Actually good stocking stuffers

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Actually Good Things is a Friday-morning newsletter written by me, a mortal woman who makes a living testing, trying, and tasting the best of everything.

This week—while watching my annual viewing of Stepmom, the coziest film for November, and trying to work with a [not sick] toddler sent home “sick” from daycare—I’m rounding up small items that fit in a stocking and don’t suck.

I stuffed nine stockings last year, five of which were for adult men (I have a million brothers-in-law). I’m not complaining—just showing my résumé.

Here are actually good things to fill your loved ones’ stockings this year.*

Snap from last year (additional five stockings hung on other side of mantle).

1. Drunk Elephant Lippe Balm

2. Tweezerman classic tweezers

3. Dubai angel hair chocolate bar

4. See’s lollipops

5. Caviar (yep)

6. Skims thong or boxer brief

7. PopSockets phone grip

8. Crown Affair claw clips

9. Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel mini-pack

10. Marvis Italian manual toothbrush + travel toothpaste

11. Kids’ U-shaped toothbrushes + travel toothpaste

12. Tubing mascara

13. Classic hard candy

14. Kur nail brightener

15. Maurice Sendak’s Nutshell Library (kids)

16. Chic pill organizer

17. Swiss Army card

18. Havyn hand cream

19. Fish Wife tinned fish

20. Ring and jewelry cleaner pen

21. Lumify whitening eye drops (can’t stress these enough)

22. Natori lingerie bodysuit (perhaps carefully rolled up and tied with a small ribbon)

23. Bougie hand sanitizer

24. Manly (whatever that means) nailcare set

25. Glass nail file

26. Kiehl’s mini shaving cream

27. Soft Services mini buffing bars

28. Fidget worm (kids or tweens)

29. Finding Ferdinand “The Black” lip balm

30. Titleist 3-pack golf balls (my husband says these are the best)

31. Bazooka bubblegum squish toy (kids—but soothing feel for any age)

32. Retro Lip Smackers

33. One/Size mini setting spray

34. Tiny Tabascos

35. Mini mouthwash

36. Kendra Scott necklace (teen, tween, or young-ish adult)

37. Crew socks (teen or adult; kid)

38. Timebeam sleep powder packs

39. Baxter of California pocket comb

40. Mason Pearson pocket brush (IYKYN)

41. Scrunchie with hidden zipper pocket (tween or teen)

42. Moon teeth-whitening pen

43. Korean sunscreen

44. Bellroy slim wallet

45. Fancy caffeine gum or mints (adult, obviously)

46. Oura ring sizing kit (and then order them the Oura ring—don’t blow this crucial step!)

47. Pickle band-aids

48. Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk mini set (universally flattering shade)

49. K18 mini dry shampoo

50. Fine-tip colored-ink gel pens

51. Kulfi Lip Snack

52. Wooden action heroes

53. Other small, timeless toys, like finger traps, Jacob’s ladder, Tech Deck, and Polly Pocket

54. Whoopee cushion (all ages)

Also found this photo from four years ago.

*Some products with affiliate links might earn me a small commission.

What I’m reading lately:

• Chain-Gang All-Stars, a novel by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

• The New Yorker | Why Can’t AI Manage My Emails?

• The Cut | Is There a Secret to Having a Village?

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