
Welcome! Hopefully after reading this post and all the comments you will have a better idea as to what to get that guy in your life, whether it be your son, brother, husband, or dad! And honestly, this list can be great for any hard-to-shop for person! Many of these ideas are gender-neutral and will work just as well for the mother, sister, cousin, or wife in your life ;
This is a revamp of my previous post, 50+ Stocking Stuffers for Men. So many people left such great comments and ideas that I thought I would condense them all here so they are easier to read through. There are still some great traditions in the comments if you want to have more ideas.
These small gift ideas are perfect for stocking stuffers, but also for Easter baskets and gift bags too. Most of the ideas on here range from $1-$10.
Looking for Ideas for the Kids? Click HERE!

I love stockings; they are one of my favorite parts of Christmas. When I was younger, my mom would spend lots of time stuffing our stockings with goodies for me and my brother (actually, she still does stockings for us). They aren’t full of expensive gifts, usually just cheap little games or treats. I’ve been trying to teach the art of stocking gifts to my husband. The first year he put most of my gifts in the stocking (because make-up and perfume and jewelry fit in the sock), he then realized that stockings are for fun, little things.
I’ve compiled a list of small gift ideas for the husband, brother, son, or boyfriend in your life.
My husband is one of those men who really has no hobbies and doesn’t really spend his money on anything, so I know how hard gift shopping can be!
Stocking Stuffers for Men:
- Cologne – samples work best because they are smaller and cheaper
- Soap – handmade beer or manly soap is nice
- Undies
- Socks
- chocolate or other candy
- chocolate covered bacon, pretzels, or other junk food items (beef jerky, canned cheese, etc)
- Bottle opener, bottle opener ring
- Beanie/knit hat
- Gloves
- Holiday ornament
- Key Chain
- Phone case
- Money clip
- Wallet
- A cheesy movie from the clearance bin (hello Chuck Norris)
- Mini Lego kits (like race cars, Lego men, key chains, etc.)
- Silly putty or other slimy substance
- Deck of cards or other card games (like Uno)
- Silly toys – parachute men, poppers, wind up animals, sticky hands, mini etch-a-sketch, silly string, etc. (you can find some HERE)
- Shot glass
- Key covers (I bought tiki men key covers for my brother one year)
- Ear buds
- Mini bottles of booze
- Ties
- Cufflinks – if your guy wears them, there are some awesome ones on Etsy
- Manly bath or shave products or bath favorites- my brother really loves a certain brand of mint tea tree shampoo
- Pocket knife
- Mini tools or weapons – what male doesn’t love a Nerf gun?
- Batteries
- A book, graphic novel, or magazine
- $5 gift cards – one of my favorites, fast food or coffee works great
- Gum or mints (like these funny mints and gum)
- Chapstick – my husband always steals mine or complains about chapped lips
- Hand or boot warmers – found some at Target, 2 for $1
- Hand or cuticle cream
- Computer decals
- Car air fresheners
- For the love of your life: Massage oil
- For the love of your life: sexy undies for you
- For the love of your life: Other bedroom goodies
- Special cigar
- Matches or lighter
- Coffee samples
- Patches, stickers, or pins of a sports team, band, or company, etc.
- Coffee cup or mug
- Nail clippers and tweezers
- Razors and other shaving accessories
- Boot or hat cleaning or weathering spray
- Pens or pencils
- Bandanas
- Mini specialty food items – mustard, hot sauce, nutella, etc. (Cost Plus World Market is a great source)
- Belt buckles
- Memory cards
- USB Stick/flash drive – some awesome ones on Etsy as well
- Man jewelry – ear gauges, leather cuffs, etc.
- Film
- Camera filters or accessories
- Craft/hobby supplies
- Kitchen utensils/trinkets – a special knife, measuring spoons, something the cook might enjoy
- Fold-up reusable grocery bag
- Pocket comb
- Protein bars
- Weight-lifting gloves
- Beer koozies
- Toothbrush and floss
- Lotto scratchers and tickets
- Ink cartridges
- Mini flashlights or tools
- Cook book
- Fishing tackle and supplies (One commenter suggested nail polish – her father’s favorite to use for fishing)
- Personal coupons (Don’t have to do a chore, get to pick the movie, etc
- Handheld electronics
- Phone chargers and other phone accessories
- Shoelaces
- Bullets and other hunting supplies and gun accessories
- Eye glasses case and cleaning/repair kit
- Lint roller
- Ice shaver
- Golf supplies (balls, tees, cleaning wipes, etc)
- Back scrather
- Bandaids
- Hand sanitizer
- Wax and tape for sports equipment (skate boards, hockey sticks, surf boards, etc)
- Compass
- Camping supplies (MRE’s, matches, etc)
- Tire gauge
- Duct tape
- Car safety tool
- zip ties
- WD-40
- Car wash tickets
- Hair cut certificates
- Sports cards
- Nails, screws, drill bits
- Magazine subscriptions
- Mini bottles of aspirin, contact solution, ice packs, etc
- Deodorizer balls
- BBQ supplies
- Guitar strings and picks
- Bungee cords
- Printed tissues
- Heat pads (easy to make some old fashioned rice pads!)
