keewa Nurullah, owner of the children’s shop Kido Chicago. She points out that sustainable, real-wood puzzles like the Cubebot are made to last and grow with your child. Once kids have maneuvered the Micro into robot form, they can pose it and play with it. The real challenge, Nurullah said, is getting the Micro back down to its cube shape. The robot comes in several variations of solid colors, natural wood, multicolor combinations, dots, and a skeleton theme; it’s available in a third size, 6.75 inches tall, but the Micro is perfectly sized for a stocking. Areaware also makes a puppy version of the Cubebot called Milo, which we have not tested.
This Minions-themed box set features four soft and silly designs that are at once despicable and delightful.
Color-blocked cat faces add a cute touch to a stalwart classic. Six-packs of these cozy socks come in several patterns.
Socks are a staple stocking stuffer for lots of families. (And they’re satisfyingly meta: socks in socks!) Parents on the Wirecutter staff have a number of suggestions to fit different tastes—all are styles we’ve bought for our own kids and found to be comfortable and reasonably durable. New this year are ultra-soft Minions socks from Bombas, which come in a four-pack gift box. The thick, multicolored Antsang Wool Cat Crew Socks are available in an economical six-pack and sport winsome kitties (among other designs, like dinosaurs and wintry unicorns). For a more rugged option Smartwool Kids’ Wintersport Over The Calf Socks (above) are snug and warm, and they’re great for a kid who is going to be sledding or skiing this winter. Socks are also an easy way to give a nod to a kid’s current style (rainbows, avocados, or pizza anyone?). And these Animal Paws Socks, featuring dog, cat, and even dinosaur feet, are quite the conversation starter.
These oversized bow headbands add a pop of color to any ensemble.
A donut-shaped bun kit forms the base for speedy updos.
Hair accessories are fun and useful stocking stuffers that will be very appreciated, and you don’t have to break the bank. My long-haired child loves these Siquk Grosgrain Bow Headbands, this protective satin hair scrunchie, and this bun-maker kit (which creates perfectly coiffed updos in seconds). For more long-lasting hair accessories—including this 36-pack of waffle-knit scrunchies—see our roundup of Wirecutter staffers’ favorite scrunchies, clips, and hair ties.
With its surprising egg shape and appealing flavors, this lip balm is a welcome antidote to chapped winter lips.
Sparkly lip gloss makes for a special surprise.
Lip balm (holiday-themed and otherwise) was a stocking-stuffer standard in my home throughout my childhood and beyond. A former Wirecutter favorite, the EOS Sphere Lip Balm comes in a novel shape that appeals to kids, and it comes in several fun flavors and colors (we like sweet mint). For a more-festive option, we also like these glittery lip glosses from Lavender Stardust. They roll on smoothly and come in kid-friendly flavors like cherry and vanilla. And no worries if your kid licks a few sparkles or decides to spread the magic beyond their lips. (The company also makes roll-on body shimmer just for this purpose, for kids—or adults—who want to sparkle all over.) For older kids, Coola Original Liplux Lip Balm Sunscreen (a favorite in our guide to lip balms) delivers sun protection in a lightweight, moisturizing stick that’s surprisingly luxe for the price. In our testing, nothing beat Dr. Bronner’s Naked Organic Lip Balm for a simple, no-fuss, moisturizing lip balm at a reasonable price.
There are near-endless themed variations on this time-tested, laugh-inducing word game.
This version includes lists of example words so kids learning about parts of speech can join the fun.
Here’s how my son described his favorite candy store at age 7: “There are chocolate-covered pencils, tasty jelly beans, and hairy never-ending lollipops.” Since Mad Libs’s creation in the 1950s, the word game has encouraged us to fill in the blanks—often with silly, LOL-worthy, nonsensical results. In addition to featuring classic themes like animals, slumber parties, and summer vacations, Mad Libs has also expanded into sports (with titles like Goallllll! Mad Libs), popular films (including Star Wars), and characters (such as Pokémon). For younger kids still learning to distinguish between nouns, adjectives, adverbs, and verbs, offerings in the Mad Libs Junior line—including Super Silly Mad Libs Junior—provide an example list of words to help them fill in the blanks.
