Christmas Stocking Stuffers – Where to Find Them, How to Wrap Them; the Stocking Stuffer Extravaganza Finale!

Posted by: Shel 14 Comments

WELCOME TO DAY 5 OF THE STOCKING STUFFER EXTRAVAGANZA!

We’re wrapping up (pun not originally intended – but it works) the stocking stuffer extravaganza with great tips on where to buy stocking stuffers and ideas on how to wrap them. You already know you can go on-line and find almost anything you want – and that may be a good choice for those hard-to-find specialty items. But for most of our stocking stuffers we don’t want to pay more for postage and so-called ‘handling’ than the price of the gift. We need to search locally s for our stocking-stuffer treasures.

Christmas Stocking Stuffer Extravaganza - Day 5

PLACES TO SHOP FOR STOCKING STUFFERS

1. Savvy store-owners cluster great options for stocking stuffers around the place customers have to wait to pay. Peruse the check-out lanes at the following:

  • Grocery Stores – candy bars, mints, gum, batteries, nail clippers, magazines, novelty toys, gift cards . . .
  • Book stores – mini books, high-end candy, bookmarks, pens, novelty writing instruments, small games, reading glasses . . .
  • Liquor stores – one ounce nips, miniature cocktails, drink recipes, miniature bottles of wineStocking stuffer ideas - theater candy . . .
  • Electronic stores – earbuds, electronic hand-held games, car gadgetry, novelty toys, flashdrives, theater-size candy . . .
  • Office supply stores – mini calendars, highlighters, pens, candy, stressballs . . .
  • Craft/hobby stores – glue, batteries, glitter, novelty toys, candy, small crafting supplies . . .
  • Bed/bath stores – hand cream, novelty kitchen items like vegetable scrubbers, other stuff you didn’t know existed . . .
  • Fabric stores – closures, thread, fasteners, buttons, needles, pins, stain removal, tape measure . . .
  • Drug stores – cookie packages, candy, gum, mints, key covers, chapstick, novelty items . . .

2. The pen/pencil aisle of office supply or discount stores – pens, pencils, post-its, highlighters

Stocking stuffer ideas3. Drug store snack aisle – small packages of nuts, cookies, potato chips, popcorn

Stocking stuffer ideasstocking stuffer ideas

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Bed and Bath type stores usually have a wall where small personal items can be found. It’s a great place to look for things like sleep masks, hand-held massagers, hand treatment gloves, foot treatment socks, bath brushes, novelty lights, and other things you didn’t know you needed until you see them there.

Who knew sleep masks came in so many styles? (courtesy of www.notonthehighstreet.com)
Who knew sleep masks came in so many styles?
(courtesy of www.notonthehighstreet.com)

5. At  bed/bath stores,’superstores’ like Target and Walmart, as well as gourmet food/pantry type stores, there is a wall or aisle with all sort of small kitchen gadgets and utensils perfect for stocking stuffing. Check out the baking aisle, too.

 

Courtesy of www.yelp.com
Courtesy of www.yelp.com

6. FREE. Yes, that’s always a nice option. Here are some places to get supplemental stuffers at no cost

  •  Recipes and recipe cards – Kitchenware stores, grocery store displays, big-box-store food sample tables, internet
  • Paint sticks/stirrers – hardware store
  • Knit/crochet patterns – next to yarn at hobby stores, internet
  • Perfume/cologne/make-up samples – if you purchase products like Avon or Mary Kay, sometimes your distributor has samples to try
  • Woodwork patterns – internet

WRAPPING STOCKING STUFFERS is always optional. Following are a few tips/ideas for presentation.

  1. Cut down packaging such as the cardboard back around things like lipstick and flashdrives.
  2. Open up packages with multiple items and put them in separately. For instance, a 3-pack of four-ounce coffee beans can turn into 3 packs of coffee – it not only fits better, it’s 3 separate surprises.
  3. Just take a few samples out of boxes of things like teabags and hot chocolate envelopes (it’s cheaper than buying less single servings) and put the remainders away to be shared later.
  4. Slide rolled-up  magazines, brochures, or those free patterns you’ve downloaded into an empty paper towel tube and wrap.
  5. T-shirts, tank tops, socks, and undies can also be tucked into paper towel tubes. Even f it sticks out at both ends – just cover the whole thing with wrapping paper and tie each end with a ribbon past the point of where the item extends past the end of the tube.
  6. Toilet paper roll tubes can be used for smaller items like (some) undies and hankies.
  7. Lidded empty Crystal Light type containers can be used to harness things like pens, hair ornaments, and candy,  making it easier to wrap.
  8. Gifts can be layered for a ‘twofer’ result. For instance, a bandana can be wrapped around a mini flashlight for a double surprise. Or a gift card can be tucked into a sock.

If you missed any of the EXTRAVAGANZA, catch up with the following posts: Stocking Stuffers $5 or Less; 75 One-Size-Fits-All Stocking Stuffers; Stocking Stuffers for HIM or Her, Themed Stocking Stuffers; and (the post that started it all) 7 Ways to Get Back the Childhood Magic of the Holidays.

Stocking Stuffer Extravaganza Finale

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14 Comments

  • Great suggestions! Here’s a couple more: socks- a staple for my kids! Small sampler bags of different coffees or tea- love them! Of course jewelelry for my dtr; bangles,especially!

    • Shel Harrington

      All great options, Cori! Have you ever been to a store called Dusty’s? It’s absolutely loaded with fun, reasonable priced girl stocking stuffers.

  • steve

    I guess the pressure is on for me to get the stocking stuffed full of the right things now !!

    Dang the PRESURE !!

    • Shel Harrington

      HUZ! You’re here! Christmas came early – you’re off the pressure hook!

  • Donna Wade

    Your posts about stocking stuffers has been so much fun to read (and helpful)! Thank you for sharing your time with us!!

    • Shel Harrington

      I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Donna – thanks for letting me know! I hope you and your precious family have a wonderful Christmas!

  • I’m still agog (I used this word in a crossword puzzle this morning) at all the great ideas you came up with in this series of posts! I was going to suggest the Dollar Store, too, along with Dollar General and my new favorite, Big Lots, as possible places to shop for unique and inexpensive stocking goodies.

    • Shel Harrington

      Those sound like ideas I could glom onto (there, I managed to fit in my own word of the day!) I, for the life of me, can’t figure out how other bloggers manage to blog every day – unless, of course, blogging is there job. What an endeavor!

  • I’m so glad you posted these! My boyfriend and I actually decided to do stockings this year, and I’m totally stealing a lot of your suggestions!

    • Shel Harrington

      Does he drink tea? I tried to talk my husband into switching from coffee so I’d have an excuse to buy that cool robot infuser – think it would work with coffee if I don’t grind it too fine?

  • Great advice, Shel! The Dollar Store is a good place to purchase Stocking Stuffers. I buy jigsaw puzzles, Word Find books and Sudoku books for hours of entertainment. 🙂 Yikes! I never got day 4 in my box. I’ll have to go back.

    • Shel Harrington

      Yay Dollar Store! And thanks, Jill, for sticking with me for 5 days – I know you have a LOT going on!

  • Great tips on your blog this week! Well done.

    • Shel Harrington

      Thanks, Cindy! That should hold me on doing five in one week for a while!!

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