I am choosing to view this unsettling omission as a temporary result of needing the banana space for Thanksgiving-specific items. (Although the banana area is now half-full of pineapple, which is perplexing on many levels.) Who knows. Maybe no one eats bananas over Thanksgiving weekend. And I was at the store early on a Monday morning, so it’s possible the banana truck just hadn’t arrived yet? Yes, let’s go with that. I don’t even EAT bananas, but I don’t think I could handle a banana shortage. It would cause a banana panic, and no one needs that, although it is rather fun to say.
The chicken section was a little thin, too – and the breasts themselves looked kind of wan. I don’t care for a wan breast. But I bought three packages anyway; they were on sale and we’re facing down a Winter Storm Warning and we’re in the middle of a pandemic. But there were paper towels on the shelves and everything else seemed to be in stock. Well, except for cleaning sprays; that shelf was still pretty bare. I bought a bunch of canned veggies and some cereal for the food drive at my husband’s hospital, and both canned veggies and cereal were abundant. Notwithstanding the robust stores of food and supplies, I still feel a strong wave of Impending Doom which crests while I’m in the grocery store. (I seriously still cannot pass by a package of flour without gazing at it longingly. GET IT TOGETHER.)
Today’s doom is, in part, brought to you by a little trip I took to Home Depot yesterday. (The other part is the Winter Storm Warning and the neverending pandemic, obvs.) You can order curbside service at Home Depot, which I VASTLY prefer to wandering the aisles of Home Depot, hoping to glimpse a wisp of Home Depot staff member in the distance, let alone actually interact with someone who can direct you to the correct aisle. Curbside service, which I have used twice now, is prompt and masked. Yesterday, I ordered and picked up a sled for Carla. This will ensure that the foot of snow we are promised will turn out to be a measly inch of watery sludge. Anyway, I was waiting for my curbside order when I saw a family exit the Depot with their cart full of paper towels.
At first, I thought they were geniuses. Of course Home Depot sells paper goods! And if you can’t find paper towels at Target, Home Depot is a good bet. (They also have hand sanitizer and lots of cleaning supplies. Hot tip.) Or perhaps they were in the store for normal Home Depot reasons and just happened across the paper towels and marveled at their presence and bought some — beats going to Home Depot AND Target/Costco/your-paper-towel-purveyor-of-choice. But then I quickly slid from congratulatory musing to alarm, and the tableau shifted from one of Happy Family Grabs Bounty Whilst Picking Up Lightbulbs to that of Shrewd Preppers Seek Out Last Paper Goods At Unlikely Source, as when you see disaster films showing people jogging from, like, a Toys R US, with a cart full of bottled water and baby food and ammunition. Okay, maybe not Toys R Us. My panic-fantasies are dated and inaccurate.
I am always on the precipice of panic, it seems, and seeing someone else with paper towels is enough to send me scrabbling over the edge, it seems. Even though lack of paper towels is NOT THE END OF THE WORLD. Even if our supply of paper towels could use a little plumping, perhaps next time I visit the grocery store, we can certainly survive WITHOUT.
Speaking of paper goods, though of a different sort: I could use some more wrapping paper. We are down to maybe four semi-used rolls and one fresh one, which feels a little risky. I have done SO MUCH wrapping and it just now the very beginning of December. Yes, many people plan ahead like this Every Single Year, but this is new to me. And while I am pretty sure I am done with my Christmas shopping, I do keep buying justonemorething and other lovely people keep sending us gifts that also require wrapping. I don’t like to be low on wrapping paper, is what I’m trying to tell you.
I guess you can add a little Holiday Apprehension to the list of Doom Source Material. Some days it feels delicious and festive, other days — like today — it feels tiring and stressful.
Then there’s the other potential/likely source of doom: the resumption of remote learning this week. I think (I HOPE) it will be better than it was in the spring. But I am still dreading it.