- Tickets to events and movies
- Collector coin
- Shoe Horn
- Lump of coal
- Clip-on lights
- Cleaning and household supplies (great for the college student or bachelor)
- Novelty ice trays (from brains to bullets, there are lots of different ones out there)
- Sewing kit
- Glow sticks
- Rain Poncho
- Tea infusers for the tea drinker (lots of cool ones at ModCloth” target=”_blank”>ModCloth)
- Emergency kit
- Carpenter pencil, sanding block, leveler
- Hide-a-key box
- Oil change supplies
- Calendar or agenda
- Art supplies- colored pencils, mini sketch books, etc.
- Bacon items (there is a whole bunch of stuff HERE)
Looking to go a little further? How about themed stockings?
Food: Fill with candy, snacks, and specialty food items (CLICK HERE FOR SOME AWESOME, UNIQUE FOOD ITEMS!)
Personal care: Shaving accessories, body wash, hair care products, body products, manicure kit
Home care: Cleaning supplies, scented candles, magnets
For the cook: Cook books, kitchen gadgets, apron, hand towels
For the college student/apartment dwelling bachelor: Quarters for laundry, cleaning products, common household products, air freshener, gift cards for fast food, gas, and grocery
Novelty: Throwback soda, throwback t-shirt, retro candies, novelty toys/games, funny gum/mints
Car care: air deodorizers, car wash and rags, wax, tire gauge, oil changing supplies, trash receptacle, car wash certificates
Outdoors: MRE’s, water proof matches, ammo, fishing supplies, camo gear, poncho, animal calls, flash light and emergency kit, weatherproofing spray, flint, compass
Gym rat/runner/Athlete: Weight-lifting gloves, protein bars, gels, shoe deodorizers, wrist or arm band for phone or MP3 player, water bottle, pad lock, protein shake bottle, gear for sports equipment: wax for surf boards, tape for hockey sticks or skate boards, small sports equipment like balls and tees, sports or health magazine
Fan stocking: Gear, stickers, patches, and memorabilia of their favorite brand, team, show, etc.
Working man/new home owner: Hanging kit, tools, tape measure and leveler, home improvement book, duct and electrical tape, gift cards to home improvement stores
For the musician or music lover: itunes gift cards, burned cds, blank cds, instrument accessories; guitar strings and picks, drum sticks, cleaning kits, ear buds or ear phones, band stickers, patches, or pins
Man’s night out: Cigars and cigar accessories, beer memorabilia, small bottles of alcohol, shot glasses and other drink ware, specialty food items
Lots of possibilities!
Favorite places to get stocking stuffers:
Abe’s Market” target=”_blank”>Abe’s Market – a large variety of unique food, home, and personal care item. My new favorite is getting 3 samples for $5 (and a $5 off coupon, too!)- and they have a variety of samples to choose from.
ModCloth” target=”_blank”>Mod Cloth – Their Odds & Ends selection has a bunch of fun and unique items you can’t always find in stores, and their Gifts for Guys category is fun too.
Target – I like to look through their holiday section – they usually carry “gourmet” chocolate gifts, and even weird chocolate bars. Their $1 section can be a great place to look, too.
The Dollar Store – By far the cheapest option, and it can be fun to really get creative. If your guy doesn’t like cheap toys or games, I would look at the tools and body care selection.
Video Game or Music Store – they often have fun decals and themed candy
Blick Art Materials” target=”_blank”>BLICK Art Materials – Art supplies and craft items. They also have a Gifts Under $10 category
Cafe Press has come a long way and they have some really great and unique items.
Bevmo – they have sample bottles of alcohol, cigars, and snacks
** Some links are directed to my affiliate sites, which are awesome, and that’s why I choose to be an affiliate. If you want to learn more, click HERE.
I would love to hear what you put in your stocking/basket/bag and about your traditions as well!



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My brother and his wife and son would go to a general store, trade names, make sure they each had $10 and separate to buy for the name they got. They had fun on Christmas morning finding who had their name and what they bought for that person’s stocking.
A great homemade gift for “HIM” make this e
Whatever size you need. Get a board. Save your baby food jars. Wash jars and lids. Lay the board flat, lay out lids on board. Nail jar lid with 2 or 3 nails, screws…whatever. Now hang in garage, basement, workshop…with lid side down. Separate nails, sizes, screws, nuts, bolts..and so on. On the (bottom) of the bottle, label the content. Such as….2″brad…1/2 wood screw. The hardware will always be close at hand but not in the way. Hope someone can use this idea.
These are great! Thanks!!!!!!
and hand made art !
This is awesome! I totally pinned it!
Fantastic. I can never think of guy gifts.
For men who love movies-movie ticket(s) or his favorite movie, bag of popcorn, his favorite bag of candy(s), 20oz bottle of pop
Great idea! You could build a gift bucket with a movie and snacks 🙂 good thinkin’!
I was just at Michael’s and noticed that they had the big popcorn buckets on sale from Halloween. You could redecorate the bucket and that would be a great gift!
Great idea!
Love these ideas! I have given painted beer mugs before! They are super cheap and with a stencil or freehanded decal, they look great! I have been doing
my DIY research all day today and have come up with making my own meat rubs and packaging it cute, making some flavored butter and pre-mixing all the dry ingredients and adding directions to crock pot bread… We are big hunters from south Arkansas, so we are going to take some of the venison we harvest and make summer sausage and jerky! I have also seen some recipes for homemade mozzarella cheese that I would love to try and add in! Did I mention we love food? :p God Bless!!!
