Back when my littles were actually little.
Opening presents with your family and seeing that your own stocking is empty because your spouse and kids rely on you to create the Christmas Magic™ REALLY FUCKING SUCKS. Pay attention to your spouse (or your mom). We are really not that hard to shop for. Plus, your kids seeing you do something thoughtful for their mom instills good habits for their future relationships.
This list does not contain any skin care or hair care. No candles, no jewelry. No ornamental tchotchkes that are cute and possibly meaningful, but also collect dust. Those things are on everyone’s “Stocking Stuffers for Mom” list, not mine.
I don’t wear perfume and I’m really picky when it comes to jewelry, skincare, haircare, and clothes. Do I still love sentimental gifts? Of course, but those are few and far between. Bonus points if they are funny and fit my weird sense of humor.
I’ve compiled a few items that I would love to receive. Prices range vastly and I’ve tried to include links. Some are affiliate links, thanks if you use them. In case my husband actually reads this, I already have most of these.
· Hooded Scarf - If your mom lives where it gets chilly in the winter, consider a hooded scarf. It’s versatile and pretty, and it can be worn just as a scarf if needed. The ones I have are from AlaskiWear and they’re made from a super soft, acrylic fabric that isn’t scratchy and can be machine washed on a gentle cycle. The hood keeps my head warm without giving me hat hair like a beanie can. I’ve given these to my kids’ teachers every year at Christmas and they’ve been a hit!
· Custom Address Rubber Stamp - I adore the custom address stamp I use when I sent holiday cards or anything else snail mail. As a graphic designer, I’ve had more than a few stamps custom made by The Homebody Society and they’ve all been beautiful and really well-made. I have created the design and they made the stamp, but they also have loads of wonderful, customizable designs on their website. Check them out.
· Nerdwax Jinkies Glasses Cloth - Does the mom is your life wear glasses? Even just sunglasses? Consider one of these awesome and hilarious cloths from Nerdwax to keep in the car. As an artist, I have the painter’s palette along with the jorts, because they make me laugh. I bought my mom the Romeo & Juliet book because it’s one of her favorite stories. I bought my sister one that looks like a VHS tape with The X-Files handwritten on the label (her all-time favorite show). I bought my husband the spam musubi and a bass…. to clean his glasses with. There are an incredible amount of options and you are bound to find one that makes the mom in your life laugh.
· Kindle Paperwhite - I have been an avid reader since the years of Sweet Valley High and The Babysitters Club; long, long before BookTok. As much as I resisted switching to e-books many years ago, preferring the feel of an actual book in my hands, I was hooked immediately. It’s comfortable, lightweight, and the backlight doesn’t fatigue my eyes like reading on a computer or iPhone can do. There’s also no glare when reading outside. To be honest, my absolute favorite part of my Kindle is that it is ONLY for reading. No YouTube, no games, just books. I discovered Kindle Unlimited in 2024. Consider gifting a subscription too!!
Fake sleeper!
· Pocket Tripod - This is pretty freaking handy and barely takes up any space in my purse. It can fit in my wallet in a credit card slot and folds beautifully to hold my iPhone for photos or video. It goes hand in hand with my Apple Watch to take photos for me. It can fit almost any smart phone (you use their website to guide you on a size) and it comes in a bunch of colors. I always recommend tools that will help any parent get themselves IN the photos for a change.
· GripLock Magnetic Phone Mount - This is such a handy item to hold a magsafe phone in lots of different positions. It uses suction to grip most flat surfaces. It’s great for when you want to film something or to have your phone propped up when you need to follow a recipe or a tutorial.
· Kula Cloth - For any outdoor-loving moms, consider a Kula Cloth. These are waterproof, washable, reusable, antimicrobial pee cloths for when nature calls while on the trail or while camping. It clips to a backpack and comes in a variety of gorgeous and sometimes hilarious prints... like a waffle, for her twat!