This, the week after Thanksgiving, in a Period Of Doom, I am not feeling like cooking at all. AT. ALL. And yet we still must eat, I suppose. Myself, I could probably hibernate all winter on the mashed potato intake of the past week alone. But my daughter probably needs regular feeding. And all the doom and dread makes me crave pasta. One must carbo load to be able to outrun The Fearsome Something that is sending spikes of panic through one’s endocrine system.
In any event, meals must happen. So here we go, an attempt at a menu plan for the week.
Well, Internet, Thanksgiving is over. We Zoomed, we FaceTimed. The turkey turned out okay not great; the gravy was disappointing; the apple sharlotka turned out to be divisive in my household. My body is now 85% mashed potatoes. Over the long weekend, I am trying to avoid the news (my news feed is a roller coaster of “37 Gifts Your Second Cousin Once Removed Is Going to Go GaGa For!” and “CDC Predicts Tens of Thousands Will Die in Next Two Weeks.”). I have done All The Laundry. We took our holiday card photo yesterday (a Zoom photo, if you must know) and ordered our cards. Most of my Christmas shopping is done. (If you are still looking, I have posted some gift ideas here.) So what is left but to turn my attention to stocking stuffers?
Most years, I get Stocking Stuffer Syndrome in the final days leading up to Christmas. Have I bought enough presents? Is Christmas going to be Special enough? What if, in my attempt to not go overboard, I have gone wildly UNDERboard? This inevitably results in a rushed trip to Target or World Market where I grab far too many little gifties and spend WAY too much money on what is, essentially, junk. FUN junk, you know, like Christmas themed Pez or Christmas crackers or light-up Christmas bulb necklaces. But… stuff that could easily be swept into the trash a few weeks in the future without anyone missing it at all. It’s not a HEALTHY way to approach the holidays, no. And yet I struggle with it every year.
This year, however, there will be no last minute trips to Target. I mean, I guess there COULD be, if I placed a curbside order. But it wouldn’t be the same. I would not be half-speed-walking, half-panic-jogging up and down the aisles grabbing for any remotely semi-relevant stocking-sized item under $5. Even with a last-minute curbside order, I would have to plan ahead. So why not try to see this particular pandemic limitation as a gift in itself, and maybe try to cure — if temporarily — my Stocking Stuffer Syndrome?
To that end, here is a list of stocking stuffer ideas that I have purchased, considered, or want for myself. And there are plenty of great ideas on last year’s list, if you need further inspiration. As usual, this is not sponsored, but the Amazon products are affiliate links, through which I get a few cents if you make a purchase.
All photos are from the websites linked to in the product description.
Half Popped Popcorn Variety Pack: I love Nuts.com, and this variety pack of half-popped popcorn would be perfect for stocking stuffers – and there are TWELVE bags, so there should be at least ONE extra bag for your own stocking. (Or you could always order a big bag of Sriracha half-popped popcorn for yourself the spice lover in your family.)
Pipcorn: Oooh – or pipcorn! I remember seeing this product featured on Shark Tank. I bet my husband would get a kick out of finding a bag (or three) in his stocking.)
Brain Food: Every year I want to put something delicious into Carla’s stocking. Every year I feel like she has TOO MUCH candy. This snack bundle from Nuts.com is the perfect compromise! Dried apricots! Animal crackers! Milk chocolate gummy bears! Sweets plus more nutritious options. You can’t go wrong.
Mini Bundt Cake: These are SO CUTE. If you have a Nothing Bundt Cake shop in your area, this would be such a fun stocking stuffer for family – or a gift for colleagues and staff and teachers.
Bison Star Soap Bouquet: This collection of soaps is so pretty – the kind of thing I might display in my bathroom rather than use, which, yes, is silly.
Fancy Soap: Speaking of beautiful soap, the soaps from this LaSalleAve Soap shop on Etsy are beautiful.
Portable Soap Sheets: These soap sheets would be easy to carry around in a purse or jacket pocket in case you need to wash your hands and there is no soap to be found.