With its seven-loop wand, this bottle of bubble solution produces large, shimmering orbs.
Bubbles are best when they’re big, bright, and bold. Gazillion Bubbles 1L Solution delivers lovely, stable spheres; the 1-liter size provides plenty of bubble-making fun and slips nicely into a stocking. One staffer says the Gazillion solution is the next best thing to making homemade bubbles using the classic recipe of dish soap and glycerin. A seven-loop wand keeps the bubbles flowing, and the solution doesn’t stain most surfaces or fabrics. Up, up, and away!
A mess-free version of paint by numbers allows kids to match geometric stickers with corresponding numbers to fill in each sticker painting.
I love the idea of frequent art projects, but I’m not a fan of the ensuing construction paper cleanup and glue-sticked chaos. That’s what makes this Paint by Sticker Kids book, which includes 10 sticker paintings, so great. It’s a high-focus activity that scratches the creative itch while rewarding fine motor skills and number recognition. It’s also mess-free—so much so that you can break out the book on a long road trip and buy yourself about 30 minutes of entertainment from one page. Young kids can complete the puzzle with the help of a grown-up; older kids (around 5 and up) can identify the numbers and do the stickers on their own. Dinos not your thing? You can choose from 12 themed Kids editions, including seasonal designs, pets, rainbows, and mermaids, or more-complex sticker books with a grown-up aesthetic. (The books are about the size of a typical coloring book and would fit best in a larger stocking.)
A pleasant watermelon scent adds another dimension to this sturdy, well-cut, little puzzle.
Traditional jigsaw puzzles are great just the way they are; they don’t need much improvement. But there are some things in life that you have to experience to realize what you’ve been missing, and apparently a pint-size scratch-and-sniff jigsaw puzzle is one of them. As advertised, Mudpuppy’s Watermelon Pupsicle 48 Piece Scratch and Sniff Shaped Mini Puzzle smells like—yep!—watermelon in a nice, Jolly Rancher–esque way. (I was worried that the reality of a scented puzzle was going to be gross, but it was delightful and silly.) Since the puzzle pieces are pretty small, this is recommended for kids age 4 and up—the diminutive size also makes the puzzle a bit more challenging to put together. If you want a larger-scale scented puzzle, the 60-piece Mudpuppy Campfire Friends Scratch and Sniff Puzzle—with select pieces that smell like marshmallow, cocoa, and cinnamon—probably won’t fit in most stockings, but it sure is a hoot. There are more options on Mudpuppy’s site, and Wirecutter parents are fans of many of them.
Grow a little sillier with enough stick-on mustaches for the whole family.
There’s little risk of regretting a fake mustache, or the family photo you take of your mustachioed brood. Many similar options exist, but the Bobofly 36-Piece Fake Mustaches offers good value for the volume, with three sheets of 12 mustaches, each of which can be perforated into six-packs that’ll slot well into the typical stocking. Mr. Moustachio’s Top 10 Manliest Mustaches offers a slightly higher-quality mustache, and a couple of more-unusual designs, including white-haired offerings like “Rich Uncle Nicklebags.” But its rigid packaging may make it harder to stuff in a sock.
These powdered paints mix easily with water, allowing artists (and their adult assistants) to finesse texture, intensity, and endless blended colors.
May be out of stock
My kids and I love to paint but hate the smell. The first thing I noticed about Eco-Kids Finger Paint was the absence of a strong artificial scent. There wasn’t one because each paint is made with food-safe ingredients like potatoes, rice, and beans. Each kit includes four colors (watermelon red, blueberry blue, cabbage green, and orange), which start as powders. Mixing them with more water brings lighter, fainter colors, and mixing them with less water creates deeper colors that have more texture and smoother application. You can also mix them for more-dynamic options and shades. (Blue plus red made a fuchsia we loved.) My kids and I made a mess, but it was easy to clean. The paints easily washed off surfaces (including our mat), the dishes we mixed them in, and our fingers.
These artist-designed tattoos are notably vivid and long-lasting.
