Fabulous, Festive Stocking Stuffers for Moms and Dads
With a new baby’s stocking on the mantel, it’s all too easy to let the holidays pass without proper pampering for new parents. In the run-up to December 25th, they’re consumed with all things Christmas—from sourcing magical gifts for baby, kids and grandparents to hosting family gatherings and cooking up a storm. Safe to say, parents deserve a little love in return. To make Christmas extra memorable for all, start with this list of thoughtful stocking stuffers for moms and dads. Each gift meets an unarticulated need or simply delivers a festive dose of TLC—something new parents will appreciate just as much as their littles ones.
Ready to start your search? We’ve sourced awesome stocking stuffers for mom—including luxury skincare, jewelry and everyday baby essentials to make her life easier.
Vegan lip butter
What mom doesn’t have chapped lips from kissing her baby’s soft little belly? This silky formula will revive her kisser with vegan ingredients like shea and murumuru seed butters, fortifying her for cuddle sessions throughout the holiday season.
Edible holiday card
Because there’s no such thing as too much chocolate, add another sweet something to Mom’s Christmas stocking: This salted caramel chocolate bar doubles as a greetings card that reads: “This is a delicious stocking stuffer.” (Indeed!)
Baby-scented candle
For the mom who wishes she could bottle up her baby’s sweet little scent, this baby-scented candle comes pretty close to ticking the box. With notes like geranium, ylang-ylang, vanilla, and of course, baby powder, she can muster up memories of her baby’s earliest days…and promptly extinguish it when she remembers all the blow-outs, spit up and sleepless nights.
Creamy makeup stick
Nearly 30,000 5-star reviews on Amazon can’t be wrong: This blendable, monochromatic makeup stick that delivers creamy color to the eyes, lips, and cheeks is universally flattering. No matter which of the seven colors you give—and we’re partial to sparkling rose—the subtle hue will shave minutes off any mom’s makeup routine to help her feel glam (or at least a little put together). Plus: It’s surprisingly affordable.
Phone screen cleaner
Parents of young children know that keeping mucky paw prints off your devices is easier said than done. Solve the problem with this cool touchscreen cleaner designed by MoMA. With the press of a button, the spray releases a gentle mist that can be wiped away along with fingerprints, smudges, and 99.9 percent of bacteria using any side of the surrounding container. Talk about a clever stocking stuffer for parents!
Restorative skin serum
While self-care can feel like the last thing on a new mom’s list, setting her up for a super simple skincare routine can make her feel pampered and more like herself. This antioxidant-rich priming serum delivers a hydrating blend of plant-based nutrients to calm all and smooth skin types. It can be worn beneath makeup—or more likely, on its own—to protect the skin from any oxidative and UV stress that result from all those stroller walks.
Chocolate tic tac toe box
Indulge her sweet tooth and competitive spirit with this edible Tic Tac Toe game. The winner gets nine chocolates; the loser gets diaper duty.
Gentle makeup remover
For a tired mom who’s prone to face planting at the end of a long day, this Mini Pink MakeUp Eraser makes it easy to remove makeup before hitting the sack: Simply dampen with water and wipe for a quick bedtime refresher.
Hands-free wallet
Whether the mom in your life wears a baby or pushes one in a stroller, lugging a child and all of their essentials around can be, well, a bit schleppy. The next time she joyfully leaves the house alone, she’ll appreciate these hidden pocket scrunchies, which offer just enough storage space for a house key and cash—no bulky diaper bag required.
Hair blotting papers
These charcoal and hemp scalp blotting papers effectively absorb grease on days when a baby bath takes top priority over a mom’s much-needed shower. Individually-packaged for portability, they slip as easily into holiday stockings as hospital and diaper bags. Even better: Free from 10 iffy ingredients including parabens and phthalates, they’re gentle on the scalp—a good thing for anyone who can’t seem to get a break from postpartum hair loss.
Organic turmeric latte mix
New parents deserve a teacup full of TLC. Bodily’s restorative, anti-inflammatory turmeric latte is packed with antioxidants but free of caffeine, so the mom in your life can sleep when the baby sleeps—or at least savor a few coffee-shop-quality sips in silence.
Flowers that keep themselves alive
For the mom who appreciates flowers but lacks time and will to keep them alive, this self-watering lavender grow kit delivers calming botanical scents and praise be, takes care of itself. The soothing scent will be the gift that keeps giving.
Personalized zodiac ornament
Draw inspiration from the stars with a personalized glass zodiac ornament. There’s one to represent each of the 12 signs so you can select the recipient’s zodiac, or her little one’s for a gift she’ll ohh and ahh over every holiday season to come.
Luxe silk pillowcase
A luxurious stocking stuffer for Mom: A silk pillowcase. It promises to protect skin and hair from friction (a major bonus for people with curly hair and new moms hoping to stem postpartum hair loss). It’s also naturally breathable and cool to the touch.
Cozy belt bag
For the mom who hates rooting around in a palatial diaper bag for every time she needs a swipe of Chapstick, this cozy teddy belt bag will keep her personal belongings at arm’s reach with or without a child in tow. The best part: New moms can wear it around the waist to avoid interference with breastfeeding.
Home spa me-moment
New moms don’t always have the time or budget to sneak out for the spa treatments they deserve. So bring the spa home to her with this botanical facial steam derived from a soothing organic floral blend of rose petals, chamomile, calendula, comfrey, and more. All she’ll need is some boiling water, a towel and 10 to 15 minutes to herself—the real gift!