Soap with a Mission: Or you could buy bar soap – or a variety of other bath products – from Soapbox, which donates a bar of soap with every purchase. (Purchases also help support research in water sanitation and hygiene education.)
Face Mask Sanitizing Case: I am strongly considering this for my husband, who has to wear a mask to work every day. For the healthcare worker in your life, possibly?
Fancy Hand Lotion: At $35, these aren’t really what I think of as “stocking stuffer pricing.” But you could split them up amongst three people’s stockings, and it would be closer. Or you could buy them for yourself and stuff all three into your own stocking as I plan to do.
George & Viv Holiday Shower Fizzies: I have started seeing these aromatherapy-type shower fizzies a lot lately, and I am intrigued. I hate baths, so I miss out on all the bath bombs and bath salts and whatever other fancy fun treats people put into their skin stew. These seem like a good way for shower stalwarts like me to get in on the fun.
Reusable FacePads: These cotton face wipes from Etsy shop Handmade by AVO are adorable and eco-friendly.
Worry Stone: Who couldn’t use a beautiful, smooth worry stone to transfer all your anxiety to? I had never heard of garnierite until I found these on the WildMoonCrystals Etsy shop – it is supposed to help remind you of your inner divinity and creativity. I don’t know if I believe that, but I have people on my gift list who do – plus, these are SO PRETTY.
Capo: While I certainly don’t play guitar, my husband does and he’s been making some comments about wanting a capo. This one comes with picks! (Is that good? I have no idea!)
Marking and Measuring Tool: This awesome little ruler-slash-level seems like it would have about one bajillion uses.
Magnetic Bookmarks: I lose bookmarks. It’s such an issue, my husband won’t let me borrow any of his. (He collects them – tries to get a bookmark from any city we travel to.) But maybe if my bookmarks were magnetically attached to my books it wouldn’t be such a problem!
Christmas Ornament: Even if we can’t be with our families during the holiday season, we can still celebrate our innate connection with this beautiful acrylic ornament representing family togetherness from indigenous-owned company Trickster. All the offerings on their site promote indigenous design.
Cocktail Napkins: Fun cocktail napkins are an enduring favorite of mine. Lots of these would be perfect stocking stuffers.
Sriracha Grab N Go Packets: I love sriracha, and have been going through it at rather an absurd rate lately. These would be fun to find in my stocking. Not that I am Going anywhere that I would need to Grab some portable sriracha, but it’s fun to hope that the coming months might allow us to comfortably Go Places again.
Nerds Rainbow Pack: When it comes to candy, Carla loves Nerds and I think this holiday pack will be perfect for her stocking. I got a box for about $1 during my latest curbside pickup from Target (and one for myself).
Giant Chewy Nerd(s): When I was at Walgreens recently to get my flu shot, I spotted this guy on the shelf. Definitely more expensive than a $1 movie theatre pack from Target, but really cute and fun. (I never thought about the fact that Nerds plural implies the existence of Nerd singular… but I suppose that’s what this guy is?)
Nutella: We put a tiny tin of Nutella in Carla’s stocking one year and it was a huge hit – maybe this little guy will find its way into her stocking again this year?
Cadbury Cherry Ripe: My husband loves interesting candies from around the world, and he mentioned this one to me awhile back. Definitely going in his stocking!
Astronaut Ice Cream: I have always wanted to try this… but have never wanted to buy it for myself.
Butterfly Hair Clips: These are VERY popular in our house. I included a few of these in the Poke a Prize game I made for Halloween, and Carla has insisted on wearing her pink or red hair clips at least twice a week since, so I got her a package in all the colors of the rainbow. You know. Options.
Butterfly Jaw Clips: Little jaw clips have also been a recent favorite in our house. These are perfect for stocking stuffers.