This is great! Pinned 🙂
Posterize and frame of their pet photo or favorite place. You can use the original colors, make it monochrome or art style bright colors. Try cropping it too. Great gift for anyone.
My boyfriend loves spicy stuff and salsa and there is this great place in Gatlinburg, TN called “Pepper Palace” that has all kinds of rubs, dips, salsa & spicy snacks, even stuff with ghost pepper that he’s always wanted to try so I buy some stuff online every year and use that as stocking stuffers and he loves it!
Thank you so much for sharing this! My boyfriend loves spicy stuff too so its so hard to find things that he considers spicy. 🙂
Thank you.. my boyfriend too loves spicy stuff…going to check it out now!!
I have young boys 9 and 11 and 21. The younger 2 are too old for baby “toys” but too young for the older kids stuff. Its hard to find age appropriate gifts when your kids are in between. They play Xbox, hunt, play outside, and play football. So Christmas I bought big boy care packages. Their own box with tackle, pocket knife, germ-x, water bottle, batteries, flashlights, and Off bug spray. Sunscreen, chap stick, pliers, and screwdrivers, sunglasses, candy and other items that they could use daily. They feel prepared now to change batteries and make small repairs. Its made a difference in their self esteem. They know they can do it. Better than buying lots of toys they didn’t need that they’ll never play with. I hope this helps someone.
Great idea!
Reblogged this on An Average American Woman and commented:
It’s always a challenge to get the right gift for the opposite sex, especially when you don’t want to get anything too personal, but at the same time something that emulates your appreciation of the person. These are some great ideas. I love the ideas of a bottle opener. When perusing the local antique and art stores, which we have more of than coffee shops believe it or not, I found great old bottle openers, some in the shape of a lighthouse, some in the shape of a sailboat, tugboat, ferry and my favorite, one in the shape of a mermaid. At the time, I never thought they might make a good gift for an acquaintance until I read “bottle opener” number 7 on her list.
Hope you enjoy this very timely post, as a friend pointed out the other day, there are only 78 Days, 22 Hours, 46 minutes left until Christmas.
I can’t believe I”M even posting this before the day after thanksgiving, damn the commercialization. It Got Me.
Homemade baked goods, like ginger snaps or chocolate chip chookies in a cute tin is a fav around here. Also gift certificates for the movies, a round of indoor golf or lazer tag…something to do!
Great ideas! My boyfriend likes sports but little else. These suggestions give me lots of possibilities for Christmas and birthday gifts. Thank you!
our favorite gift we get from my MIL is new wallets with the slots all filled in with gift cards from restaurants, itunes, amazon , Wal-mart , Starbucks endless possibilities really…so this would be nice if they needed a wallet anyway…
Oh WOW!!! Thank you!!! I now know what I’m doing for the man in my daughter’s life!!
I love this!
There are lots of places online you can buy packs of small sample bottles of wine, to get a taste of different wines. They come in packs of 4 or 6 or so. They’re great gifts, and if one of them really stands out, then you have an idea next time you have to buy a gift! I find this is better suited for boyfriends/husbands, as it can be a little romantic.
Loving this list! I found it on Pinterest, but then Pinterest blocked me from going to your site–said it’s objectionable. So I had to google you to find the list. Didn’t know if you were aware, or if you know what they might be objecting to? Just an FYI–thanx again for some great ideas!!
How weird! Thanks for letting me know.
Clicked right here from Pintrest. No issues. Love the list! Thanks.
I had the same issue…fyi.
Mee too…
Can u compile a list of gifts for old people? Parente, grandparents, people that don’t need or want anything.
Ross: this is one of the tougher demographics for sure, one I have been thinking about all year! I need to ask around and compile something!
My dad is difficult to buy for since he just buys what he wants, when he wants it. With that said, three years ago I bought a journal and typed up a letter that said that I would take him out to lunch the first Tuesday of every month for a year. We have been doing this for 3 years and that is all he wants for Christmas! We document in the journal where we ate lunch and our topic of discussion. It is fun to look back and read too!
What a fantastic idea!
For older people, I always have a tough time as well, so as I was growing up I watched what my mom would gift her parents. It helps to know what that person is interested in, if they have hobbies, if they like to cook, etc. If you have no idea, a nice family framed picture is a good idea. My mom just had her first grandchild (My nephew) and she can’t get enough of him! She has millllions of pictures of him all over her house, and it’s so cute to see the joy and pride in her eyes when she looks at pictures of him. You can never have too many pictures of the people you love!!!! If you don’t want to give them a picture, and you know their hobbies, maybe they knit, garden, hunt, i’d recommend going back to the top of this list and looking at the ideas posted. Maybe they like to collect things too! My grandma collects snowmen and she also loves cooking and gardening, so one year I’ll get her a snowman for her collection, other years gardening stuff. I recently started my own art business, so for the past couple of years I’ve been giving my paintings to all of my family members. Hope this helps!!!!
My 5 month old is the first grand baby on both sides and picture keepsakes are what the grandparents are getting this year!
My father never wanted any thing so I git so I would “borrow ” his truck before holidays and birthdays and fill it up with gas. I would leave an I love you note over the gas hauteur. He never complained or took back his gift!
