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.*
Drunk Elephant Lippe Balm
Tweezerman classic tweezers
Dubai angel hair chocolate bar
See’s lollipops
Caviar (yep)
Skims thong or boxer brief
PopSockets phone grip
Crown Affair claw clips
Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel mini-pack
Marvis Italian manual toothbrush + travel toothpaste
Classic hard candy
Kur nail brightener
Maurice Sendak’s Nutshell Library (kids)
Chic pill organizer
Swiss Army card
Havyn hand cream
Fish Wife tinned fish
Ring and jewelry cleaner pen
Lumify whitening eye drops (can’t stress these enough)
Natori lingerie bodysuit (perhaps carefully rolled up and tied with a small ribbon)
Bougie hand sanitizer
Manly (whatever that means) nailcare set
Glass nail file
Kiehl’s mini shaving cream
Soft Services mini buffing bars
Fidget worm (kids or tweens)
Finding Ferdinand “The Black” lip balm
Titleist 3-pack golf balls (my husband says these are the best)
Bazooka bubblegum squish toy (kids—but soothing feel for any age)
Retro Lip Smackers
One/Size mini setting spray
Tiny Tabascos
Mini mouthwash
Kendra Scott necklace (teen, tween, or young-ish adult)
Crew socks (teen or adult; kid)
Timebeam sleep powder packs
Baxter of California pocket comb
Mason Pearson pocket brush (IYKYN)
Scrunchie with hidden zipper pocket (tween or teen)
Moon teeth-whitening pen
Korean sunscreen
Bellroy slim wallet
Oura ring sizing kit (and then order them the Oura ring—don’t blow this crucial step!)
Pickle band-aids
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk mini set (universally flattering shade)
K18 mini dry shampoo
Fine-tip colored-ink gel pens
Kulfi Lip Snack
Wooden action heroes
Other small, timeless toys, like finger traps, Jacob’s ladder, Tech Deck, and Polly Pocket
Whoopee cushion (all ages)
*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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Love this list. Thanks for sharing.