Meri Meri Wooden Animal Clips: Ooooh, and I love these beautiful wooden clips, although they are a little more than I normally spend on hair accessories. Perhaps better suited to a child who isn’t prone to leaving a trail of barrettes behind them everywhere they go…
Hair Cutting Scissors: For the stay-at-homer who has now turned their sights on home hair cutting. (I may have added a pair of these to my last curbside Target order.)
Hair Towel: This microfiber hair wrap is super cute and super useful. (You know I love a practical gift!)
Bath Bombs: These are so adorable. And they combine two of Carla’s deep loves: bath bombs and tiny animal figurines.
Grow Capsules: Carla has loved these dissolving capsule-sponge toys for YEARS – and recently discovered a stockpile of capsules in the basement, which reignited her passion – so I think they would make great stocking stuffers for kids of all ages (at least, all ages above whatever age it is when you stop fearing your child will put things in her mouth).
Surprise Unicorn Hatching Eggs: This kind of thing is right up Carla’s alley. Like a Hatchimal, but… not expensive and won’t annoy you with computerized noises.
Grammar Pencils: I would LOVE to get this FlyPaperProducts assortment of grammar pencils in my stocking.
Cat Pens: These pens are adorable! Who wouldn’t find routine tasks like writing out the grocery list or jotting down a phone message or writing out a math equation more enjoyable with these cute critters???
Critter Erasers: These erasers are so charming. They would be another good gift for a remote learner.
Mechanical Pencils: And I have fallen in love with these mechanical pencils. They are scented, which does not appeal particularly to me, but I imagine it would be really fun for the elementary set.
Colored Pencils: These are a much-used staple in our house. A fresh, new pack is always a welcome treat.
Mini Desk Vacuum: Speaking of items for the desk, we got Carla this mini ladybug vacuum to zoop up all the millions of eraser crumbs she produced during remote learning and she LOVES it. In fact, I love it. And I am a big believer in doing little things to make the tedium of work better, and I think this could do the trick for lots of children and adults who are now working from home. It’s small enough for a stocking and it’s darling and fun.
Panda Stapler: Oooh! This is so cute! Who doesn’t need a stapler in the shape of a panda?
Mini Office Supplies Set: Oh my gosh – or this set of miniature stapler, tape dispenser, highlighter, and more. I had a set of mini supplies when I was a kid and I LOVED it.
Webcam Covers: We all need these now more than ever.
Keyboard Cleaning Goo: I am the type of Mean MomTM who refuses to allow slime into my house. But this goo has a PURPOSE and plus it has nauseating (I’m assuming) fun scents that would appeal to my child.
Resistance Bands: I am going to buy these for myself and make my husband stick them in my stocking.
Sports Headband: Earlier this summer, I ordered this exact headband for myself and it has been a game changer. Perfect for the active people on your gift list. I also love this beautiful gold headband from Hair Haven Accessories.
Workout Hair Ties: These hair ties from DL Designer Crafts are super cute.
Fitness Dice: Pretty much everyone is trying to find ways to make exercise more fun, right? This dice turns “moving your body” into a game.
Cat Hat: I am all about this. Everyone needs a cat hat.
Cat Slippers: My daughter got a pair of slippers for the holidays last year and they have been SUCH a favorite that I would be all about getting her a new pair as soon as she outgrows the old ones.
Holiday Crew Socks: Stockings are perfect containers for… stockings. I love these soft socks and Target has plenty of options for kids and adults.
Taco Socks: But there’s no need to limit your sock giving to holiday themes! These taco socks are ADORABLE. Plus the company that makes them employs differently abled staff and donates 5% of their earnings to the Special Olympics, which makes me love the socks even more.]
Slipper Socks: Or you could go a step further toward shoes – for those who miss real footwear? – and get these slipper socks.
Bathtub Color Tabs: These have been enduringly fun for my child. For years.
Bath Crayons: Speaking of colorful bath accessories, I only recently got these for Carla. Not surprisingly, she loves them. I bet they’d also be popular with younger kiddos.
