Temporarily Closed

Santa's Stocking Stuffer Helper is taking a break, but will be back for next season! In the meantime, I hope everyone has a wonderful, happy, healthy New Year!

Silver Plate Plant Markers -- with 20% off coupon code!

It's been far too long since I posted about any of the lovely handmade items available on Etsy, but now I can remedy that situation. Heidi of the CambriRae etsy shop has generally offered my blog readers a 20% off coupon (code "20off") which can be used on her lovely silver plate plant markers, Christmas ornaments, and page clips.

Although you should look through all of her beautiful offerings, I personally love the plant markers the best; each is made from vintage silver-plate forks and spoons with letters permanently engraved into the metal. Each marker is $5.00, or only $4.00 with the coupon code. They're perfect for outdoor or windowsill gardens, and as the product description states, they "make a wonderful gift for anyone who loves gardening, is an antique fanatic, enjoys a shabby chic décor, or simply likes to receive unique gifts."

And there's still time to get these for Christmas, at least within the United States. As long as you choose priority mail shipping and order by Sunday night (Dec. 19), you should have these by Thursday (Dec. 23).

And if you've already done your Christmas shopping, keep these in mind for Springtime birthdays and especially Mother's Day!

What: Silver Plate Plant Markers -- with 20% off coupon code!
Where: CambriRae (an Etsy shop)
How much (as of today's post): $5.00 apiece -- $4.00 with coupon code!

Fortune Gumballs

Anyone on your stocking-to-be-stuffed list like fortunes and fortune cookies? If so, they might get a kick out of these Fortune Gumballs. The "set" comes with seven boxes labeled Love, Finances, Career, Future, Health, Travel, and Mystery, and each box contains two gumballs and a fortune. The overall package is 4 1/2 inches long by 2 inches tall -- perfect for stocking stuffers!

What: Fortune Gumballs
Where: Perpetual Kid
How much (as of today's post): $2.99 (plus shipping)

Moose in the House game

I found this game at Barnes & Noble, and the only reason I didn't buy it for some nieces and nephews this year is because I'd already done their shopping. But next year I'm giving this to at least one set of relatives with kids -- especially because they're Canadian and I think they'll find it pretty darn funny, not to mention fun! The object of the game is to keep the moose out of your house and get it into your opponents' houses; cards have pictures of rooms, some of which have been invaded by the monster moose from the north! (If you have no idea how big a moose really gets, go to YouTube and search on "baby moose sprinkler", where you'll find an adorable video of twin baby moose playing in a yard sprinkler, with mama looking on.)

Back to the game, the box it comes in is pretty small as far as games go. According to Amazon, it measures 1.6 by 4.7 by 5.8 inches. So whether or not it fits in a stocking depends on how big that stocking is, of course! But it does make a lovely small gift in any case. Recommended age range is 8-12 years old, but I think it's the kind of thing parents can play with kids and still have fun, like Waterworks or Mille Bornes, two of my childhood favorites.

What: Moose in the House game
Where: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or elsewhere
How much (as of today's post): $9.99

Cocoa Puffs Lip Balm

I admit that this stocking stuffer idea is inspired more by nostalgia than anything else. I used to love Cocoa Puffs when I was a kid (and Cocoa Pebbles perhaps even more). I used to eat bowl after bowl of these cereals along with a glass of Welch's grape juice. It's a miracle I didn't go into sugar shock!

In any case, though, here's a way to enjoy the memory without the sugar -- Cocoa Puffs lip balm! I would think kids up to 8 or 9 years old might really like this -- any older and they might be too "sophisticated" for it! I found this on the Perpetual Kid website, and they also have Lucky Charms and Boo Berry cereal flavors, and Pillsbury Cinnamon Roll flavor, in case Cocoa Puffs aren't the thing.

What: Cocoa Puffs Lip Balm
Where: Perpetual Kid website
How much (as of today's post): $2.99 (plus shipping)

Craisins

Looking for a sweet treat other than candy for stockings? Craisins are still "new" enough to be a little bit of a novelty, but common enough that you can find them in any grocery store at a reasonable price. They do have sugar added to them, so this won't work for everyone -- and be sure to read the ingredients if you want to make sure it's cane sugar and not high-fructose corn syrup. But even if they're sweetened -- and after all, they are cranberries, so you can see why they would be sweetened -- they have all sorts of nutritional benefits that candy is entirely without.

I believe "Craisins" is the Ocean Spray brand name, but I imagine there are other brands of dried cranberries out there too. For Craisins themselves, Ocean Spray also puts out 100 calorie packs (perfect for stocking stuffers), and in more exotic "blends" such as blueberry, cherry, and pomegranate-juice "infused".

What: Craisins
Where: any grocery store
How much (as of today's post): varies

Yumbot Cupcake Molds

Not long ago, I posted about a cupcake pop mold as a possible stocking stuffer; today I have Yumbot Cupcake Molds from (who else?) ThinkGeek! For $17.99 you get a set of four robot-shaped silicon cupcake molds into which you pour the batter directly for baking and then decorating. I think they're adorable, and if you split them up among recipients they're not too expensive.

Of course, it's unlikely anyone would ever want to make only four cupcakes at a time, but the robots would make a cute centerpiece for a display that is rounded out by more traditional cupcakes. The set has one each of red, yellow, blue, and green. They're oven-safe to 450 degrees, and of course they're dishwasher safe as well.

What: Yumbot Cupcake Molds
Where: ThinkGeek
How much (as of today's post): $17.99 for set of four (plus shipping)

D20 Magic 8 Ball

I'm old enough to remember Magic 8 Balls when they were new. Here's an updated version in the form of a 20-sided gaming dice (well, technically it's a "die"). If ThinkGeek's product information is to believe -- and you never can tell with them, because they tend to be a bit tongue-in-cheek -- possible answers to your gaming questions include "+5 CHA, you handsome devil!", "Yes (if 3rd Edition)", and "It’s a trap!" If you have any teens who are into gaming, this is for them!

What: D20 Magic 8 Ball
Where: ThinkGeek.com
How much (as of today's post): $12.99 (plus shipping)

Draw Your Own Design Watch

As a teenager, I loved bright and colorful Swatch watches, but I think I would have really loved this -- a "draw your own design" watch! The plain white watch can be drawn on with pens or markers, to make any design that suits the wearer. Unfortunately the description doesn't give the measurements of the watch face or the length of the band, which to me is important because I have tiny wrists and even ladies' watches tend to be too big, but that aside, I love the idea of this as a super fun stocking stuffer for teens, especially artistic ones.

(Don't forget, ThinkGeek participates in Mr. Rebates.

What: Draw Your Own Design Watch
Where: ThinkGeek.com
How much (as of today's post): $11.99

Set of Like/Dislike Stamps

OK, this is temporarily out of stock at ThinkGeek BUT it's due back in stock by December 13, and it's too cute not to post about!

So.... Got Facebook? Or, more importantly, got a teen or college student who's on Facebook? He/she might love this set of like/dislike stamps! The set includes both stamps, which each measure 3 by 1.25 by 2.5 inches. And they're self-inking, always a plus.

And hey, why does Facebook still not have a dislike button?!

What: Set of Like/Dislike Stamps
Where: ThinkGeek
How much (as of today's post): $12.99 for set (plus shipping)