My Dad is PC guru and a Star Trek nut I get him flash drives (I got one at toys r us that looked like his dog) and a pin of the Star Trek symbol, he loves duct tape one year I got him a desk calendar 365 days of duct tape that was hilarious. He’s a crossword fan too so I try to find him a challenging book of them. One year my mom saved every crossword from 4 different papers including the NY times and made him a book of them. A nice pen set, ive efen gotten him the giant pack of his favorite Toilet paper… For women I look at their hobbies book store gift cards are awesome (half price books is my go to for that) my mil likes to make jewelry so some neat beads and a organizer box for them. Candles, neat anique tea cups or pots, stationary, planner/calendar for the coming year. One year my daughter got Grammy a rhinestone crusted lipstick pen which I thought was gaudy and she loved it! She is a realtor and used it all the time! Lotions and first aide kits are great so are pharmacy gift cards for anyone with health care expenses. Handmade holder for pocket tissue packs. Fridge magnets ( I collect those 🙂 ) coupon to clean for them when they need it. Spa products and manicure kits. Favorite shade of nail polish, gift certificate to salon, lottery tickets work for almost anyone, book marks, scripture cards with passages that remind you of that person. Travel mug filled with favorite type of tea bags. Scrap booking embellishments for those who like to do that, mini brag books filled with all the kids pics and a cpl funny older pics from when they or you were younger.
For the past several years I have given my grandma a homemade calendar with pictures of her pets (she adores animals!). I personalize it even more by adding special dates to the calendar like family members birthdays etc. she loves it!
hahaha…..Ross, I am “old people” (64)….gift card for restaraunt, gas card, a nice soft, light blanket to cover up with when watching TV, grocery store gift card, pricier? A telescope, binoculars…..just a couple ideas….
gift cards for a food store, gift cert for the hair salon, cards for all occasions, batteries, a battery operated lantern in case they lose power, gift card for the movies, or a restaurant.
I worked at a drug store where many older people shopped regularly and one thing they always looked at and raved about (but oddly enough never purchased) was a magnifying glass that also had a small LED light built into it, they also frequently requested small fashionable pill cases that they can keep in their purse or on a key chain.
Had a discussion with my Aunt (age 70) who needs/wants nothing and since she is out of town and doesnt see us as often as we would all like she asked for photos, anything with pictures of any of us on them. So i made a little photo album, nothing major or expensive but you could always beef it up easily. Also if they are older and dont like to be out and about in colder months then household supplies are great. Toilet paper, napkins, paper towels, dish soap, hand soap, etc…if you know their faves then great…if not any will do, Great for a gift basket! Also dinner gift cards are nice, most older couples dont treat themselves as much as others so dinner is always a nice change. These of course were mentioned above but its all about perspective! Good luck 🙂
heating pads with several personalized, removable and washable covers, universal remote or phone with giant numbers, slippers, robs, jammies, readers digest large print subscription, compile a mixCD from Pandora songs of their era that they choose, flavored teas/coffes/hot choc, take them to get a spa mani/pedi.
Awesome list again!!! The 50+ Was awesome but this one is just that much better 🙂 And now I have even more ideas for my “hardest person EVER” to shop for husband… Also my husband is a MAJOR coffee drinker and will Never grow. Beard so I figured I would buy him a Mustash mug and get rid of one of our ugly ones 🙂
@Danielle (4 above my post) LOVE your idea 🙂
Love love the list 🙂 the musican one will be PERFECT for my husband
This list is fantastic! I know you already listed coffee samples, but another idea would be to give little specialty coffee packs, or starbucks VIA instant coffee packs. You could even put them all in a mug with a couple of sugar packets and little cookies that would go well with coffee.
I love this list. I’ve been stumped before but I think I’ve done over half for someone in my family at one time.
I just need to find a list for my husband for me. He never did stockings before so I’ve had to help him learn. But I always know what’s going to be in there. He needs a list of ideas this long so he can pick some and I don’t know what I’m getting. 🙂
My husband was(is?) the same way. I have a list for women too, but it’s not as long- no surprise there isn’t a ton of men with input!
Great ideas!men&boys can be so hard to gift! ThAnks!
My grandmother is always coming up with quirky ideas for stockings, last year she gave my fiance a handmade stocking with a lot of canadian tire money (we were moving into our old place, she thought it’d be helpful), chocolates, a mini tool kit, a first aid kit for our car, and some gift cards to places she knew he’d enjoy shopping at. she also including mini notebooks and pens and winter work gear. he was more excited over this than anything else he got for christmas. 🙂 your list is great aand very helpful. Thanks !
Great list! Just blogged my own yesterday and we had a lot of similar items.
I got my hubby several little presents one year and I included to-go coffee cups, since we are coffee addicts and heavy commuters! Maybe you would like to add that to your list 🙂
That was helpful!
I never know what to get the men in my family. Their hard. My brother has everything. My Granddad doesn’t tell me want he wants.
I have read tons of lists that claim they have great ideas for men…but yours is the most comprehensive and BEST by far!!! Thank you for giving me such amazing ideas.
Thanks so much!
As a male visitor I figured I could provide good insight on your suggestions even more so since all the other comments appear to be from females.
Instead of providing the long list of items that guys smile and pretend to like, here are the winners that most guys actually will like.
