74 Stocking Stuffers Under $15 (original) (raw)
Photo-Illustration: Courtesy of the retailers.
Some of the best holiday gifts are small and delightful. There’s a real art to finding a stocking stuffer that won’t end up the junk pile —it has to sit right on the line between novelty and genuine usefulness. To help you find the perfect little presents for everyone in your life, I’ve combed through our archive for the fun, non-junky, stocking-size items under $15 recommended by Strategist staffers and other experts we’ve spoken with throughout gifting season. For more gift ideas for different kinds of people in your life, find all our curated picks here.
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Strategist food and dining writer Emma Wartzman gave this high-quality cheddar-cheese powder to a friend last year and says she “received so many exclamation points in their text response that I knew it would become a regular in my gifting rotation.”
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These Italian candies contain approximately one-third of a shot of espresso encased in a chocolate shell. They’re “light, crunchy, rich, and not too sweet,” writes Strategist contributor Caroline Weaver. “It’s the perfect portable caffeine and sugar kick.”
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A tasty popcorn seasoning mix that amps up a nutritional-yeast base with garlic, turmeric, and chaat masala.
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This titanium spork is a favorite of Strategist writer Kat Gillespie, who recently trekked in the Himalayas. It’s durable, versatile, and fits perfectly in a stocking.
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I gifted these one-of-a-kind mushroom hard candies in the Strategist Gifting Game. They taste great, a little like maple syrup.
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This single-origin Turkish sun-dried-tomato powder will amp up all their savory cooking experiments.
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Two great finishing salts: an Icelandic smoked salt and a dill-and-fennel salt straight from the Hamptons.
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Because no fish dish is complete without a squeeze of lemon.
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This jar contains about 14 vanilla pods’ worth of flavor.
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Slip a couple of these maple-syrup “nips” from the Vermont Country Store (a great source for gifts) into their stockings.
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This jalapeño-based chile crisp from our print gift guide will blow their mind.
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Decadent Italian pistachio butter for their toast.
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If she’s had a tough year or just wants to cleanse her energy, she’ll love these smudge sticks.
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This magical balm cures all ills — aches, sore throats, bug bites, and more.
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A set of cute, colorful bobby pins in a travel-friendly tin.
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This pea-pod-shaped pill container will make the process of packing and unpacking medication a little more fun.
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This beautiful, aromatic Japanese incense is easy to fit in a stocking, and the faintly sandalwood-scented wooden box it comes in can be repurposed for next year’s gifts.
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An olive-oil-and-mineral-salt soap with just three ingredients, perfect for those with sensitive skin who still want the fancy-soap experience.
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These elegant French incense papers give off a beautiful sweet rose scent as they burn.
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A made-in-America spiky ball that says “FOOT” on it may just be the solution to their arch pain.
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D.S. & Durga’s car air fresheners are an inexpensive way to get a holiday-themed status fragrance.
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If they love putting together avant-garde makeup looks, they’ll find plenty of use for a high-pigment blue or pink mascara.
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A glitter stick that comes in 17 colors, including pink, purple, and rainbow.
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According to Ana Gasteyer, this is the best gift under 10(anditworksjustaswellas10 (and it works just as well as 10(anditworksjustaswellas40 bath salts from Erewhon).
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A retro Mac Apple Watch charger to invoke their aughts nostalgia. (For more tech gifts under $50, click here.)
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A soothing amber book light to ease negotiations over when to turn off the lamps.
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This viral suction-cup phone case will help them line up the shot.
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Another tool for his laptop-cleaning kit.
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Because there’s nothing cozier or more delightful than a glowy mushroom nightlight.
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He’ll optimize his daily carry even further with this lighter holder that doubles as a multi-tool.
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Remembering which row you’re on or how many stitches you’ve knitted can be hard. This small handheld counter makes it easier.
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A friendly frog (gifted by Strategist senior kitchen and dining writer Emma Wartzman in our gifting game) will be a welcome addition.
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A chunky colored pencil from Stabilo, a pencil-maker whose fans include artist Peter Shire and landscape designer Piet Oudolf. According to the brand, the XXL size “applies as much pigment as eight colored pencils at once.”
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All that’s missing is a tortoiseshell dachshund ruler with hand-drawn gold numbers.
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If they have a cookie tin full of ribbon stashed in a cabinet, they’ll love a spool of it customized with their initials.
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These are the cutest highlighters I have ever seen. They can be snapped together or separated, making it easier to swap shades while color-coding.
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These handy paper clips let them store their pens without creating a bump in the middle of their book.
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Magnetized, carrot-shaped scissors that stick right to the fridge so they can’t disappear.
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A set of very cute tea-scented erasers (that you could split up between several stockings).
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According to Caroline Weaver, founder of The Locavore Guide and a former stationery-store owner, MT makes the best washi tape. “It is significantly stickier than any other washi tape,” she says. “It has so many solid colors that are really lovely, and the finish is really flat, too.”
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When Strategist senior writer Liza Corsillo asked her fourth-grade-teacher husband which gifts his students wanted, she got a surprising answer: charcoal pencils and glossy white gel pens. These from Japanese pencil company Sakura are her favorite.
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These quick-drying, washable tempera-paint markers are as mess-resistant as they come.
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Cute and highly detailed finger puppets from the brand Folkmanis are among our favorite gifts for 2-year-olds. They’re a great way to learn about new animals.
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Help them start saving up with this cute piggy bank, which contains a motorized cat that steals each coin and stows it away.
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A rugged, waterproof pack of playing cards that can handle any weather. (It’s one of senior writer Michael Zhao’s favorite gifts for picky guys.)
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An adorable pair of kid-size leatherwork gloves so they can “help” with gardening and home DIY projects.
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There’s always room for one more — like this ice-cube-shaped squishie. (For more sensory-toy ideas, check out our guide here.)
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Yes, it’s another social-strategy game, but at least the rounds are about 15 minutes long so you can bow out when they get too obnoxious.
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These highly customizable mini-figurines are a great gift for kids and parents alike.
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A majestic Andalusian stallion, its mane waving in the breeze, from our favorite source for hand-painted animal figurines.
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If you think they can be trusted with 125 sticky googly eyes, this would be a great gift.
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A rainbow silk streamer to add drama to their newest dance routines. (It also makes a good magic wand.)
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Although freeze-dried beef liver may not sound appetizing to you or me, we’re not dogs, and dogs love it.
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The catnip banana every cat is obsessed with.
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This soft-bristle rubber brush gently removes loose fur and undercoat during shedding season.
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This interactive feeding toy will have them hunting little fabric “mice” that contain their meal.
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If you’re going to paint your dog’s nails, do it with these nontoxic, quick-drying, low-odor pens.
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This blind box contains one of six fruit-themed bonnets. (My favorite is the banana.)
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