· Portable Phone Charger - These are handy AF and maybe you can find one in her favorite color. There are lots of brands and sizes to choose from. The newest ones can be have magenetic for phones that do that. These help charge my phone when I’m at day-long events like festivals, martial arts tournaments or track meets, travel, hiking, or days where my kids get a hold of my phone and kill the battery talking to Grandpa on FaceTime.
· Popsocket - Consider a Popsocket for your mom’s phone or eReader in her favorite color or print. There are countless prints and textures. Heck, you can even have a custom one printed with photos of her kids or if she has a small business, maybe her logo. They’re handy for holding on to mobile phones as newer and newer models get larger and harder to hold and type with one hand (I could never do that even with a smaller phone). They makes ones that work with mag-safe iPhones too. I also keep one on my Kindle to make it easier to hold and turn pages with one hand.
· Fingerless Gloves - These are wonderful for anyone who lives where it gets chilly. They’re comfortable and ideal for when you still need to get shit done with your hands. I wear mine on cold hikes when I’m the one taking pictures. I also wear mine when I’m working on my computer and my hands get cold (which happens a lot in the winter). Added bonus if your mom is an Outlander fan; get her a replica pair that Claire may have worn on the show. Lots of Etsy shops sell different kinds: Blue Ridge Purl and Knit Play Love. The pair I’m wearing in the photo are a recent purchase from my local farmer’s market from Lazy Llama and they are incredibly comfy and warm. An alpaca wool that isn’t itchy.
· New Water Bottle! - Is the mom in your life a Stanley fan? Owala? Hydroflask? BrüMate? Consider getting her a new one in her favorite colors. Maybe she’s been thinking about getting a smaller one or a larger one? Or one that better fits the cup holders in the car? My fav is Owala (I love that spout) and they came out with a new one that has a tapered bottom to better fit cup holders. Which one is your fav?
· Water Bottle Stickers - How about gifting some beautiful stickers for your mom’s water bottle? Or, if she prefers her water bottle to stay bare, stickers for her laptop? My shop has vinyl stickers of my watercolor paintings along with some fun wordy stickers. I also have bought stickers from other artists that I follow: Block21Prints, Drawn to High Places, JusinTheTrees, and Karen Hallion. Stickers are an affordable way to own a little piece of art too.
· A Mini Blanket - These are handy for parks, festivals, hiking, camping, beaches, and they’re great to keep in a diaper bag or backpack for times you need to change a diaper and there’s no clean-ish surface in sight. The Matador Pocket Blanket is water and puncture resistant and has little stakes attached at the corners. It’s 63×44 inches and is about the size of a small wallet when folded. Matador makes a another smaller Pocket Blanket Mini that’s smaller at 44×28 inches, but it folds down into a pouch that can truly fit in my pocket. I keep a pocket blanket in my hiking backpack, the glove box in my car, and my backpack whenever I go hiking or travel. Amazon is chocked full of different kinds of pocket blankets, these are just the ones I have.
· New Sunglasses - Does she have already have a pair she loves? How about getting them in another color? I don’t think you can ever have too many pairs of sunglasses. My favs are the OG wayfarer style from Goodr because they are lightweight and inexpensive. I think I might own six or seven different colors.
· A Gift Card for Coffee, Chocolates, or her Favorite Restaurant. Great, love them. Even better if they include a new coffee tumbler or the PLAN of a girl’s night out or date night where your spouse or mom doesn’t have to plan it.
· A Gift Card for a Pedicure, Massage, Facial, whatever she likes… DON’T JUST GIVE A GIFT CARD. Look at her calendar or your family calendar and MAKE THE APPOINTMENT. As for what to put in her stocking? Make her a little card or have your kids make a card. Don’t give a gift certificate or gift card where she has to make the time to book the appointment.
· Professional Family Photos - Wanna really go big? Book a session with a professional photographer for your family. Figure out what your kids are gonna wear and just tell your spouse when and where they need to show up. When choosing a date and time, remember to consider nap times and meal times to increase your odds of having happy kids in photos. I recommend snacks for bribery. Good luck!
What is something you’d add to this list?