Stocking filler ideas for everyone: 60 small gifts under £10
Sixty small presents of the kind that usually cost under £10, sorted by who they are for, with a simple way to pack a stocking, the traditional fillers and how to keep the cost down.
A good Christmas stocking is a mix rather than a pile: something to eat, something to use, something to play with, something to wear and one thing that pokes out of the top. Below are 60 stocking filler ideas of the kind that usually cost under £10, sorted by who they are for, then the traditional fillers and the ways to fill a stocking cheaply.
How to fill a Christmas stocking
Pack from the toe up, so the first thing pulled out is the most exciting and the last thing found is a small treat. We suggest 8 to 10 small items for a standard stocking: enough for a long unwrap without buying filler for its own sake.
| Where | What goes there | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Toe | Something round and traditional | A satsuma or clementine, chocolate coins |
| Lower half | Things to eat and use up | Sweets, hot chocolate, lip balm, bath fizzers |
| Middle | Something to wear and something to play with | Christmas socks, a card game, a small jigsaw |
| Top | The present that shows | A book, a soft toy, a wrapped box |
| Hanging over the edge | A last treat | A candy cane, a sugar mouse |
A rule that keeps stockings fair
When you fill stockings for several children, give each one the same five categories: something to eat, to wear, to use, to play with and to read. The items can differ, but nobody counts fewer parcels than a brother or sister. If you are starting from scratch, choose the stockings themselves from our Christmas stockings, sacks and fillers range first, so you know how much space you have to fill.
Stocking filler ideas for kids
For children from about 3 to 11, mix screen-free toys with useful things they will reach for all year: stickers, sticky tape and rubbers get used long after Boxing Day.
- A sticker book or a reusable sticker scene
- A spinning top
- A yo-yo
- A bubble wand
- Colouring pencils or watercolour pencils
- A pocket magnifying glass or mini microscope
- A wind-up torch
- A bead, cross-stitch or slime kit
- Temporary tattoos
- A family card game such as animal snap
- A small jigsaw
- Bath crayons or bath fizzers
- Christmas socks or gloves
- A collectable figure or a mini building set
Stocking fillers for under 3s
Babies and toddlers need fewer, bigger fillers. Read every age warning on the packaging. A toy that is not suitable for children under 3 must carry a warning that says so and gives the reason, such as a choking hazard, so keep those for the older children’s stockings.
- A chunky board book
- A bath toy with no hole for water to collect inside
- Chunky crayons
- A small soft toy with embroidered eyes
- Non-slip socks
Toys, lights and remote controls can run on button batteries, and the Child Accident Prevention Trust warns that a swallowed button battery can badly hurt or kill a small child. Check gifts for loose battery covers and batteries that have dropped out, keep spare button batteries up high and out of reach, get rid of used ones as soon as you can, and go straight to A&E or call an ambulance if you think a child has swallowed one.
Stocking fillers for teenagers
With teenagers, fewer and better beats more. Fill their stocking with what they use every day and one or two things to share with friends.
- Hair clips, claw clips or scrunchies
- Lip balm or a sheet mask
- A bag charm or keyring
- A phone stand or phone grip
- A party card game for friends
- A speed cube
- Prints of their best photos from the year
- A pack of their favourite sweets
For bigger presents and ideas by age, see our guide to Christmas gifts for teenagers.
Grown-up stocking fillers
Adult stockings work best with things people use up or use daily, chosen for one person rather than bought as a set. One small upgrade of something they already use beats three novelties.
Stocking fillers for her
- Her usual hand cream, in the full size
- Bed socks or slipper socks
- A silk eye mask
- A pocket notebook and a good pen
- Wax melts or a small candle in a scent she likes
- Nail varnish in a shade she wears
- A bar of the chocolate she buys for herself
- Seeds for the flowers or herbs she grows
- Touchscreen gloves
Stocking fillers for men
- A multi-tool keyring or bottle opener
- Thermal walking socks
- A bottle of hot sauce
- Beard balm or a beard comb
- A pocket torch
- A pack of playing cards
- Hand warmers for the match or the dog walk
- Golf balls or tees, if he plays
- A crossword or sudoku book
More ideas for him are grouped in our stocking fillers for men collection.
Food and drink for anyone
- Hot chocolate sachets or a hot chocolate bomb
- Coffee in single-serve bags
- A selection of teas
- Posh crisps or popcorn
- Fudge or Scottish tablet
- A miniature of their favourite spirit or liqueur, for adults only
- A small jar of honey, jam or chutney
Our stocking fillers collection gathers small presents for every age in one place.
