59 Non-Boring Stocking Stuffers Under $25 That Will Get Here By Christmas
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Stocking stuffers are the best Christmas gifts, if you ask me. They aren’t quite as high stakes as the main event, but there’s an art to compiling a well-stuffed stocking: You’re going for a collection of little treasures and delights that are simple without feeling obvious and inexpensive without feeling cheap. Below, I’ve rounded up the best stocking stuffers under $25 for everyone on your list, from high-end peanuts for the snack-y grandpa to a deceptively powerful flashlight for the absent-minded roommate. Meanwhile, if you’re looking for “full-size” gift ideas, here are all the holiday gift guides we’ve published (so far), tailored toward every recipient, budget, and hobby under the sun.
As of now, everything below should arrive by Christmas, but you should still double-check the timelines before placing your order. There’s also more information about specific retailer shipping times in the editor’s notes below, and in our brand-by-brand holiday-delivery breakdown.
Updated on December 21, 2025
Ahead of last minute shopping and holiday shipping schedules, we’ve updated our favorite under $25 stocking stuffers with the latest availability and pricing. As of this update, everything will arrive by December 24.
Food and drink
For the kid who loves a surprise
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If they love forbidden-snack memes, get them a bag of rock-shaped chocolates. The smaller ones here have been a Strategist favorite for years, and larger “boulder” variety recently earned the title of “best gift” when the Strategist staff played The Strategist Gifting Game.
For the dad who craves umami
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Alison Roman goes through bags and bags of this Bragg nutritional yeast just to season her popcorn.
For the culinary-curious tween
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With these crafty cooking kits, they can create mini meals like ramen, sushi, or a burger out of candy.
For the friend who’s chronically dehydrated
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Help them quench their thirst with our best overall electrolyte powder.
For the co-worker who sips a matcha latte every day
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So they can make their own at home.
Self-care and beauty
For anyone who has long hair
A claw clip is a nice upgrade from a scrunchie, and there are lots of options to suit every taste, personality, and interest.
[Editor’s note: You can place your Sephora on December 22 until 6 a.m. EST for standard shipping; December 22 at 9 a.m. EST for two-day shipping; and December 23 at 9 a.m. EST for next-day shipping.]
For the friend with a low-maintenance beauty routine
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Clinique’s Almost Lipstick is the “black turtleneck” of lipsticks, according to fashion editor Amy Larocca.
For the aunt with an elaborate bathing ritual
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Strategist contributor Emma Firth says three generations of her family have used this slime-green bath gel. It has an herbal, almost piney fragrance and is so moisturizing that Firth can skip lotion afterward.
For the sibling running a marathon
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Dr. Teal’s Epsom salt is a tried-and-true method for soothing a tired, achy body.
For the father-in-law who nurses dry hands all winter
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Help him heal cracked knuckles with this hand cream that can soften the toughest, most calloused skin.
For the college student pulling all-nighters
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This silk eye mask will help them get to sleep just as the sun is rising.
For the mother-in-law who could use some pampering
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Biodance Bio-Collagen Real Deep Mask
Biodance’s best-selling collagen masks deliver deep hydration and minimize wrinkles and fine lines.
For the teen who lives at Sephora
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After chatting with multiple Gen Z-ers, Strategist writer Bella Druckman concluded that Rhode’s lip tint will top wish lists across the country this year.
[Editor’s note: For Sephora shipping info, see our guide to holiday-delivery deadlines. You can place orders with standard shipping until Monday, December 22, at 6 a.m. ET and expedited shipping after that.]
For the sister who’s always on her feet
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Earth Therapeutics Aloe Socks
Earth Therapeutics’ aloe-infused socks are plush and moisturizing.
[Editor’s note: Order fromUlta by December 21 at 11:59 p.m. CT with expedited delivery, and December 22 at 11:59 p.m. CT with premium delivery.]
For the friend who loves bling
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I’ve been using these Half Magic face gems to add a little sparkle to my everyday.
Gadgets and gizmos
For the sibling with a penchant for overpacking
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With three USB-C ports and two USB-A ports, this Epicka travel adapter has the ability to connect as many as six devices to power from a single outlet, helping them save room for the 5,000 other things they’re bringing along.
For the sibling who hates schlepping
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Hydro Flask’s pint-size water bottle is less of a pain to lug.
[Editor’s note: Place your Urban Outfitters orders by 9 a.m. EST December 23 for with express next-day shipping.]
For the sister-in-law with a sense of humor
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Kim Hastreiter’s favorite cockroach clips are temporarily sold out, but these hungry pigeons are an apt back-up.
For the Gen-Zer with influencer dreams
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Anyone who films TikToks on the regular knows this suction-cup mount is indispensable.
For the gadget dad who’s also a neat freak
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The straight-bristled brush scrubs gunk in tight crevices, while the loop brush sweeps away crumbs caught in his keyboard.
For the friend who can’t abide loose threads
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These compact scissors are TSA-friendly and come in handy for nearly everything, whether you’re cutting off price tags, opening packages, wrapping gifts, or removing event wristbands.
For the posh aunt with a cashmere collection
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A sweater comb helps to remove pilling, balling, and fuzz without damaging the delicate fabric.
For the teen declaring AirPods passé
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Wired headphones are trendy again (Josh Hart says so).
For the sister-in-law with a new baby
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Alpine Silence Earplugs
Our best earplugs for sleep will ensure she gets at least some shut-eye now and again.
[Editor’s note: For delivery before Christmas, order with expedited shipping by 2 p.m. ET on Friday, December 19.]
For the dad who’s bald (or balding)
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So his dome doesn’t get cold.
