My Top 3: Stocking Stuffers

Witty subhead

My Top 3 is a weekly post where I count down three things I love in a random category. This week, we’re looking my top three stocking stuffers.

Is it just me, or have Christmas stockings grown in size over the years? I remember seeing my dad’s childhood stocking hung up next to mine and thinking it looked like a baby sock. My old stocking looks diminutive compared to my kid’s stocking. Each year, I struggle with the idea that I need to fill the stockings to the top. But, honestly, no one needs that much stuff.

Stocking stuffers are the bonus items, but that doesn’t mean they have to be afterthoughts. When it comes to stocking stuffers, I follow my mom’s tradition of relying on candy and practical items. Sure, it’s fun to slip in the occasional toy, spa item, or office supply, but I mostly turn to the same practical things each year. They are generally useful, pack easy for those who travel, and can be bought in bulk to spread across everyone on Christmas day. I’ve come to rely on these stocking stuffers to restock my purses.

Also, everyone in our family wraps the (non-candy) stocking stuffers. It’s a great way to use up scraps and prolongs the fun on Christmas morning.