6, 16, 17, 19, 28, 38, 39, 40 & 41
Not saying the other items are bad but the above items are ones I would actually be excited to receive.
Thanks for your input! A male’s perspective is always welcome!
For older folks I buy notecards and postcards and buy the postage to go along with it. They are a generation of writers and it helps to keep in touch with friends and family.
I agree. Rolls of postage stamps and stationery have always been a hit with senior citizens.
These are awesome thin I could use for my brother but my husband is a geek/gamer. And suggestions?
My brother is a gamer as well, he said that GameStop and blockbuster has stocking stuffer type things, you can get giftcards in small amounts to those stores, gamer magazine, game-themed candies or mints, he also gets a loot crate every month that has gamer food and collectables.
My Hubby is a gamer too! I would suggest a small poster for the garage or man cave or bedroom of their current favorite game, a battery for their controller, head set for online gaming, gift card for the game store they use most. I try to keep stockings to $25 or under. So if I do an item that is most of the budget then I buy his favorite snacks like Pringles and a pack of candy bars. My hubby likes the chocolate oranges :).
For #4 socks check out http://www.boldsocks.com – they have some awesome mens socks!
How about fishing lures, hooks, bobbers, fishing line, OFF spray, sunscreen etc… for the outdoorsmen…
One our family likes to give is matchbox cars. You can find one like a vehicle they have owned (or drooled over) and it’s always fun seeing the kids talk dad or grandpa into playing with the cars with them.
I love your list. Sometimes I forget and need a reminder of what men/boys ”like”. And I love all the suggestions under the comments!
biscotti, stamps
This is wonderful! It will definently help me this xmas. When I was little my mother always put an orange in our stocking, and a toothbrush. I do that now for my kids, but for my husband it’s always hard to think of tiny cute things to stick in his stocking so he usually comes out with a bunch of candy or cologne. Like i said, this will really help! Thank you so much for posting this.
I would just add that many of the items you suggest are available in school colors, with favorite team logos, etc. — I even found key blanks at a hardware store with funky patterns (leopardskin, etc) and guitars, sports themes, etc. But then, I’m worried that they might think the key GOES TO SOMETHING — ha ha!!!! Even kitchen gadgets sometimes come in school or team colors and logos.
These are great ideas! I am a big “themer” also. Another thing you ladies could do for you boyfriend, husband, brother, or even son for Christmas stocking ideas (or gifts in general) would be a movie night theme. May sound girly but I always get a great reaction with it.
What the gift would include: Movie(s), popcorn, candy (their favorite), comfy wool socks, maybe comfy plaid PJ pants (if not doing the stocking idea), and anything else you could think of. This is always great for girls as well; just make it more girly;)
Hope this helps some!!
so many great ideas, i always have such a hard time thinking of things other than candy to fill my husbands stocking. hes so difficult to shop for but there are several things listed here that he loves that are even affordable.
My 16 year old new driver lamented that he wanted an Aston Martin! I found one in a flash drive at Staples. Head lights work, too!
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We give our grown sons scratch-off lottery tickets.
Love this list! You are wonderful for posting this. Thank you! 🙂
This list is amazing, thank you! You are wonderful for posting this! 🙂
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For my husband who travels a lot for work, I gave him a LL Bean toiletry travel bag one year, and then filled his stocking with all sorts of travel-sized toiletries to fill the bag with. I made sure to include travel-sized sunscreen, travel-sized shaving cream, small hand sanitizer, and packs of gum to use on his trips!
Many of these ideas would be great for women too. Thanks so much! Repinned!
I’m making my hubby a calendar for work with pics of us. It utilizes my cricut & helps him keep track of appointments.
I think homemade food (spice mixes, cookies, soup mix) attractively packaged is always a nice gift. People appreciate the fact that you made them something, they can use it and there is nothing left to clutter up their house 🙂
For seniors, if you have someone with a limited income, perhaps dining tickets to a senior dining center-they might not feel they can afford it and this way you know they are getting a nutritious meal and meeting friends. Again fruit of the month clubs-gets them quality fruit which isn’t available in all areas, a gift card to a grocery store, movie passes, cards and postage were listed previously. Birthday cards selection, get well cards, and sympathy cards for someone who is unable to get out to purchase them. A subscription to their home town newspaper (if it’s a weekly). A donation to their old high school, the Heifer Project (a great organization-you donate the price for an animal to be given to a needy family and they have to give one of the off-spring to another family and teach them how to care for it, and the next family has to do the same), or adopt an animal at a zoo and pay for the feed for a part or full year. We’re big bird watchers and really love getting commercial suet or sunflower seeds. We’ve also received prime steaks and loved sharing that. Most seniors are looking to declutter, things that can be consumed are great. Loved the taking the dad out to eat every Tuesday. I also have an elderly dad and he has really enjoyed having an outdoor thermometer that he could read from his room, he enjoys pictures of the great grandkids in a small album that he can take and show others, and a clock that projects the time on the ceiling.
Yes!! The clock that projects onto the ceiling was one of my husband’s favorite gifts of all time. My mom gave it to him for Christmas several years ago. We both love it.
my dads favorite gift the last few years he was alive were coupons for the senior citizen center for lunches they printed them for me and i usually got him 10 he thought it was neat that he could eat on a coupon and not have to stand in line and pay for his meal
~how thoughtful~
Great ideas! My hubby is not into much, but loves air popped popcor, so NJo this year I found a big popcorn bucket, popcorn, and lots of shake flavors to top the popcorn.I think I like the movie ideas and am going to find a cheap old movie to add to this.Thank You!!!
