You know the old saying: t’is the season to get more excited about stocking stuffers than than the actual gifts you’re giving people. The little gifts are the best ones, wouldn’t you agree? And I would almost go so far as to argue that it’s more fun to get several small gifts than one big, practical one. Plus, it allows you more opportunity to show off your amazing gifting skills to your friends and family. Just wait until they see how well you know them!
Grab them a serious gift like a gorgeous set of marble coasters, or go for something simple like a slice of a crescent-shaped, raw-edged amethyst! Whether your stocking stuffers are meant to get a laugh, recall a memory, and/or shed a tear, there’s an indie brand with the perfect gifts for your closest companions and friendliest enemies.
12 Indie Stocking Stuffers Under $10
| Vintage Silverware Magnetic Bud Vase $8 eachAdorable, simple, and as a bonus – sustainable at heart! Fly Me Home took the ends of vintage silverware (frequently hollow) and attached magnets to the back. They’ll fit one good-sized flower or a few smaller ones. |
| Large, Illustrated Vinyl Stickers $5.28 for 2These original illustrations are by Aimee Mac, and feature some of her nature-focused pieces. The photo is deceiving, because these vinyl stickers are actually 10cm wide, and would look amazing on a laptop or instrument case. You can buy 2-6 stickers at a time for between $5.28-$11.88, and pick the designs you want! |
| Dr. Frankenstein Switch Cover $4.99I’m pretty sure that my family would be comfortable with me switching out every light switch in the house to this mad scientist-style plate. I’m also confident that I know several horror fanatics and movie buffs who would probably be delighted to turn their kitchen light on in the morning with a satisfying thunk. It comes with installation directions, and you have your choice of a few colors. |
| Crescent Moon Amethyst Slices $10 eachThese little guys aren’t much bigger than a quarter, but if you know a crystal collector who gobbles up anything with a sparkle or sheen, they’re going to flip out over how perfect and adorable these are. (The more purple stones are a couple extra dollars, but the lighter colored ones are $10 even!) |
| Da Vinci’s Vetrivuan Man Cookie Cutter & Stamp $9.92This company, called Sac Sac based in Kyoto, Japan, makes the most awesome, adorable cookie cutter and stamps. They have art nerd/engineering favorites like this Vetruvian Man by Leonardo da Vinci, but there’s also a plethora of adorable cameras, animals, flowers, and even a collection of zodiac signs. |
| 250ml Organic Maple Syrup from Quebec $9.34In my family, stockings come before breakfast, and I think maple syrup would be one of the coolest things to find in my stocking! This bottle from Townships Organic is grade A maple syrup, and it’s special because it’s single-forest, made in small batches in eastern Canada. (250ml is just over one cup!)For a really good deal, try picking up 12 100ml bottles of maple syrup for $56.02! |
| Llamarama Llama Socks $10 per pairFor some reason, there’s always someone in our lives who loves llamas. I’m not 100% sure what the deal is, but nevertheless, I am completely happy to fuel their passion with a pair of socks. After all, if there’s a classic stocking stuffer item that has withstood the test of time, it’s… stocking socks. AKA socks in socks. |
| Parks & Recreation Rainy Day Activity Book $3.29 eachYes, friends, this is actually as good as you think it’s going to be. This is Parks & Rec themed activity book, complete with coloring pages, themed word searches, and about a billion references to 99% of human people’s favorite show.Not looking for a Parks & Rec version? Don’t worry, Pizza Eaters have you covered. Check out some of their other activity books: X-Files, Buffy, Harry Potter, Twin Peaks, Stranger Things… the list goes on! |
| Poppin’ Cobs Popcorn on the Cob $4.99 for a twin-packThis is a super stocking-friendly gift thanks to its convenience, its novelty, and it’s shape, to be honest. All you need to do is pop one of these cobs into a paper bag and throw it in the microwave for a few minutes. Then, you’ve got popcorn on the cob! |
| 3D Printed Kitty Cat Phone Stand $4.99This little dude is gonna help you watch all of your favorite things while you hide from your family over the holidays. Kidding, kidding! The cool nerds over at 3D Geek Wares came up with this adorable solution to phone-hand fatigue, and it comes in a ton of colors! |
| Corridor Fragrance by Theater Potion $4 for ~1mlThere was bound to be a fragrance on this list sooner or later (after all, these are indie products), and this one seems like it would be an easy favorite of many of my friends. Plus, at only 1ml per tiny, adorable bottle, if they don’t like it, it’s cute enough to adorn a vanity or perfume collection purely for aesthetic value. Theater Potion created the scent “Corridor” with notes of moss, amber, jasmine, tobacco, and cedar. |