Kids of all ages like fake tattoos, and I prefer giving Tattly’s Temporary Tattoos over the dime-store variety because of the vibrant colors, exquisitely detailed designs, ease of application, and longevity. There are plenty of options that kids will like, some from well-known artists commissioned by the company to create designs. This space explorer set by Oliver Jeffers, author of beloved children’s books like The Day the Crayons Quit (an excellent gift idea in its own right), is especially eye-catching. Tattly also offers packs of two identical tattoos; kids we know have liked these rainbows, and these finger-shaped worms are pretty hard to resist.
These bath bombs produce amazing fizz and pleasing scents, and they reveal a surprise toy as they dissolve in the tub.
An effervescent bath-time treat that packs a hidden surprise, the Two Sisters Squishy Surprise Bubble Bath Bombs Set—one of our picks in the guide to bath bombs—makes a great little stocking stuffer. The bombs dissolve for about five minutes, releasing a stellar amount of fizz, and they come in six pleasantly sweet, fruity scents including citrus and grape. The toy hiding inside isn’t anything special, but the surprise element is really fun. (We did find that kids had a hard time prying open the little plastic balls the toy comes in, so be prepared to offer an assist.) If you’d prefer to give something a bit more luxurious, Lush Bath Bombs, our top bath-bomb pick, are gorgeous, and they fizz spectacularly.
Silly and endearing, easy-to-attach googly eyes add instant charm to art projects and gift wrapping.
Stick-on googly eyes can make just about anything more entertaining—including Christmas morning. I often tuck sheets of these in with presents for other kids, and my daughter and I also like to use googly eyes to decorate those gifts. I start with a foundation of kraft paper, and she draws on it with markers or crayons, and then applies these eyes, stickers, and washi tape. It’s very wabi-sabi, and also a fun way to get the task done. I’ve bought individual adhesive googly eyes in bulk before, but the backing can be hard to remove, even for adults. We’ve found that the Creativity Street Peel and Stick Wiggle Eyes peel off the sheet easily, and they come in three sizes for toddlers and preschoolers to stick where they please. Note that these eyes could be a choking hazard, so you should monitor young kids while they’re using them.
This multicolored chalk brings pizzazz to a playground staple.
When my younger son was little, I liked to stash sidewalk chalk in the bottom of his stroller. Colorful and creative, it came in handy when his older brother needed something extra to do at the playground. This Unicorn Horn Sidewalk Chalk from Twee has the potential to bring even more style to asphalt art. The small-batch, unicorn-horn-shaped pieces of chalk are cast in pastel rainbow hues or painted shiny gold, and they are perfectly sized for a kid to get a good grip (the manufacturer recommends the set for ages 3 and up). When we tested sidewalk chalk with a group of our kid testers, they noted that, while this multicolored chalk is eye-catching, you can’t always access each color until you’ve worn down the layer before it. We found that Crayola Washable Sidewalk Chalk has a bit more of a pedestrian aesthetic, but its colors, quality, and value are unsurpassed. For classic color chalk in not-so-classic shapes, check out Nikolas Bentel’s Moon Chalk; it comes in three otherworldly styles that make fun dotted and wavy patterns when you drag them across a surface. These wear down fast (as does most chalk), but the pieces are fun to hold and draw with.
These bookplates lend an heirloom feel to a kid’s favorite books.
I bought customized bookplates for both of my kids a few years back. Each time we reopen a storybook with the personalized flourish pasted inside, it brings me a little joy. In truth, my boys seem pretty much indifferent to these nameplates at the moment (except when they’re being used to argue the point that a particular book belongs to me, not my brother). But I’m optimistic that in time they’ll appreciate these little badges, which signify that a certain book felt special enough to be tagged and added to what may be a lifelong library. The bookplates I bought came from a Los Angeles Etsy shop called Oiseaux, which specializes in old-timey storybook images. Felix Doolittle also has a lovely collection, but with a cleaner, more contemporary look.
This series follows iconic DC superheroes like Wonder Woman and Poison Ivy through their teenage years at Super Hero High.
boyshorts women May be out of stock