5 Things to Include in your Stocking Stuffers

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Nestle. The opinions and text are all mine.

This post is sponsored by Nestle.

When it comes to stocking stuffers, we like to craft ours with a good balance between practical and frivolous!

I always want stockings to be exciting for my family, but most everyone knows that “Santa” follows a specific map for stocking stuffers in our home….

“Something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read…”

Using this framework really takes the guessing out to crafting stocking stuffers. Once you break it down into those four categories it is pretty easy to identify what each person should get in their stocking stuffer.

In addition to these four categories we also always include Holiday themed candy like the Butterfinger Peanut Butter Cup Snowman and Original Spree and Everlasting Gobstopper Snowballs that are in adorable Reindeer-themed packaging. They make the perfect addition to stockings!

Are absolute favorite are the Butterfinger Peanut Butter Cup Snowman. The peanut butter + crispy crunchy taste + chocolate is heavenly.

In addition to putting the candy in stockings I also set them around the house during the holidays for simple (and functional) decor. Who doesn’t want to walk into their house and pass by a jar of candy!?

The Red and green Original Sprees, the Everlasting Gobstopper Snowballs, and the SweeTARTS Merry Mix (which are shaped like Christmas trees and snowmen) are perfect for this because they are red and green!

I just put mine in jars and set them around the house!

The kids usually open their stockings before we do presents because they usually can’t wait until the family wakes up/arrives to open presents so we also gift them a Nestle Crunch 1 LB Bar which is SO FUN. We just write their names on the packaging and give them as gifts that way.

Here are some ideas for the four categories of stocking stuffers that we use!

Something They Want

This could be anything small that your kids/husband have been asking for. Nail polish, makeup, or perfume could go in there for your daughter. Matchbox cars, cologne, or small tools for a boy.

For your spouse you could include a gift card to their favorite coffee shop or lunch spot. It doesn’t have to be elaborate just something simple that you would know they’d enjoy.

One year for our baby we did teethers, small stuffed animals, and teethers.

Something They Need

This is probably a category that my family wishes I would skip out on, but it is where I get all the essentials in. In the past I have done new toothbrushes, flash cards or other learning materials for school.

Basically this category is for things that your spouse or kids wouldn’t necessarily ask for, but you know they need.

Something to Wear

Obviously a stocking isn’t going to hold anything substantial as far as something to wear goes, but it will hold the basic things!

We put things like underwear and socks in there. In the past I have also done new mittens and winter beanies!

I keep it just about the same every year in this category because it is something that is usually needed every year by that time.

Something to Read

This is my favorite category, but that’s just because I am a book nerd. For small kids board books work really well in stockings. I have never had a problem in the past finding one small enough.

For older kids or your spouse a gift card to the bookstore is perfect for this category. Or if you have an e reader of some kind you can do a gift card to the online bookstore.

It is so fun for me to pass down my love of reading to my children. I love taking my daughter to the bookstore to pick out what books she wants to buy with her gift card!

This framework should make filling a stocking super easy for each of your family members. No more putting random junk in there just to fill space!

If you end up using the candy for stocking stuffers one of my favorite ways to make sure my kids aren’t overindulging is to put all the candy together in one basket and use the candy to include in their lunch boxes throughout the year! Or to hand out when they have done well at school or something similar.

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