Don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten about Dad! Here you’ll find the best stocking stuffers for dads, from practical gifts to tasty treats he’ll love.
His slimmest wallet yet
Available in several colorways and patterns, this uber-slim elastic card carrying case accommodates up to 8 cards and cash with a keychain that can be affixed to house keys to grab and easily grab and go.
Foot massage ball roller
With more than 4,000 five-star reviews, this contoured foot self-massager delivers lots of love to all the right pressure points. Also ideal for use on the calves, dads can stash it near the playmat for royal treatment during downtime.
Key finder
Attach this digital finder to his wallet or keys. As long as he can find his phone or desktop computer, he can use the Find My app to locate the tag and personal item attached. Or, say he runs nervous when he’s apart from his baby: He can use the tag to track the whereabouts of the stroller.
Performance tech gloves
Notable features of these insulated gloves include a wrist leash, Etip that works with touchscreen devices, and the ultimate dad accoutrement: A special panel specifically designed for nose wiping—a great feature when you're out with your kid in winter.
Kid-proof condiments
Parents quickly learn that the easiest way to stop food from disappearing off their plate and into little mouths is to use the code word “spicy”. This globally-inspired set of five sauces will take any dad’s taste buds on a trip, with blends hailing from Southern India, Ethiopia, Northeast India, Oaxaca and Quintana Roo.
The drink he deserves
If the dad in your life doesn’t get out on the town as often as he used to, this single-serving cocktail bomb will bring him back to yesteryear with an elevated sipping experience that can be enjoyed after the kids are in bed: Choose from flavors like Moscow Mule, Old Fashioned and and Mango Margarita. All he’ll need is a splash of sparkling water and a jigger of liquor to feel like he actually made it out, no babysitter needed.
A scratch-off fatherhood bucket list
Oh, the places you imagine you’ll go once you’ve got a kid! Keep the dad in your life accountable—and feed him new ideas like hot air balloon rides, planetarium, and arcades—with this scratch-off book of father-child activity ideas. It’s also got space to rate the experience and record the most memorable moments.
Cozy non-slip slipper socks
These cozy cushioned slipper socks take the edge off early mornings of pitter-pattering between bed and crib. Their non-slip grip means dad won’t take an unexpected spill when bringing mom coffee in bed—truly the gift that gives back!
Baby on board decal
Dads who wear their fatherhood on their sleeves might as well upgrade their windshields: These rad decals let fellow drivers know there are delicate passengers inside while gently reminding car aficionados why they’re driving minivans, not Mini Coopers.
Mini first aid kit
This 60-piece mini first aid kit features everything a dad could need for disaster with kiddo in tow. He’ll have bandages, he’ll have lip balm, he’ll have tweezers and even stickers to award for bravery—all conveniently packed in a carrying case designed with a trusty carabiner to easily attach to a belt loop or diaper bag.
Guided journal
Sentimental dads will appreciate this keepsake journal featuring writing prompts to help the words flow. The 200-question notebook is organized by life stage so the recipient doesn’t miss a beat when recording memories and words of wisdom for the next generation to peruse.
An answer to “what should we watch tonight?”
The age-old battle of what to watch can finally come to an end thanks to the Decider Dice. Parents simply roll the first two dice to choose the genre and medium (TV show or movie). A roll of the third will then determine the exact show selection, giving you the chance to actually put something on before one of you falls asleep.
Hugs on demand
Who doesn't like a nice long hug? With 62 hours of burn time, this “Hug in a Jar” soy wax candle will give dad (and mom) a nice long stream of scented comfort when parenting gets a little stressful (we've been there!). Choose from scents like “Time to Relax and Unwind” or “Smells Really Good”—or go for brownie points with “Dark & Handsome”.
Travel mug
While kids can complicate your morning routine, hot coffee doesn’t have to be a thing of the past. This 20-ounce, leak-resistant, vacuum-insulated travel mug keeps dad’s morning joe at the ideal temperature. Plus, it fits right into a stroller or car cup-holder for easy access on his way to daycare drop off or work.
Break from bar soap
If the dad in your life saves his patience for playtime, he might not have much left for a full-scale skincare routine. Save his skin from bar soap with a step up to foaming cleanser from The Ordinary, which offers plenty of affordable complimentary lotions and potions in case the recipient takes to primping.
Snowflake Multitool
Equal parts festive and practical, this snowflake multitool serves a multitude of functions including but not limited to bottle opener, can opener, wrench, and screwdriver. Should any battery-powered toys appear under the Christmas tree, he’ll have just what he needs to keep the fun going…and going…and going.
We get it—the holiday season comes with a long shopping list. And many people leave buying small items—like stocking stuffers—to the last minute. To help you find the best mini-gifts that’ll fit inside a Christmas stocking, our goal is to do the bulk of the research for you, so you don’t have to spend hours scrolling through online retailers. We do this by considering a list of criteria when sourcing stocking stuffers, including price, quality and, not but not least, fun. We considered user reviews to see how these gifts were received by real moms and dads, and didn’t consider anything with less than an average four-star rating.
Interested in learning more about our editorial process? Read about how our team develops and reviews all articles here.
Plus, more from The Bump:
Navigate forward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.