Flameless Tealights: This may seem like a weird stocking stuffer, but there are approximately one million uses for flameless candles and I am here for it. I am specifically thinking of how I can coax Carla into bathing by setting up a “Spa Bath” with bubbles and soothing music and then putting flameless candles on her counter and turning off the lights. If I were a bath person, I would be ALL over this.
Fidget Cube: This is one of the coolest types of fidget I’ve seen – let’s you flip switches and press buttons and turn gears. And don’t we ALL need a fidget to use during all the Zoom meetings???
Monkey Noodle: You may recall that I am a huge fan of WikkiStix (especially for stockings! They are such good in-the-car toys!) and these Monkey Noodle things look like they may serve a similar purpose… without sticking to my carpet. Looks like they may not allow you to create things as well as WikkiStix, but they are stretchy and fun.
Little Live Pet Surprise: Carla can’t get enough of these tiny surprise toys. I mean, what child can resist the pull of a SURPRISE CRITTER?
Saxoflute: Do you have a child on your gift list whose parents you hate? This is the stocking stuffer for them. (Honestly, Carla would love this. But I have a headache just thinking about it.)
Would You Rather?: I am having déjà vu, so it is possible I have recommended this before. But Carla and her friends have loved playing Would You Rather? since at least kindergarten.
Mad Libs: Carla is finally at an age where she understands Mad Libs, and she finds them delightful.
Joke Book: And JOKES. Carla loves coming up with jokes. It’s very cute. I bet we’d get a lot of mileage out of a joke book.
Diamond Painting Kit: Kind of like paint-by-numbers, but with tiny gems. We got one for Carla and it came rolled in a tube perfect for stuffing into a stocking.
Math Dice: This game is fun, educational, and the perfect size for a stocking.
Barbie Clothes: One of the best things about Barbie dolls is dressing them up, trading clothing items among them, finding new combinations of outfits and shoes – but you don’t always want to buy another Barbie to get a new ensemble. (Although sometimes the Barbies are cheaper than the clothing!)
Snowball Maker: This is the perfect silly stocking stuffer for a kid who lives in a snowy area (or, I suppose, near a beach). Carla loves making snowballs with hers.
Fleece-Lined Leggings: Carla has a ton of these leggings and loves how soft and cozy they are.
Seed Packets: This would be so fun to get in a stocking. I’d personally love veggie and herb seeds for plants that thrive in indoor containers. Cilantro is my favorite thing to grow. Basil is the easiest. I think chives are fun to add to everything. My favorite indoor flowering plant is an anthurium, so it might be fun to try to grow one myself. Kids might like seeds for a Tickle Me Plant.
Flower Seed Bombs: Oh my goodness – this tube of plantable paper seed pods is so pretty.
Gardener’s Hand Salve: How about a soothing hand lotion for your resident plant person?
Self-Watering Bulbs: I am terrible about watering my house plants. It’s really a wonder they aren’t ALL dead. I either over water them or forget about them completely. So these self-watering bulbs would definitely come in handy.
Customized Succulent: Even someone with a black thumb (me!) can keep succulents alive. This miniature one from Color and Creation comes with an adorable customized pot.
Lashtopia Mascara: One of my favorite beauty products is mascara, and I would love to get fancy mascara in my stocking.
Burt’s Bees Gift Set: I don’t know about you, but this is the time of year where my lips start feeling chapped and dry. A gift set of lip balm would be wonderful to find in a stocking.
Lip Smacker Princess Trio: For the child in your life (or inner child). I remember getting Lip Smacker sets in MY stocking when I was a kid! (Dr. Pepper lip balm, anyone?)
Mini Nail Kit: Oh my gosh, these little nail lacquers are so cute.
Highlighter Set: Ooooh – or this mini palette of highlighter would be so fun to receive.
Listen, I usually believe that stockings are for small, fairly inexpensive gifties. But once in a while, it can be fun to stick a WOW gift in there, if the size is right.
Kate Spade Apple Watch Band: Sometimes you want to wear a fancier watch but still count your steps, amiright?