My boyfriend loves tie blankets! You could make one for his favorite sports team or just his favorite color!
What brand of mint tea tree shampoo is that? I would like to give it a try!
It’s Organix tea tree mint. It is quite lovely!
..Yeah, half this stuff cost at least 5 bucks and can be over 10 bucks. Go to the dollar store, there’s tons of stuff my hub loves (and good kitchen stuff) and he’s very happy. Seriously, I go to the dollar store and I can get better things then a glow stick and a rain poncho for stocking stuffer, don’t worry, the dollar store aint going to bite.
I don’t think anyone is scared of the dollar store! I buy stocking stuffers there, also Walmart and target have a great $1 holiday section.
Some people would enjoy receiving a glow stick or a rain poncho. I think all of these ideas are great, not just for stocking stuffers, but gifts for whenever! The dollar store is great if you want to fill their stocking with a lot of little things, but some people just put 3-5 nice things in their stockings. I like that this list gives a wide range of ideas and prices.
My husband is a beer snob and collects the bottle caps of all the diff beers he has tried. Most larger grocery chains sell beer by the single bottle now so a new and exciting beer in his stocking with a cool bottle cap would be a real treat. He also smokes a tobacco pipe so one year i did pipe cleaning accessories, loose flavored tobacco samples, a pipe zippo and lighter fluid in his stocking. Lastly he is a HUGE Halo video game fan so little trinkets or books or anything that has Halo on it would work too.
Thank you sooooo much!!! This is our first Christmas living together and was seriously stressing, it’s so nice to have a list to work off of so I’m not so scattered!!
My hubby loves him a good cigar so I’m thinking of ordering him a few of his favs. Maybe a new cutter (not sure what they’re called) and some cool matches to go with them. Possibly a 12 pack of a beer that he won’t buy himself because of price? Won’t fit in the stocking but a picture saying it’s in the refrig with a new coozie? Just thinking off the top of my head here. lol
We may be married to similar men! lol
Excellent list! It keeps getting better… I mean I loved your 2011 list too, but I think the ideas keep growing thanks to everyone pitching in their ideas. Beer koozies, I don’t know how I didn’t think of that one.
A great NEW stocking stuffer out this year that is perfect for men is POKER FLASH CARDS. I just bought a set from Color Up and I’m sure my husband will love these in his stocking this year. When I bought mine there was a discount code to save 15%, you could give it a try and see if it still works, “holiday15”. http://www.ColorUpCards.com
great ideas for my boyfriend, thanks so much!
My boyfriend smokes pipes, so he’ll get pipe accessories this year, like a pipe tool, and pipe cleaners.
My husband and Dad love getting those MAN size tissues.
Ladies you can throw a bunch of these things in a tub or basket with lots of his favorite candies or snacks of course and make a ginormous manly gif basket. Thanks for the tips Im so doing this for Christmas! YAAAASSSSS!!!
Great ideas, thanks! Some other ideas, along the lines of “toys” would be board games. I know Walmart carries games like Battleship, Boggle, etc. for $5-$10. Those are always fun for the competitive-intelletual type.
Great ideas!! Enjoyed reading this! Some other ideas that I use are white t-shirts, dress socks and everyday socks. My husband never spends money on himself especially things he needs. He always says hes fine so the kids and I have what we need. So he loves practical gifts in his stocking every year because I always include those items! 🙂 a couple of fun ideas I throw in are cheap used video games for his ps3 he loves them!
I love these ideas!! I love that backscratcher made the list! My husband got a one a couple of weeks ago, and now they are inseparable! They are so cheap and a great gift!
We have a Keurig coffee machine. Bed, Bath and Beyond sells a great selection of mini sampler packs of coffee and tea that are perfect for stockings!
Thank you to all for the great ideas, it helped a lot and I have some new inspiration. My husband is a golfer, so in the early years, our son’s made him golf towels with their handprints or picture (Walgreen’s Photo Dept), of course golfers always need more balls, tee’s and golf gloves. For my bachelor brother last year we gave him an assortment of gourmet pickles and as part of his gift for this year, I am getting him some chip clips and he loves my Curel hand lotion, yes even manly men get dry hands! The Curel hand lotion is a great gift for anyone.
Wow! These have all been so helpful and I will combine these ideas, along with my idea, to put a ‘Christmas Road Trip Survival Kit’ together, for my husband. He will be driving home for 10 hours from where he is stationed in VA. The kit will include Kem’s new Christmas CD, Mistletoe-scented Car Freshener, his favorite Healthy Gourmet Coffee Sachets, Granola Bars, Honey Crisp Apples, Travel Mug, Gas Card, Gum, Gold Bold Hand Sanitizer/Lotion, Travel Pack Tissue, Eye Glass Wipes, Wendy’s Gift Card, Cookies (baked by our son), and a scratch-off lottery ticket that he can collect on when he arrives! The care package will arrive the day before his departure, with a note to open on the day of! Did I miss anything?
What a great list! Thanks!
