Gift Giving Guide Vol. 2 - "Stocking Stuffers"
I know there are many holiday’s to celebrate this time of year, from Hanakkuh to Christmas and everything in between. I personally celebrate Christmas, and my absolute favorite part of Christmas Day is opening my stocking to see what cool and interesting little treasures were inside. However, these “stocking stuffer” finds will make great gifts for anyone on your list, whether as part of a larger gift, a Yankee swap, a group of smaller, multiple gifts, or to include in a stocking!
1.) Pura Vida Bracelets - These are great for both guys and girls and There’s a WIDE variety of colors and styles to choose from. This is a product I actually got behind because I loved their purpose. They partner with artisans around the world in underserved countries to help create these bracelets, providing them with income and getting their work out to the public. Pura Vida also partners with lots of charity organizations, where proceeds from specific bracelets created in partnership with a charity goes straight to that organization. The bracelets are reasonably priced (starting at $6 each!) and go up as you get into the different collections and designer packs. They are waterproof, easily adjust to the size of your wrist, and last a long time! These will make a great gift for your youngest family members just getting into accessorizing without breaking the bank or for the friend who likes simplistic and easy accessorizing, and everyone else in between. Since I am a Brand Ambassador with them, use my code at checkout and you can save 20% off your order! (some charity bracelets are excluded and all mystery gifts at checkout). CODE: KATHERINEKUGELMAN20. Link to their site below!
2.) Dionis Unscented Goat Milk Hand Cream & Peppermint Twist Lip Balm, Ulta Beauty - I stumbled across these while on a trip into Ulta to restock on some other beauty care products. I suffer from dry hands all winter long and chapped lips. I am constantly putting on lip balm or lip salve to keep them hydrated. I like using goats milk products because they tend to be super hydrating and gentle on sensitive skin. I have started to become extremely sensitive to scented products - my sensitivity to sound, light, and smell started back with my brain tumor - and so I didn’t want a hand cream that was going to be overly strong and pungent, so I decided to go with unscented. They also had these larger than normal sized lip balms. I like anything that’s peppermint based, so I grabbed one of those. The travel size hand cream was $5.00 and the lip balm was $5.00. Needless to say, they’ve made the list because they were DEFINITELY worth it. The hand cream leaves my hands buttery soft, non-greasy, and it absorbs quickly into my skin. The unscented scent is just that - and it doesn’t have any other awful odors to it. I have never used goats milk based lip balm, but what a game-changer! I find that wax based ones leave my skin feeling greasy, but this does the opposite. And the peppermint flavor is just that and not overly strong. A great gift for anyone who has sensitive skin, is sensitive to fragrance, or has an intolerance to some skincare products (goats milk tends to be the better option). Link below to the full line of options at Ulta!
3.) Gift Cards - This might seem obvious, cliche, or just downright boring to add, but if I am being perfectly honest, I love a good gift card and I know a lot of people do too. I actually found a $15 gift card to Dunkin’ the other day and that meant like a week’s worth of small iced coffee’s without breaking into my own bank for it, or breakfast after physical therapy. It was a welcome surprise. However, gift cards should be thought out and tailored to the person who you are buying them for. Here’s a list of some great options that go outside the norm, and who they’d be great for!
Barnes & Noble or Books-A-Million - These are great options for people who love to read, college/grad school students, are part of book clubs, or for teachers! Books-A-Million is local to Maine and has a whole section for educators with resources they can buy for their classroom. I purchased a gift card for my sister as a gift during one of her first year’s as a public school teacher to help her out in getting the supplies and resources that she needs.
LOFT/LOFT Outlet - LOFT is well known for it’s professional and transitional line of clothing - pieces you can take from work to a night out, etc. LOFT is also a go-to store for a lot of teachers as well because of it’s professional, yet fun and feminine designs. Both stores offer discounts to teachers year round if they present their ID at checkout, and also provide discounts to military members as well.
Target - This is a great option for anyone, but particularly college students because of their insane deals, discounted pricing, and college specific sections within their store. Target also has everything someone needs, from groceries, basic household essentials, health and beauty needs, clothing, electronics, stationary, and more.
Ulta Beauty - I’ve received gift cards from Bath & Body Works or even Sephora before, and sometimes just a regular Visa card if I wanted to buy higher end beauty products. I didn’t really discover Ulta until they arrived in Maine a few years back, but they are a great option for your pre-teens but even for adults. Ulta has a wide variety of beauty products, from less expensive to high-end - therefore more expensive beauty products. Different from Bath & Body Works and Sephora, they also carry a full Nail Polish bar, shampoo and conditioner section, hair styling tools/products, daily skincare/suncare, and have in-house salon services. A gift card here can go a long way, from the impulse buys at checkout with trial/travel size products to try at a fraction of the cost, to the large array of products and price ranges they come in. There is surely something for everyone.