Wireless Headphones: My husband got me these Bose SoundSport headphones on a whim for a previous gift-giving holiday, and I had no idea I needed them. Now I use them ALL the time, while scrubbing bathrooms, while walking on the treadmill, while vacuuming, while cooking.
Fancy Facial Oil: This is my favorite skin treatment, and it is the perfect size for a stocking.
Gourmet Chocolates: I can personally vouch for Schocolat chocolates – their assortments are so decadent.
Drinking Chocolate: My husband loves this stuff, but it’s on the pricey side.
Whiskey Tasting Pack: Or for the liquor connoisseur, how about a set of tasting-size bottles of their favorite tipple?
Okay, Internet. I feel sated on stocking stuffer ideas. Well, at least until I see the next irresistible “Top 20 Stocking Stuffers for Ted Lasso Fans” article pop up on my news feed.
What are your favorite things to add to a stocking? What’s been the best thing you ever got in a stocking? And does Santa stuff the stockings, or do human inhabitants of your household?
Oh, don’t mind me. I’m just sitting here at my computer, scrolling through holiday card templates and weeping. While there are still lots of the standard designs, some of the messaging has shifted to address the very significant year we’ve been having. Some are humorous, referencing Zoom meetings or qauarnteams or that “everything is fine” dog-sitting-cheerfully-amid-the-flames meme. But the more prevalent feeling is poignancy, I think. I am seeing a lot of messages embracing togetherness, a lot of very simple cards (just the name of the sender, or a moderate “happy holidays” or “season’s greetings”), a lot of messages about gratitude or thankfulness or hope. The one that made the tearfulness slip over into sobbing was one that said in bold, reassuring letters: Love is all around us. Oh jeez, and after I wrote this whole post and had calmed down and was looking for a photo to put at the top, I came across one that said: You are essential to us always. And I lost it again.
It seems fair and reasonable and maybe necessary that the messaging of this year’s holiday greetings would be different: gentler, more hopeful, more restrained. Yet I have such a complicated mix of feelings in response: tenderness, toward the designers who have so carefully crafted these messages of love and solidarity, and toward the people who choose them. Petulant anger that we need to have specialized messaging at all. Sadness that we can’t be with our loved ones this year, and grief for those whose loved ones have been lost forever. Resignation that even though this strange mostly-awful year is coming to a close, things aren’t BETTER yet. Determination to celebrate and be joyful nonetheless.
My husband, who does not particularly like the holiday card tradition in normal years, is even more against them than usual. On the other hand, I feel like maybe they are more crucial now than ever. My mother says they are not just the yearly hello from friends and loved ones, near and distant – now, they are an important touchpoint. We’re not just wishing one another happy holidays, we are saying, “We are alive, we have so far made it through, if not unscathed at least with enough left over to send out a seasonal card.” For me, sendingholidaycards (and receiving them!!!!) has always been one of my favorite traditions of the season. And I am CLINGING to normalcy and tradition here, to help me power through the last few months of what is, dear lord in heaven please make it so, a very unusual and upsetting outlier of a year.
Of course, I completely understand the opposite feeling. That this year was so rough that it’s hard to know how to acknowledge it. That it may feel almost off-puttingly cheerful to send out a message about the holidays when these holidays are so full of unaccustomed stress and uncertainty. That we are all doing everything we can just to make it to 2021, and trying to send out holiday cards is just another expenditure of time and money and energy that we don’t necessarily have.
So I get it. This may not be the year for holiday cards for many people, and that makes total sense. But I’ve come down on the side of wanting to do them. For me, it’s an important point of connection. And in a year where so many of those connections have been severed, I crave it more than ever. I haven’t yet persuaded my husband to my way of thinking. (He is the photographer, so I kind of need his buy-in.) But I am working on it.
What are you doing, cards-wise, this year? And, whatever it is, is it a break with tradition? And, if you are sending out cards, what kind of messaging are you considering?
