105 Inexpensive Stocking Stuffers for Kids, Teens and Grown-Ups

A stocking is the part of Christmas morning kids open first, and it does not have to cost much to feel full. The list below keeps all 105 ideas, sorted by price so you can mix a few cheap fillers with one small highlight. Prices are typical US ranges at dollar stores, big-box stores like Walmart and Target, and grocery checkout aisles. Many of these are cheaper still on the clearance racks the week after Christmas, which is the best time to start next year’s box.

A good rule of thumb: pick one “wow” item, one useful item, one treat and a couple of small fun things per person. Set the same budget for everyone so nobody compares stockings and feels short.

Under $2: dollar-store and checkout-aisle finds

1. Candy canes or a small bag of wrapped candy
2. Lip balm, a winter must-have
3. Novelty socks, often two pairs for a couple of dollars
4. Deck of cards
5. Yo-yo
6. Silly putty or a tub of slime
7. Hot chocolate packets
8. Toothbrush in a fun color or with a cartoon character
9. Pencils and pens, a pack for school or the office
10. Bookmark
11. Fridge magnets
12. Crayons
13. Hair bows or scrunchies
14. Stickers, a whole sheet
15. Glow sticks for Christmas night
16. Bouncy ball
17. Jacks set with a small rubber ball
18. Jump rope
19. Emery boards
20. Cookie cutters in holiday shapes
21. Seed packets for spring planting
22. Granola bars
23. Gum
24. Guitar picks for the music fan
25. A lump of coal, as a joke, usually a piece of charcoal candy

$2 to $5: small but useful

26. Earbuds from the electronics aisle
27. Chocolate bar from a nicer brand
28. Bath salts
29. Scented candle, small size
30. Nail polish
31. Flashlight, key-chain or pocket size
32. Crossword or word search book
33. Golf balls or a bag of golf tees
34. Coasters
35. Tape measure
36. Lint roller
37. Kitchen utensils, such as a spatula or whisk
38. Spices or a small bottle of hot sauce
39. Markers
40. Key chain
41. Batteries for the new toys under the tree
42. Hairbrush or comb
43. Gloves
44. Harmonica
45. Christmas ornament
46. Stress ball
47. Bubble bath
48. Shaving cream or a pack of razors
49. Loofah sponge
50. Measuring spoons
51. Dish towels
52. Pot holders
53. Paper dolls or a sticker scene book
54. Beef jerky
55. Nail clippers or a mini manicure set

$5 to $10: the nicer middle

56. Small makeup item, like mascara or lip gloss
57. Movie ticket or a gift card for a movie rental
58. Fast-food gift card for a kid’s favorite spot
59. Perfume, cologne or body spray, travel size
60. USB flash drive
61. Memory card for a camera or game console
62. Paperback book
63. Costume jewelry
64. Knit hat
65. Scarf
66. Action figure
67. Doll accessories or doll clothes
68. Sewing kit
69. Crochet hook set or a pair of knitting needles
70. Fishing lures
71. Gardening gloves
72. Hand trowel or other small garden tool
73. Car air freshener
74. Flavored coffee
75. Coffee mug
76. Flavored tea sampler
77. Picture frame with a family photo already inside
78. Notepads or sticky notes in fun shapes
79. Journal
80. Roll of patterned duct tape, beloved by tweens for crafts

$10 to $20: small splurges

81. Magazine subscription printed out as a card
82. Underwear in a multipack, the useful gift everyone needs
83. Belt
84. Movie on DVD or Blu-ray
85. Hand lotion from a nicer brand
86. Deodorant in a gift set
87. Drill bit set
88. Small tool, like a screwdriver set, wrench or hammer
89. Stopwatch for runners
90. Trading cards, a booster pack or two
91. Pocket knife for an older teen or adult
92. Concert ticket printed out as a surprise
93. Compact binoculars
94. Phone accessory, such as a charging cable or case
95. Wallet
96. Screen protectors in a multipack for the family’s phones and tablets
97. Necktie, new or a nearly new one from a thrift store

Homemade, free and one last joke

98. Stuffed animal sewn from a worn-out sweater
99. Cash tucked into a card, even a few dollars in coins for a young child
100. Coupon book with homemade vouchers for a later bedtime, a skipped chore or a one-on-one date
101. Hand-knit or crocheted hat from scrap yarn
102. Homemade hot cocoa mix in a jar
103. Homemade bath salts or sugar scrub
104. A letter from a parent or grandparent to open on Christmas morning
105. An engagement ring, which is not inexpensive at all, but it does fit in a stocking

Matching the list to the person

The same list works for everyone once you sort it by age:

• Toddlers and preschoolers: crayons, stickers, a bouncy ball (a large one, not a small choking-size ball), a board book, bubble bath and a stuffed animal. Skip small parts, magnets and button batteries for children under three.
• School-age kids: yo-yos, slime, trading cards, glow sticks, a jump rope, a paperback and a fast-food gift card.
• Teens: earbuds, a phone accessory, body spray, a memory card, lip gloss, snacks and a little cash.
• Adults: socks, lotion, a tool, flavored coffee, a notebook and a movie ticket.

Grandparents are often happiest with the homemade section: a letter, a framed family photo or a coupon for an afternoon of help around the house.

Ways to spend even less

Shop all year. Keep one box in a closet for small finds. A 90 percent-off clearance rack in January or a back-to-school sale in August can fill half a stocking before December arrives.

Use the dollar store with a list. It is easy to walk out with 30 items and a $40 bill. Decide how many things per stocking before you go, and write the names on the list so every item has a person.

Make a few things. The homemade items in the last section are some of the most appreciated. Bath salts and sugar scrubs take ten minutes; the guide to homemade lotions and bath products has simple versions. A coupon book costs nothing but paper and a bit of thought, and kids often treasure it more than any toy.

Split multipacks. A 10-pack of lip balm, socks or batteries costs far less per item than singles. Buy one pack and divide it across every stocking in the house, or share a pack with a friend who is shopping for her own family.

Wrap less. Stockings do not need wrapping paper. A few pieces of tissue paper or the Sunday comics are enough to hide the shape of the surprise item.

Budget for it. Holiday costs are easier to handle when they are planned. Dividing the season’s total by 12 and setting that amount aside each month is one simple method, and the family budget guide explains how to add it as a line item. For Halloween and other holidays through the year, the homemade adult Halloween costumes and the frugal tips for family and home have more ideas.

One more tip from families who do stockings on a budget: put the orange in the toe. It is an old tradition, it costs less than a dollar, and it makes the stocking look full from the very first item.