Embracing Mindfulness
31 mindfulness challenge cards, one task a day, 7 x 12 cm, boxedTraditional and old-fashioned stocking fillers
The stocking itself comes from a legend of Saint Nicholas, who secretly threw bags of gold through a poor family’s window, one of them landing in a stocking hung to dry by the fire. Three gold balls, one of the symbols of Saint Nicholas, stand for that gold, and oranges are sometimes used to represent them. Many British families still put an orange or a satsuma in the toe.
- A satsuma, clementine or orange in the toe
- Chocolate coins, which in the UK are bought at Christmas to hang on the tree and fill children’s stockings
- A sugar mouse, a traditional British Christmas sweet made of fondant
- Walnuts or hazelnuts in their shells
- A candy cane hooked over the top
- Coal-shaped sweets, a joke on the old threat that badly behaved children get only coal
- A wooden whistle or a peg doll
- A shiny new coin, like the gold in the legend
How to fill a stocking cheaply
A full stocking does not need a big budget. These habits cut the cost without making it look thin:
- Divide the budget by the number of fillers before you shop: £20 across eight fillers is £2.50 each.
- Buy multipacks and split them across stockings: socks, hand warmers, hot chocolate and pens all come in packs.
- Let a satsuma and a handful of nuts in their shells take up the toe.
- Make one filler yourself: a jar of hot chocolate mix, a tin of homemade fudge or a voucher for a film night.
- Wrap each item separately. Eight small parcels feel like more than four bigger ones.
- Match the stocking to the budget: an oversized stocking needs far more fillers to look full, so compare sizes in our stockings, sacks and fillers range before you buy a new one.
- Start in November and keep one box for fillers, so nothing is bought in a last-minute rush.
Stocking fillers under £5
Many of the ideas above usually come in under £5: stickers, bubbles, temporary tattoos, chocolate coins, a sugar mouse, a candy cane, hand warmers, lip balm and single sachets of hot chocolate. Build the stocking around a few of these and spend the rest on one present for the top.
Stockings, sacks and Christmas Eve boxes
Keep the stocking for small things. Bigger presents for children go under the tree or in one of our Santa sacks, which hold boxed toys that would split a stocking. Fillers meant for the night before, such as new pyjamas, a book and a snack for a Christmas film, belong in a Christmas Eve box instead: our Christmas Eve box ideas list what to put in one for each age.
Frequently asked questions
What are good little stocking fillers?
Small things the person will use up or use every day: lip balm, Christmas socks, hot chocolate, a card game, a puzzle book or a pocket torch. For children, add something to make with, such as stickers or a bead kit. A satsuma and chocolate coins in the toe keep the tradition going.
How many stocking fillers should you put in a stocking?
We suggest 8 to 10 small items for a standard stocking, fewer for a baby or toddler. One slightly bigger present at the top makes a stocking look full without extra items. If you fill several stockings, give each the same number of parcels.
What are traditional items to put in a Christmas stocking?
A satsuma, clementine or orange in the toe, chocolate coins, nuts in their shells, a sugar mouse and a candy cane over the top. Some families add coal-shaped sweets as a joke about the old threat of coal for naughty children. A small wooden toy or a shiny coin finishes an old-fashioned stocking.
Why do you put an orange in a Christmas stocking?
The stocking tradition comes from the legend of Saint Nicholas, who threw bags of gold through a poor family’s window, one of them landing in a stocking drying by the fire. Three gold balls, one of his symbols, stand for that gold, and oranges are sometimes used to represent them. An orange or satsuma in the toe recalls that story.
How do you fill a stocking cheaply?
Set a budget per stocking and divide it by the number of fillers before you shop. Split multipacks across several stockings, let fruit and nuts take up the toe, make one filler at home and wrap every item separately so a few small things feel like more.
What can you put in a stocking instead of sweets?
Stickers, a spinning top, a bubble wand, temporary tattoos, bath crayons, a small jigsaw or a card game for children, and socks, gloves or a notebook for any age. Fruit and nuts give the traditional feel without chocolate. A handwritten voucher for an outing or a film night also fits.
What do you fill a woman’s stocking with?
Full-size versions of things she already uses: hand cream, lip balm, nail varnish in her shade, wax melts in a scent she likes. Add something cosy such as bed socks or a silk eye mask, and a bar of the chocolate she buys for herself.
