25 Stocking Stuffers So Special They Could Be Standalone Gifts

Sol de Janeiro has exploded in popularity over the past few years, and this minis gift set makes for a wonderful winter treat. Not only is it small enough to slip into a stocking and easy on your gift budget, but it's also the kind of immediately recognizable present that always compels a smile.

Hand cream might not sound like a stocking stuffer that'll make a big splash, but this highly-regarded French hand cream sure will. With a moderate price tag and a no-nonsense packaging, this is the kind of stocking stuffer that's sure to impress the skincare savants in your life.

All of my gamer friends sing the praises of PC gaming, and chances are high you have a wannabe gaming streamer in your life. Help them build out their kit with this handy USB wireless PC controller. It doesn't make online gaming easy for only console-preferring people like me, after all!

Young artists and adult coloring book stans alike will double-take at finding a professional-quality art supply brand like Faber-Castell in their stocking. These sparkle pastel colored pencils are the kind of unique splurge your loved ones will want to immediately take for a test drive.

One of my sisters — with her cabinet full of specialty cups — is the definition of a Stanley stan. But if you're not working with a full-sized Stanley Cup budget like me this year, then your Stanley stan family & friends will appreciate these adorable mini Stanleys. At 14 ounces, they're not too small to be kitschy and relegated to the trinket shelf, but not so big that they'll send your stockings straight to the floor.

I have a few friends who dabble in Dungeons and Dragons, and they're always in the market for some new dice. This VHS-cover-clad resin dice set brings all the '80s vibes of the first few Monster Manual editions. Sometimes, DND dice is just what the stocking stuffer ordered, and these are a great set to pick.

Haven't quite found the perfect gift for a proud millennial on your list? These iconic Juicy Tubes from Lancome will send them right back to a time when camisoles were tugged low, every jacket had a fur-lined hood, and your biggest worry was what your next custom ringtone was going to be. Jump on this stocking stuffer if you're in the market to deliver some serious holiday cheer.

Ceramic is a material that just feels lux, even at bargain-bin prices, and this silly spoon rest is a great example. The harried post-electrocution Griswald-esque cat illustration is a perfect pick for those quirky pals you call bestie.

Food may be a stocking stuffer staple, but this California olive oil takes things in an upscale culinary direction. If you have a foodie on your list — whether they love to make food or just eat it — this extra virgin olive oil is ideally balanced for everyday use (and perfectly stocking-stuffer shaped, if you ask me).

Okay, hear me out. I know this is a bit of an oddball holiday gift, but I recently came across a 2000s-inspired video with a lava lamp in the background, and it filled me with all kinds of lava lamp-revival nostalgia. You don't need me to convince you that these tall and slim lamps are stocking-stuffer-sized.

And if someone I know is reading this list...nudge, nudge.

From totes to carry-ons, bags are one thing you can never have too many of. This expressionist oyster shell-design zipper bag is small enough to take on-the-go, and unique enough to spark a conversation. It's an artsy gift that doesn't feel pretentious — a winning Christmas combo that works for almost anyone on your gift-giving list.

If your cousins love to party or your pops gets down to his dad rock playlists after work, you can't go wrong with this JBL mini bluetooth speaker. Many an undergrad get-together featured the latest Hot 100 pumping out of a JBL speaker, so I can attest to their room-filling quality. Social butterflies and music makers alike will fall in love with this stocking stuffer.

With 2000s fashion flooding every corner of the internet and the most popular stores of my youth — Hollister, Abercrombie, and Aeropostale — enjoying a major comeback, it's only a matter of time before natural hair looks morph into pin-straight styles. Get your kids ahead of the curve with this classic hair straightener. While it's a bit on the pricier side for a stocking stuffer, it's a hot tool your giftees can use for years to come.

I love my Kitsch satin pillowcases so much that I used one of them to the point that the zipper shredded from the case. Of course, I immediately replaced it, but if using something to the point of breaking isn't endorsement enough, I don't know what is.

Satin and silk (if you're in the splurging mood) work wonders on anyone's skin and hair, making these pillowcases a universal stocking stuffer. It doesn't hurt that satin just reads expensive, even when it's not.

My makeup journey started with Clinique. I asked my mom to do my makeup for my first day of a new school halfway through 6th grade, and she pulled out a bag full of trusty Clinique cosmetics. Unsurprisingly, the brand still goes hard all of these years later (peep that Black Honey revival, anyone?).

While Clinique can be expensive, this mini gift set includes a few classic products that anyone from tweens to fully-grown adults can work into their beauty routine.

Philosophy shower gels are jam-packed with deliciously potent scents in every squeeze. My mom lives by them, and we always treat her to a few during the winter holidays. If you're looking for a stocking stuffer for a hard-to-buy-for in-law, a manager at work, or a friend's spouse, this mini holiday shower gel set will work well!

I know I'm not alone in my office supplies love. If you also have a stationary stan in your life and aren't sure what to get them, this Ferris Wheel Press fountain pen will get you so many squeals of delight. Ferris Wheel Press is well-known for its stylish design and sparkly inks, which set them apart from your business-like traditional Montblancs.

Is this one of the priciest stocking stuffers in my roundup? Definitely. Do I think it's worth it? 100%.

While I love taking the holidays in a funky direction, even I'm not opposed to dipping into traditional gifts when appropriate. Like this classic Timex wristwatch, which boasts a leather band paired with neutral faces and an easy-to-read dial, for example. It has all the impact of an expensive gift with a stocking stuffer price tag!

The vinyl revival really kicked off the analog shift we've seen in the past two decades, and it's not the only area where people are looking back to yesteryear for ideas. Digital cameras were all the rage when I was younger, and they're just as popular now as they were then. While not everyone has a camera-level budget, this point-and-shoot digital camera is an awesome stocking stuffer if you do.

If you're the king or queen of kitsch, you have to get your hands on this absolutely wild Bluetooth phone handset. In a world full of nostalgia-bait, this stocking stuffer will deliver all of that youthful joy with none of the financial hardship.

Curly hair is high-maintenance, and there's no way around it. Treat your curlicue loved ones to a curl-defining cream that delivers immediate results. OUAI has skyrocketed in popularity over the past few years, and they're hairdresser-approved for a reason!

In the market for an elegant stocking stuffer and not afraid of luxury-level prices? This Tiffany lamp-inspired silk scarf is the lush kind of stocking stuffer worth splurging on.

After the winter holidays wrap up, New Year's is right around the corner, and so are people's annual resolutions. Give your fitness-focused folks a head start on their journey with these unique 1-pound dumbbells. They're sleek, stocking stuffer-sized, and light enough to use on that Day 1 workout.

We all have a workaholic in our lives who treats vacations as new place settings to prop up their work-from-home kit. Embrace these go-go-go pals' mindsets and get them a gift they'll use every day — like these colorful flexible power strips.

This unique butter spreader knife is my favorite kind of gift — the one your giftee never knew they wanted, but will absolutely love. It has tiny holes to help lift and spread hard butter straight from the fridge. And if you're like my dad, who almost always starts the day with a piece of toast on the side of his breakfast, this innovative butter knife is sure to be a stocking stuffer highlight.