| Meyer Lemon Salt Gift Set $4 per boxWho is the salt bae in your life? Well, they need this. It’s a three-piece gift set from Desert Provisions that includes some delicious Sunduran sea salt, a Meyer lemon-infused sea salt, and an adorable, ceramic salt cellar! Am I sure this is only $4? Yes! I am! I checked three times! It even comes in a small, easily-wrappable box. |
| Snowflake Obsidian Choker Necklace $6.99/1 bead, $8.99/3 beadsObviously, this little necklace is a universal winner for jewelry fans, or for those deeply invested in the 1990s resurgence. These little marbles are made from “snowflake obsidian,” which is regular obsidian (black, volcanic glass) with a lattice-like explosion of Cristobalite, a white mineral that creates snowflake shapes across the surface of the stone. Jewelry by Lia kept it nice and simple by stringing them on a simple black cord with a lobster claw closure. |
| Paper Music Box $9.26This cute little music box will play your choice of song, and you get to choose from a list that includes the Game of Thrones theme, Harry Potter theme, Debussy, My Heart Will Go On, and other classic… music box… tunes…? Anyway, they’re awesome, and this little circular box is covered in vintage animals, with a top that pops off to reveal the musical mechanics beneath. There are a few other designs in Miium‘s shop, so go take a look! |
| Coffee Pot & Mountains Pin $9Pins are always a safe bet, and they come in very stocking-friendly sizes! This adorable pin features a coffee pot full of hot, steaming, tranquil mountains. I love this design (for reasons that may be obvious if you know me), but Ramble On Supply Co. has a ton of other cute pins and iron-on patches for your wild, outdoorsy, mountain-loving friends, and they’re almost all under $10! |
| The Great Northern Hotel Tag Keychain $7.99Key Tags R Us, as you might suspect, have a ton of great pop culture hotel keys from your favorite shows and movies. The Twin Peaks fan in your life is going to make awesome noises when they unwrap and see this! The Great Northern Hotel is a pretty key location (hur hur hur) in the great saga of Twin Peaks, particularly room 315. For the biggest fangirl or fanboy who thinks they have every piece of memorabilia or merch from the best spooky drama from the 1990s, this is the perfect gift. |
| Power Prayer Candles: La Nueva Novena $10 eachYou might be familiar with the traditional prayer candles (or veladoras) that have been available at bodegas and Latin markets for decades, but Brooklyn Brujeria is offering a new, modern take on the classic in their collaboration with Chiquita Brujita. There are nine different designs to choose from, each with their own patron and prayer, just like the traditional versions. |
| Stress Relief Shower Steamers $5.95 eachThe ultimate in compact holiday gifts is always going to be bath goodies. They’re easy, creative, make everything smell and feed rad, and are generally pretty inexpensive. This clever product from Candle Crest is actually for your shower, the oft-overlooked bathing opportunity. Throw one of these on the floor of your shower and once the hot water hits it, your shower will be full of soothing, calming eucalyptus and spearmint |
| Matchsticks in a Matchbox $3.50 for 36These are the cutest matchsticks I’ve ever seen, and I’m gonna need several boxes for myself in addition to the several dozen that I will be distributing. Not only are these three colors awesome together, but this little box is the perfect place to keep them. Despite the convenience and abundance of lighters in life, I can’t help but hold a soft spot for matches. |
| Janelle Monae Glass Votive Candle $10 eachWhat are you gonna use your cute matches on if it isn’t a candle with an cultural icon on it? While Janelle Monae is worthy of holding a flame in every home across the globe, she’s is but a mere taste of what Flaming Idols has to offer. This candle is only about 2.5″ tall, so it’ll easily slip into a stocking, office inbox, or your friend’s purse while they’re not looking! Sneaky! In addition to Ms. Monae, you can fill your friends’ iconic altars with Bowie, Grace & Frankie, Adam Rippon, April Ludgate, Lena Waithe, Laverne Cox, or dozens of others! |
| Thieves Blend Soap $8Last but obviously not least, as no indie stocking stuffer list is truly complete without it: soap. Not just any soap, though! Emerson Handcrafted Natural Soaps are vegan, cruelty-free, and made with their special Thieves Blend of essential oils, which leaves you smelling like a freshly bailed out scoundrel! Think rosemary, eucalyptus, lemon, cinnamon, and clove… It’s the perfect gender-neutral scent in an awesome, hand-milled bar of gorgeously rust-colored, cold-pressed soap. |
These are our current favorite indie stocking stuffers, but please share your current favorite shops in the comments! We’re always looking to expand our indie horizons. Oh, and tell us your favorite stocking stuffers to hide in your family’s loot!