Adult stocking filler ideas - all year round!

[OMGitsnotgood]

If you're anti Christmas until December or don't agree with stockings for adults, please scroll past.

Our adult children absolutely refuse not to have Christmas stockings, it wouldn't be Christmas without them apparently. Their main present is either something they've asked for or cash. I try to get a couple of other small gifts I know they'd like as a surprise but stockings are here to stay.
I know people have different approaches to stocking fillers, here are the criteria for ours:

Small enough to fit in a stocking (shop bought type not a sock).
Anywhere from 0 - £5 per gift (£0 could be a perfume/aftershave sample)
Must be practical, fun or consumable to avoid wastage.
Can be pre-owned (eg like-new books from a charity shop).
Usual ideas are foodstuffs, snacks, toiletries, DIY bits n bobs, stationery items. All get used but a bit dull, another reason for not leaving it too late to think of things.

I keep a 'Christmas note' on my phone and note ideas all year round. Generally I won't buy until later in the year, it's the ideas that are difficult. I sometimes pick up on things in conversation and add to the note to buy later (eg DS1's girlfriend mentioned how much she loved a certain chocolate bar - now in the list).
Obviously if I spot something that I probably wouldn't be able to get again - something unique or a real bargain, I will buy when I see them but don't go actively looking. Sometimes they are things I stumble across (I recently bought a trolley coin in aid of a charity one of my DCs supports when there was a stall in a service station).

Just been ordering a couple of slimline European usb adapters to take on holiday (see pic) and have ordered a few extra as stocking fillers. Which is what prompted me to start this thread. By starting early, collecting ideas even if not buying, I think you do so with a clearer mind and end up with better stocking fillers than leaving the thinking til December when there is so much else going on.
Not sure if anyone else will be interested in this thread but just in case, would be good to share ideas or things that you've seen that are not the usual everyday items.
I'd appreciate it we could keep this thread for adults stockings only please

Currently in Spain contemplating the feasibility of bringing back a load of fancy tinned fish and olives for DH's stocking!

I do this most years! I bring loads of nice toiletries and patés home from France in my luggage.

I was in Smith's today looking at the magazines and spotted a Jackie bookazine (new word to me) that made me think of this thread. There's a lifestyle special, best of 70s and "60 years of" at least. I was hoping for a best of 60s for my mum but turns out it didn't start until 1964. Will try to find out what was her magazine as a teen.

There are quite a few copies of Spare Rib on ebay.

Probably too big for stockings but Gromit's autobiography is out in October and I'm thinking that will make a good gift, particularly the Waterstones special edition.

@FinaleyDee could you share your list with us to spark some ideas? Thanks 😊

Of course!

For my son’s dad it’s usually just a few token things like:

• Moth cocktail can
• a balancing game of some sort
• scratch card
• tube of sweets like fruit pastilles
• some kind of tool or survival type thing that he can use at work/camping
• Mini book like a bird/wildlife identification book

For my 9 year old son, some ideas:

• 3D Eugy animal - I get one for my son’s dad and me too, my son finds it quite exciting when we each get a variation of the same thing
• Lagoon Group plasticine animal modelling kit - beautiful packaging
• Magic crystal tree - I used to get one every year as I child and loved it
• something sticky/stretchy/slimy - last year mini catapults with sticky poos went down well. I think I’ll get an aeroplane gun this year.
• Collectible 50p eg Paddington, Star Wars, Fifa
• Christmas themed LEGO polybag
• A geode that you can smash open revealing the crystals inside
• packet of 3 Ferrero/sweet tube
• small Gravitrax item eg trampoline/zip wire (whatever is on offer)
• squirty shower foam and/or colour changing bath bubbles
• lego or football magazine
• plus a satsuma and a few choc coins (one bag shared between all our stockings)

For me (I do myself a stocking, I love opening mine with my son). Usually cooking/food themed:

• Maldon salt eg regular, chilli, garlic (the Maldon pinch pots are beautiful - can be found brand new on eBay, as can the lovely tin that holds a whole packet)
• a pickle fork/pickled onion grabber/olive spoon type thing (someone on this thread previously said they get their adult child, I think, a piece of servewear like a cake slice - and get something different each year and I love this idea)
• Poon’s chilli oil - it’s incredible
• milky bar button tube and Crystal growing tree (had these since childhood)
• fancy lip balm
• Fancy tea
• Ottelenghi’s dukkah
• interesting flavour of honey eg truffle
• mini sriracha keyring (that you can fill, and a soy one for my salt loving niece)
• decent face mask/eye mask
• magazine

Thanks @FinaleyDee

You've inspired me. I'm going to get DD5 a little crystal tree - any good ideas where to pick these up (trying to avoid Amazon!)? Will go very well with the mini handheld microscope going in.

Thank you @FinaleyDee

Such a good idea! I put a nice tin of anchovies in my own last year and now the cheaper jar I normally buy doesn’t hit the spot!

You can buy them on EBay, or Google suggests Baker Ross, Wilko, Science Museum. I’ve never seen them in an actual shop, only ever online.

@Scout2016 mention of Spare Rib took me back! Many years ago I had an operation on my spine, part of which involved taking a bit of my spare rib and using it to pack into gaps in my vertebrae. I was inundated with copies of Spare Rib by friends who thought they were being original!

Sorry that wasn't stocking related at all!

Whilst I try to buy things that will fit in the stockings, something like this I would just prop up against the stocking. It’s hard enough without excluding the odd item that is too big.

That’s such a good idea and exactly why stockings are worth thinking about early!

What is the most successful stocking filler you’ve ever put in an adult stocking? Bonus points if it was for a hard to buy for male!

Most used by Mr OMG: olive spoon (thanks to suggestion on here ) and coffee bag clip.
Crispy chickpea snacks went down well too

Years ago, we don’t do stockings for each other now but we used to. DP loved an extendable backscratcher- very practical well used present!

I've made a good start on my mother's stocking. Lots of toiletries in the sales, got one of those expanding flannels for nostalgia. I did find expanding socks one year, but I can't remember where from.

Got her Cards vs Gravity and a puzzle book.

It needs a few more unusual or exciting things though.

A viking arrowhead for dp. Maybe not outwardly beautiful but I love the history of it!

@Confusedmeanderings that's a fascinating anecdote, I hope the surgery was a success.
The comedian Mark Steel said he got sent Viz magazine by a friend while having treatment for cancer and it was just the thing. I suspect Spare Rib was far heavier going once you got past the name joke.

Thanks for this. Husband would love this. I have signed up for a notification on Waterstones for when the signed ones are available to order.

Signed by Gromit? 😆

I'm chancing it for my near 11 year old but I am a bit worried about Gromit losing some of his mystique. You know, like how the most appealing A list film stars are the ones you know little about, the enigmas.

I was wondering if it was signed by Gromit too!

The mini sriracha key ring is a genius idea. I just order one. My husband loves scrambled eggs on toast if we go out for breakfast and so many places do not have hot sauce!!! (same with salad cream for me but appreciate that's a bit weird :-). Thanks!! Love this thread.

Random surprise hit with DH was a knife sharpener. No idea why, but he loves it.

My Superdrug has loads of HisSmile toothpaste reduced, I think they're changing the packaging so getting rid of the old stock, picked up a few for various stockings.

Boot warmers have been a hit here. Great for drying out damp shoes but DH used to use them to warm his shoes before going out to walk the dog.