Dunkin’/Starbucks Gift Card or Local Coffee Shop - Personally, if you know someone who spends a lot on coffee because they get it on their way to work, or get it during their work day, one of these in their gift bag/stocking is sure to be a winner. You’re going to save them a few dollars heading into the new year, and honestly, these are always welcome in my opinion.
TJMaxx/Marshalls/HomeGoods - If you know someone who spends HOURS walking up and down the aisles of any one of these stores, then a gift card there is going to go a long way for them. Everything from storage bins/baskets, beauty care, shoes, clothes, organic food, travel products, candles, dog toys, housewares, and more. These are great for someone who also just moved into a new apartment or their first home to get a few things to help furnish or decorate their place.
The list could go on, but I think these are a great starting point in terms of gift cards. It steps outside of the generic Visa/Mastercard and gives you an idea of some places to go looking at if you have anyone who could benefit from the perks these places offer on your list. Find at your local drugstore, supermarket, or head to their websites to order!
4.) Alex and Ani Charm Bracelets - These are honestly a favorite accessory of mine, but I love giving them as a gift as well. There is a meaning behind every charm bracelet that they have, so you can read about each one beforehand to see which one speaks the most to the person you are gifting it to. I love when you can give a gift that has meaning behind it. They are constantly launching new collections, so you are surely to find something for someone!
5.) Rollerball Fragrance - These tend to be less expensive than buying a full bottle of perfume, and are nice because they are easy to travel with. I personally love rollerball scents because you can easily freshen up over the course of the day without dousing yourself in scent, and you can apply it to the areas that hold scent the longest because of the warmth your body gives off, i.e. - sides of the neck/behind ears, back of the neck, on your collarbone/chest, on your wrists, and the inside of your elbows. Rollerball fragrances are also a fraction of the cost of a full size bottle, so they make a great stocking stuffer, or as part of a gift bag/gift set for a friend or family member. Sephora is my favorite place to go for rollerball fragrances, link below to their site to browse their variety!
6.) Sheet Face/Eye/Lip Masks - These are great for adding to stockings or to add if you’re doing a beauty/self-care styled gift bag. There are honestly so many types and styles out there to pick from. I personally love to get mine from Sephora, and I really enjoy their own Sephora Collection masks. They are well priced and actually work really well. However, Sephora has everything from their affordable line all the way to more high end expensive options as well such as Dr. Jart, Tatcha, GlamGlow and more. Link below to shop their full array of options!
7.) LUSH Lip Scrubs - These are my absolute favorite lip scrubs. If you know of anyone who suffers from really dry or cracked lips, this is some of the best stuff in order to help exfoliate away dead skin and nourish those dry lips before adding a balm, oil, or other lip moisturizer. Want the best of both worlds? Pair one of their multi-use balms with one of their scrubs! They have plenty of flavors and options that work well for both men and women, so this can be a really versatile gift for anyone whose lips need some TLC from the winter weather.
8.) Bubba Stainless Steel 24 oz. Tumbler - Target - This is absolutely my favorite tumbler that I own. This is great for both guys and girls on the go, and the stainless steel look is clean and classic. It’s easy to clean and doesn’t rust as easily as lots of other stainless steel tumbler’s I have bought in the past. My cupholders are slightly smaller in my car and this did fit but didn’t sit as comfortably in there as I’d like, but it does fit in most cupholders. The tumbler can be used for hot or cold beverages so great for your hot or iced coffee lovers or for the person who drinks plenty of water all day long! Strongly recommend this if there is someone looking to replace their plastic water bottle or needs something more durable. It’s also highly affordable at just $9.99 for the 24 oz. size! I recommend getting a straw brush/scrubber to clean the plastic straw if you don’t have one already.
9.) Trinket Dishes - I personally love these as gifts, and they are affordable, so they work well as a gift, stocking stuffer, etc. They come in an array of sizes and shapes, and can be used for so many things from being used to hold keys on a table near the door, or for rings or earrings on a dresser or nightstand, etc. A lot of the ones you find too have cute little sayings or phrases, so there can also be meaning behind it as well which can make giving it as a gift extra special. Francesca’s Boutique always has an array of these available both online and in-store.
10.) Monogrammed/Personalized Accessories - One of the most popular or common things you see these days is people sporting personalized or monogrammed products, jewelry, etc. These can make really great gifts and you can get just about anything nowadays personalized or customized. A few options that have become popular are below and you can find vendors or artisans for all of them on Etsy, so you’re also supporting small business too!
Initial necklaces/Name necklaces
Monogram/Personalized coin purse
Monogram/Personalized drink cozie/can cooler
Monogram/Personalized canvas tote bag
And more! Start your search below by finding an artisan or vendor on Etsy!