I am fixing my hubby the “12 days of Christmas” daily gift surprise! I fixed a card with a key in it…it says “you have the key to my heart”. A flashight with a card that reads “You are the light of my life”. There are so many things you can put on a card about their gifts. Hersey’s “hugs & kisses” candy, etc. Thanks for the list, it is helping me with the remainder of things I need to get……
Hmm it seems like your blog ate my first comment (it was super long) so
I guess I’ll just sum it up what I submitted and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog.
I as well am an aspiring blog blogger but I’m still new to everything. Do you have any helpful hints for first-time blog writers? I’d really appreciate it.
Great ideas. One thing my grandfather used to stick in our stockings was office supplies – post it notes, pens, paper clips. I loved getting that stuff
So many great ideas that stimulate thought!! One thing I did one year (ok, it’s not a ‘stocking stuffer’), but was loved by everyone who got it. And those that didn’t get one, asked to get one the next year!! Custom first aid kits! I’m a nurse, so looking at the ones commercially available… they’re a joke at best;) I first made them for those who started new families or homes during the year. Start with a tool or tackle box .. one with dividers, pull out shelves … as big as you want or appropriate for your recipient. Got many of the supplies in the sample sections at Target, Walmart,
dollar store, etc. Possible items: various sized bandaids, Neosporin, tapes, ace wraps, instant heat/cold packs, small bottles of Ibuprofen, Tylenol, etc, small scissors, tweezers, throat lozenges, small flashlight, gauze, large bandaids, pads, even a few sanitary napkins (if there are some serious sporting activities, you’d be surprised how handy these can become for absorbancy/cushioning etc). I also made splints of various sizes with lightweight wood, covered with some batting/fabric & either tape/glue together…these surprised me as being very popular with active family members:) I also put in some ziploc bags to put “icky” trash into. Also some larger plastic bags for wrapping injured parts in.. Some disposable gloves are another option to include. For my hiking/backpacking people, I included the thermal foil looking survival type blankets because they use so little space .. and for one person came in Very handy one night while stuck out on the road! (look in camping gear section for this & similar items). Note: Anything placed in there that is liquid should Always be placed in a ziploc type bag .. if it Can leak, it Will at some point. I basically try to think of their lifestyle and make it to their needs. Get creative, they’ll love it! One of my friends at work used this idea last year for Christmas for several people…they’re still raving about it. My niece & her fiance had a roommate issue a few years ago, kicked him out. He stole their first aid kit when he left!! It was on their Christmas wish list!
I have my boyfriend of 3 months likely spending Christmas with me and my family this year. He works on-call as a pilot and won’t be able to go to his folks for the holidays (we’re in Alberta, they are in Ontario), so I wanted to make sure I had a stocking on hand if work keeps him on the ground for Christmas.
We’ve been together a short time, but its one of those ‘I feel like I’ve known you forever’ situations. So I put together some little things for him that reflect things I know about him:
1)Scalp massager – $5.00 from Chapters/Indigo – because he melts when I rub his scalp
2) ‘Knock on Wood’ – $8.00 from Chapters/Indigo – comes with three little adhesive pieces of real word to ‘knock’ on for luck. You can put them on your phone, dash, wallet etc. He’s big on knocking on wood – superstitious pilots 😛
3) Novelty Hand Sanitizer – any novelty store – he washes his hands often so it pokes a little fun at him. You can get them titled ‘OCD’ or ‘So maybe you touched your genitals’….
4) O’Keefes Hand Balm – $8.99 from Canadian Tire (or any hardware store) – because its so dry here (and because of #3), his hands are always super dry.
5) Sleeve of gum packets – he keeps it in his car
6) Sugar-free candy – the sugar makes him break out (poor guy, he’s 31!)
7) Orange
8) Moisturizing body lotions (see 4)
9) Tissues
10) Keychain flashlight
And a couple standard candies.
A couple other ideas that could have gone to the stocking but are under the tree:
1) Sweat towels and water bottle – he loves the gym
2) A funny book – for him its ‘How to Tell if Your Cat is Plotting to Kill You’ (he’s a cat fan)
3) Graphic tees – I got 2 for $15 at Bluenotes – one is just a neat design, the other says ‘This Is What Perfection Looks Like’
Awesome! Thank you!
These are great, thanks! I’m buying my husband an old fashioned men’s hairbrush this year. You know the ones without a handle? A military brush I think they’re called. They can be around $300 for some LOL but keep looking, Yu can also get them for less than $20 🙂
Great ideas! Thank you!
I love the coupon idea!! That is one of my fiance’s favorite gifts I do! 🙂 He actually proposed to me with a coupon book because he knows how much I love them! 🙂 Also I like to do things like adopt his favorite animal at your local zoo, or buy him his favorite band’s CD and actually listen to the whole thing with him, just do little things for him. 🙂 Merry Christmas everybody!
I alway put a magazine in his stocking related to whatever hobby he is into at the moment.
Cute ideas…..
Thanks for the help!!! Because I sure needed it! Lol 🙂
These were very helpful! I’m going to use these for my dad and brother! Thanks:)
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Your list is just what I needed! Thank you so much!
I’ve seen a lot of lists that try to give gift ideas for men, but this is by far THE BEST
We have 4 sons. 3 in college & a 14 yr old at home. Last Christmas the unexpected favorite item in their stockings were headlamps. Got them at Walmart near the flashlights. I think my husband wished he had received one, too!