For the kid who’s always coming home with scrapes
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Linda Rodin recommends Welly bandages for their fun, vibrant designs.
For the tween who wants to document everything
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Once the photos are developed, they can hang them to decorate their room or give them to friends as keepsakes.
For the college student figuring out laundry for the first time
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Status-y dryer sheets from DedCool might make the task feel a little more manageable.
For the brother who wants to cut down his screen time
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A digital alarm clock will help him avoid instantly scrolling the moment he wakes up.
For the sister complaining about “tech neck”
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Strategist contributor Caroline Goldfarb says this neck stretcher is “without exaggeration, one of the single most life-changing items I have ever placed under my body.”
For the husband who’s in charge of breaking down boxes
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Make the chore a little easier with this sleek and safe box cutter that slices through cardboard like a hot knife through butter.
For the friend who uses flights to catch up on shows
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The Original Flight Flap
This bendy foam phone stand will let them binge-watch while in transit.
Hobbies, arts, and crafts
For the friend who hosts game night
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Just make sure your friend group is strong enough to withstand the chaos that comes with this highly compelling card game.
For the friend who hosts dinner parties
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Strategist senior editor Winnie Yang says this scoop-colander hybrid is one of her most-used kitchen tools.
For the father-in-law who reads before bed
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Since the hue of this book light is warm and amber-y rather than a cooler blueish-white, bedtime bookworms can wind down without feeling like they’re staring at a screen or disturbing a sleeping partner.
For the cousin with a creative practice
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Waris Ahluwalia recommends this book that documents the daily rituals of well-known novelists, poets, playwrights, painters, philosophers, scientists, and mathematicians.
For anyone who loves a blind box
Pop Mart toys are dominating the blind-box market right now, but I’m partial to the stone-faced Smiskis.
[Editor’s note: For Urban Outfitters shipping information, check our guide to holiday-delivery deadlines.]
For the brother who likes to tinker
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Handy people can always use an extra pocketknife. This one by French company Opinel comes recommended by fourth-generation butcher Cara Nicoletti — she’s owned hers for over nine years and says it’s “the cutest knife I own.”
For the grandpa who’s always gardening
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A hori-hori knife is an elegantly multifunctional tool that can be used for scooping, digging, cutting, seeding, sawing, and even measuring.
For the obsessive record-keeper
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Susan Orlean uses this memory book to jot down a quick line about each day. “There’s a lot of pleasure in looking back and seeing the same day five years ago and the same day four years ago,” she says. “It’s a simple way of reflecting on the path of your life that I really enjoy.”
For the reader who jots notes in the margins
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Metal Pen Clips
Strategist senior writer Lauren Ro — a chronic annotator — uses these jumbo-size paper clips to attach her pencil to the cover of the book she’s currently reading.
For the great-aunt who always sends a (handwritten) birthday card
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Strategist writer Martha Tuber — who’s highly picky about her pens — crowned this Anterique ballpoint the very best pen for writing.
For the high-schooler with an elaborate bullet journal
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Pentel Hybrid Dual Metallic Gel Pens
“You haven’t tried a glitter pen until you’ve tried these,” declares Strategist contributor Caroline Weaver. The gel ink and the super-fine glitter are two different colors, making your handwriting “look dimensional and shiny yet still surprisingly legible.”
Kids
For the kid who’s always doodling
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A pad of rainbow scratch paper makes everyday drawings a little more exciting.
For the kid running a brisk Jibbitz exchange
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This hand sanitizer case, a collab between Crocs and Touchland, is currently the ultimate backpack status symbol.
[Editor’s note: Check our guide to holiday-delivery deadlines for details on Sephora and Ulta order cutoffs.]
For the kid who wasn’t here for the ’90s
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Wow them with the Tamagotchi’s charming retro graphics.
For the tween who loves all things kawaii
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This simple LEGO kit of smiling plants is one of our favorite gifts for 11-year-olds.
For the kindergartner who loves playing with dolls
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For younger kids who aren’t quite ready for a full-size American Girl doll, this brand makes extremely adorable mini versions of the most popular historical characters.
For the preschooler who’s an avid puzzler
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Containing just 48 pieces and beloved by multiple Strategist parents, Mudpuppy’s colorful mini puzzles take up a fraction of the space that bigger puzzles do.
For the kid learning how to ride a bike
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This easy-to-install bike bell is equipped with a twinkling LED rainbow to help light their way home.
For the nephew who scribbles on every wall
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These beeswax-based bathtub crayons are fragrance-free, easy to hold, and contain only food-grade ingredients, making them a perfect choice for young children who may also use them to draw on themselves.
For the toddler who gets bored easily
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This ice-cream sticker book kept Strategist senior writer Liza Corsillo’s 2-year-old riveted on a 30-minute subway ride from south Brooklyn to the Upper West Side.
For the baby cousin who’s a musical prodigy
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This storybook plays snippets of Mozart when you press a music note icon. “My kids like pressing the buttons more than the story itself, honestly, but I like that they learn about classical music. The illustrations are pretty too,” says Ro.
For the niece who wants to zhuzh up her bedroom
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A string of twinkly lights has the power to elevate any space.
For the budding entomologist
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This insect magnifier, recommended by Kate Berlant, lets them get a closer look at any spiders, centipedes, or other creepy crawlies they might encounter.
[Editor’s note: Depending on your location, B&H offers two-day shipping for most items — check the site for details.]
More Christmas Gift Ideas
- Iced Coffee and Sephora Hauls: The Best Advent Calendars for Gen Z (So Far)
- 54 Gifts for Moms (at Every Price Point)
- If You’re Planning on Buying an Advent Calendar This Year, Get It On Sale
- The 59 Best Gifts for Every Type of Boyfriend
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