I cannot even begin to fathom how Christmas is less than two weeks away.
I started this gift guide series with a question: “Do you hear what I hear?”
Well, those sleigh bells ring-ting-tingling in the distance just got a whole lot closer, and a whole lot louder. T minus 9 days until Christmas when this newsletter goes out, friends! But no worries, if you’re still checking names off your shopping list, I’m here to give you a hand.
Welcome to Week Five of
The Guerra Gift Guides!
I’m your shopper, Julia Guerra! I’ve been curating gift guides every week since November 14th and delivering them straight to your inbox for your convenience. To recap:
Last week, I sent out a list of gifts for moms. The week before that, I listed the best beauty gifts of 2022. In the weeks prior, I rounded up the best gifts for men and the best gifts for readers. This week, I’m writing about stocking stuffers (that aren’t candy or undergarments).
Let me know in the comment section below if this was helpful, what your favorite was, and if there are any stocking stuffers you’d recommend to me!
(**Please note, many of these items are on sale, however, I chose to include their original prices, as sales can end/change!**)
ASUTRA Natural & Organic Yoga Mat Cleaner
Photo courtesy of Amazon
$12.74, amazon.com
If they’re an avid yogi, chances are their mat could use a good clean. This spray is rated just shy of 5 stars on Amazon, is all-natural, and organic, and emits a soothing lavender scent to enhance their calming practice.
Rael Natural Herbal Heating Patches
Photo courtesy of Amazon
$11.98, amazon.com
These natural heating patches never come off my wishlist. Rael’s heat therapy patches are incredibly effective and have helped me to live through my menstrual cramping, rather than just barely exist battling them. They’re made with only three herbal ingredients - rose, lemon, and jasmine oil - that organically warm the problem area, and never overheat. They’re also discreet - adhering to the outside of underwear - so they can be worn virtually anywhere, at any time, for up to eight hours.
The Good Patch The Fan Faves Gift Set
Photo courtesy of Ulta
$10, ulta.com
While we’re on the subject of patches, I have to mention these miracle workers from The Good Patch. Photographed above is the brand’s fan faves box, but it’s worth noting that The Good Patch sells a variety of magical patches that adhere to the skin like a sticker and tackle a variety of ailments with plant-powered ingredients. We’re especially big fans of the Dream, Be Calm, and Cycle patches in this house.
The Herbal Zen Medicine Cabinet Shower Steamers
Photo courtesy of Etsy
$29.99, etsy.com
I have a feeling shower steamers are going to have a moment in 2023, but I’ve been a shower steamer stan for the past few years. The Herbal Zen has some of the best, and I especially love its Medicine Cabinet variety pack, which includes steamers formulated to help with colds, headaches, stress, and hangovers, improving sleep quality, and giving users an energy boost.
LUSH Intergalactic Bath Bomb
Photo courtesy of LUSH
$8.25, lushusa.com
If their favorite way to wind down is in a warm bath, with a good book and a calming ambiance, a bath bomb can help set the mood. LUSH is my go-to for funky bath accessories. They smell amazing, turn the bath water fun colors, and make my skin feel incredibly soft after a long soak. The Intergalactic bomb is a personal favorite of mine, if for no other reason than I like how it turns my tub from drab to fab, bursting with psychedelic swirls. That said, I am not picky, and wholeheartedly recommend any from the brand’s collection. (You might also want to check out their bubble bars here if they enjoy foamy suds.)
Maverick Standard Index Playing Cards
Photo courtesy of Amazon
$4.88, amazon.com
I recently played the card game SPIT with my God daughter, and we had a lot of fun racing to put our cards down in sloppy piles. I’m rusty, but just the simple act of playing cards with my niece, no screens, just us chatting and competing, laughing, was such a nice time. Get back to basics with this stocking stuffer idea. They’ll love the sentiment and nostalgic gameplay.
The Five Minute Journal
Photo courtesy of Amazon
$21.74, amazon.com
If their New Year’s resolution is to journal, treat them to this guided option. Each day, they’re given the same prompts to fill out, broken into categories day and night. Each day, they’ll jot down three things they’re grateful for, three things that would make the day great, a daily affirmation, the highlight of the day, and something they learned. Filing out the single-page entry should only take five minutes or so (as the book’s name would suggest), which helps make it a habit that will actually stick.
Burt's Bees Lip Balm Value 4-Pack
Photo courtesy of Amazon
$10.47, amazon.com
It’s getting to be that time of year when everyone’s lips are dry and cracking. Burt’s Bees is my favorite lip balm to soothe a sore pout, and this pack of four gives its recipient plenty of flavor options to choose from one day to the next, like Strawberry and Vanilla Bean.
Uncle John's Bathroom Reader
Photo courtesy of Amazon
$10.89, amazon.com
This is the first in the 35-book series of Uncle John’s Bathroom Readers. My dad loves these books, and I’ve also found them fun to peruse while on the pot. If your giftee has to hang in the bathroom for a bit longer than usual, they might as well learn a thing or two while they wait, right? These volumes are jam-packed with interesting facts, and they might just find themselves sitting awhile longer just so they can keep reading.
Crayola Silly Putty
Photo courtesy of Amazon
$5.99, amazon.com
You’re never too old for Silly Putty. In fact, I think Silly Putty is even more useful to adults than kids because the tacky stuff can easily be used as stress putty. Suggest they put it on their desk to stretch it, snap it, and sculpt it whenever they feel an afternoon funk coming on.
Shinery Radiance Wash Jewelry Cleaner
Photo courtesy of Amazon
$22.40, amazon.com
Oprah crowned Shinery’s luxury jewelry cleaner one of her favorite things this year. For anyone who needs to spruce their sparkle, the Radiance Wash doubles as a daily soap. All they’ll need to do is sub this formula in for their usual suds on occasion, and massage the premium cleaner over their jewelry. It’s one rinse they’ll definitely want to repeat.
Colgate Optic White Overnight Teeth Whitening Pen
Photo courtesy of Target
$24.99, target.com
Here’s a foolproof way to brighten their smile come Christmas morning: Colgate’s fast-acting whitening pen. If they can’t stand strips, but still want to enhance their pearly whites, this gel formula is said to have 15x more whitening power than just brushing alone, and to yield visible results in as little as one week.
Bath & Body Works Cucumber Melon Hand Sanitizers
Photo courtesy of Bath & Body Works
$8 for a pack of 5, bathandbodyworks.com
‘Tis the season to be germy. Help to minimize their exposure with a 5-pack of hand sanitizer from Bath and Body Works! There are many scents to choose from, but I felt especially compelled to feature this 90s favorite the brand recently brought back.
Kitsch Eco-Friendly Creaseless Clip Set
Photo courtesy of Ulta
$10, ulta.com
If their hair is long and all over the place like mine, then they need a pack of creaseless clips to hold back their strands in times of need, like when they’re applying makeup or washing their face. I like this style from Kitsch. They’re pretty and get the job done.
LoversUnlimited Couples Journal
Photo courtesy of Etsy
$58.99, etsy.com
Maybe it’s because I’m a writer and a romantic, but I love these kinds of couples activities. Granted, this stocking stuffer idea is more of a joint gift, but if you’re both into it, these types of guided prompts really can spark some awesome conversations between you and your partner. I guarantee you’ll learn something new about one another from these exercises.
You have reminded me about silly putty! Lol makes me want some for fun!
Love the ideas. It’s good to have other options than candy!