While gifts under the tree are great, arguably the most delightful part of the day are the smaller gifts that can be found in the depths of your chimney stockings. There’s something undeniably magical about waking on Christmas morning to giant, hanging socks filled with little goodies. The best kinds of stocking stuffers are small in size, whimsical, witty, and sometimes unexpectedly useful. They aren’t things anyone necessarily puts on their wish list, or things you even really need. But it’s that element of not needing, of not knowing, of reaching your hand into the woolly interior of your sock to pull out a tiny treat intended purely for enjoyment, that makes stocking stuffers so wonderful and worthy of commendation. Unpacking stockings signals that the holiday is really, truly here—a signal we could all use in a year that feels like one long blur.
The thing is, with the mad rush of online shopping for more significant gifts, it’s easy to let the collection of stocking stuffers fall to the wayside, especially during a global pandemic. We’re here to remind you that the little things that spark joy are often the most worthwhile. Below, we’ve assembled fun, funny, and practical stuffers—suited for everyone from the gardener to the gastronome—that are sure to please even your pickiest of girlfriends and family members. A word to the wise: Order ASAP, as time is running out and shipping delays abound.
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