Posting for cool ideas for stocking stuffers.
I like practical things, but welcome all ideas.
Some things I often give:
Starbucks is actually great for stocking stuffers; there are all these little candies and things by the register . A small pocket knife or multi-tool is a good stuffer and of course there is the obligatory orange in the toe.
When I was a kid (60s-70s) my sisters and I would each get a huge orange and a huge apple, Santa shaped chocolates, a Tiger Beat or 16 magazine, small kiddy-type perfume, film/flashcubes (ha!), markers, pens, small toys and a candy cane. My dream was always to wake up Christmas morning and find a kitten in my stocking! (Like all the picture books showed) Of course, that never happened 
I always hated doing stockings for my kids as they got older. It always seemed hard to find items small enough to fit in the stocking and not break the bank AND still be something exciting.
Some things we have done:
Lip gloss
Lottery tickets
Travel size toothpaste etc, especially when one of our kids was traveling a lot.
Small gift cards.
Bars of nice soap
Bath bombs
Travel size bath gels/cosmetics/toiletries (Ulta and Bath and Body Works are good places)
Good chocolate bars, like Seattle chocolate
Magnetic wrist band
Tiny squeeze on flashlight that attaches to a zipper or dog collar
Hair ornaments
Packets of hot chocolate mix
Liquor miniatures
Kitchen things like a potholder or silicone whisk
Grippy socks or cute holiday socks
Post it notes with cute designs
Other office supplies with cute designs, like paper clips
“To Do” notepads
Card game like Uno
Bookmark
Refrigerator magnet that would amuse them, or a photo frame magnet
Gourmet treats like nuts or dried fruits
Small jars of gourmet condiments/jams/salsa
Small packs of teabags or coffee
Burts Bees cuticle butter
Fun nail things like glitter nail polish, nail art kits, cute emery boards
Purse magnifying mirror
Great ideas! I’ll definitely use some of them.
As a non-gambler, I HATE getting lottery tickets.
Members of my family give them to us every Xmas, and often at birthdays, and we just don’t see the point.
It’s like getting homework as a present since we then have to go look up to see if we’ve won (which we never do).
If I get any this year I’m just going to hand them right back to the giver, and I don’t care if someone gets upset.
Chapstick/Blistex multi-pack
A box of mixed Jelly Belly jelly beans
I can’t remember what else I’d get from my mom but those must have been the yearly highlights
I agree…worst gift ever.
Why waste money on lottery tickets for a gift? I’m guessing easy to grab at a gas station at the last minute. If that’s the case, grab me a candy bar and some potato chips!
If the recipient has pets, you can include little gifts for the pets, laser pointer, cat toy, dog treats, etc.
Stockings have always been for small, fun, cheezy stuff in our home. My 20 yo daughter got a paddle ball game, tootsie roll bank, and reindeer antlers to wear while opening her other gifts, among other things, last year.
My dad used to put gift cards for the car wash in stockings. We always liked that.
Some hardware stores have buckets of miscellaneous items near the cash register, such as simple tools that fit on a key ring, various clamps, telescoping tools for reaching or with mirrors, enormous rubber bands, giant tweezers, odd little scissors for cutting in awkward spots, and little rings or hooks that clip onto stuff. I often like these in my stocking and have given them to others with pleasing effect.
Thought of another one - packets of seeds and gardening gloves.
Back in the seventies, we would usually get fruit, bags of nuts or home made jerky.
New gloves and a nice winter cap were always welcome.
Grandparents usually liked to tuck in a silver dollar or two,
When my kids were young, they weren’t allowed heavily sugared cereals . . . except at Christmas. The small boxes of sugary cereal would take up a fair bit of stocking volume. Bottles of bubbles were traditional from my childhood. And tangerines. Kids find peeling them easier than peeling oranges.
In our family, people tend to lose toenail clippers. So every two or three years, everyone gets one in their stocking.
Magnetic parts trays. Useful for so many things you don’t want to wander off.
Novelty contact lens cases
small photo frames and a gift card to Shutterfly or CVS or Walgreens to fill said frames.
Costume jewelry
folding scissors to keep in the car
Zeiss lens cleaning spray or wipes.
Japanese kit kats in a variety of flavors if you can find them
We give instant win tickets, so you can tell right away. It also makes buying ahead easier. But I agree, not a good present for those deadset against gambling.
I like getting lottery tickets. The scratch off ones with a Xmas theme. It’s fun.
Hershey miniatures were always my fave, as for candy. I used to put those orange/chocolate balls in my kids stockings. Along with small toys. As they got older the girls would get makeup and my son would get shaving stuff.
My DIL finds the cutest little things for her young daughters. I am always amazed. She looks at all the stores and finds little books, hair things and dolls. I can’t keep up so I have been buying them savings bonds for a few years. I always put quarters in there too. Kids love quarters.
One thing we like to get the kids each year are USB memory sticks. Started off small, of course, but now … wow! Saw an ad today for 128GB USB 3.0 for $15.
Little flashlights, gifts for their pets, paddle balls, Slinkies, and chocolate oranges.