Do you have a idea for a men going on retirement, i would like maybe a basket with different things but what should i put in it
I am due to have my first baby in less than a month and I really wanted to put together a special basket to give to my husband in the hospital since he has been so wonderfully supportive. This site gave me a ton of ideas, now I just need to put it together! Thanks so much!
What a nice surprise for your husband! Glad it helped! What a good idea! I wish I would have made one for my husband for the hospital trip that included lots of snacks, drinks, and cash 😉
Thank you! There are so many good ideas here. Yes, there are a number of them I object to but i just would not use those. Thank you so much for pulling this all together! I have 5 sons and a husband, the only other girl here is our dog. Over half of our son are now adults so harder to get things for. Thank you, Thank you, thank you.
I noticed someone mentioned this earlier…a headlight, or head lamp…it’s an adjustable flashlight, with a really bright light, that is mounted to an elastic band that fits around the head. It’s an awesome gift for men (or women) working in a place where they can’t get good light on what they’re doing (like looking under the hood of the car, or fixing pipes under the sink, or finding the breaker that blew when the electricity is off). The head lamp leaves both hands free to work, I gave it to my 5 sons, 3 sons-in-law and a couple of grandsons, as well as my husband in their stockings one Christmas. I found them at a department store on a display of cool nifty gadgets for men, for just about $10. After they opened them they all sat around with them on their heads for a while. There were a lot of laughs when they talked about where they might use them.
Thanks for the great list. I’m often stumped. My (now grown) kids always knew they could count on candy, a new toothbrush, new underwear and a fun toy. That hasn’t changed as they’ve gotten older and have added spouses to the mix. As someone earlier said–magazines–always great with the early morning coffee. Last year I got all the guys rubber band pistols. Best gift ever! A little chaotic, but so much fun.
For the record if you are making one for a college aged guy, it used to be that laundry centers used quarters. Now in most places one simply swipes their student ID. I can not tell you how many gifts of quarters that end up just being annoying. Great list though. ^.^
Good point!
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I love your ideas. My husband gets whatever he wants or needs, so I need to be creative. Thanks!
Thank you for sharing where you shop for things!!! It’s so helpful not only for the ideas, but where to get unique items!!!
Hey there, I just loved this blog post. Every man should read this list. If you are looking out for top gadgets for men in 2013 then here’s the best list at The Garnier man blog.
I just wanted to let you know that someone has copied this list, and some of the ideas were stolen word-for-word from your website.
Thanks for letting me know 😉
Did I forget to leave the link?
No, I got the link, I just erased it from the comment. Thanks!
Most of these are so ridiculous. You might as well have just said to do his shopping for him.
These comments crack me up. If you think this list is so ridiculous, please, share your ideas instead of trolling around the internet.
I always get my hubby his favorite wall calendar and mark all the important dates for him to remember. It’s really two gifts in one…he likes the calendar and loves that he doesn’t forget my birthday!
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Reblogged this on MomSpark and commented:
Need ideas for what to put in your husband or boyfriends easter basket?
Beer soap is a great men’s idea! My sister got me a few handmade bars that were beer inspired by Philadelphia crafters. Their site is durossandlangel.com, I think they make them seasonally. though their black pepper is my new favorite! And they have an awesome beard oil.
Black pepper soap sounds pretty awesome! I will have to check out the site. I should add mustache wax to the list too, which I will probably add for my brother. That, and shaving oil.
ONe thing I thought of was an aftershave balm. It’s not a cologne, but every guy shaves and this stuff is essential for rescuing the skin after shaving with a sharp blade.
http://my-digital-dynamo.blogspot.com/2014/05/misbeshaving-aftershave.html
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Wish I could find the boot warmers. I googled and so far cannot find any (including at Target.com)
They currently have them in the dollar section in the store – they are pretty much the same as the hand warmers.
Posters from their favorite geeky show/movie/comic. Etsy has lots of great original artworks for practically anything you’re guy is into.
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This is a terrible list.. How did socks make it to #4 ?
Silly putty.. Shoe laces…nail clippers. Is this a joke?
How about you buy a gym membership for yourself and actively use it. Guys will love a Sexier wife. Even a sexy night gown to wear, to seduce us. A gift certificate for a Massage. Items for a tailgate party. A new tie. a belt with matching shoes. Tickets to a sporting event. A weekend getaway trip. Dinner at a steakhouse. A blazer or sports coat. Concert tickets.
Ezra – thank you for your opinion. I always find comments like these somewhat humorous. While most of your gift ideas I think are good ones – I’m pretty sure my husband wouldn’t enjoy me getting myself a gym membership for his present… but to each his own, right? I mean, assuming all of us using this list are fat and sloppy and need that gym membership we don’t have….
And these are little ideas for gift baskets and stockings (like the title says). I guess in your life there is no room for small gifts. Different people like different things, I have found. Thank you for letting us know you are one of those people who don’t like any of these. And for clarification – this list isn’t in any specific order and I think there might even be items on the list that you even suggested *GASP.
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Thats awesome. I think my girlfriend would never run out of ideas anymore!
These are great ideas! If you want to add to this list, here is a unique gift for the DIY guy in your life or the professional tradesman.Check out http://www.tapeboss.ca. its a voice recorder that attaches to any tape measure. never forget your measurements again.
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