When your teen lumbers into the family room on Christmas morning, takes their stocking down from the mantle, and looks inside, you might catch a glimpse of their little kid self. Here are our favorite stocking stuffers for teens, college kids, and young adults.
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Stocking stuffers for teens and college kids (2022)
1. Ninja Outdoorsman 11-in-1 Stainless Steel Tool
You never really know when you’re going to need a Can or Beer Bottle Opener, Cutting Edge, Flat Screwdriver, Ruler, 4 Position Wrench, Butterfly Screw Wrench, Saw Blade, Direction Ancillary Indication (Water Compass), 2 Position Wrench, Keychain, or lanyard Hole (Amazon.) It fits inside a wallet. Your teen boys will love this!
2. All About Vibe Custom Pillow Keychain
Meet your teen’s new favorite stocking stuffer: a practical, adorable, and unmistakable keychain. All About Vibe’s one-of-a-kind pillow keychains (of ANYTHING!) are customizable, memorable, loveable, huggable, washable, and giftable! Plus, they are made in the USA. But wait, there’s more!
3. Left Center Right
A game is a stocking stuffer idea that your teen will love to open and play with throughout the holidays. Left, Center, Right is a wildly popular game appropriate for all age groups.
4. Notecards
Personalized notecards may be the inspiration our teens need to write thank-you notes. We love this modern look, but there are dozens to choose from.
5. Hair Claw Clip
Hair clips are very popular among teens and college girls for an easy and comfortable way to hold hair up. The long shape of these clips makes them great stocking stuffers.
6. Bracelet Hair Ties
These cute and super practical hair ties can be worn as bracelets when not used. We think this is a genius idea and a significant upgrade from the ordinary elastic bands that never have a particularly polished look. One of Oprah’s Favorite Things for 2022!
7. Portable Battery Charger
A portable charger is always helpful on the go. This is one of the slimmest and lightest portable chargers and works with almost all phones and tablets.
8. Taco, Goat, Cheese Pizza Card Game
This super-popular card game is easy to learn and can be played in 10-15 minutes. How can anyone pass up this game if only to find out how “taco, goat, cheese pizza” are related???
9. Phone Pocket
This lycra pocket adheres to phones and is a perfect way to store cards or a few bills, eliminating the need for a bulky wallet. Comes in a pack of 2.
10. Phone Holder for Bike
The Roam phone mount is an incredibly popular small gift or stocking stuffer that any of your bike-riding teens would appreciate.
11. Crazy Aaron’s Liquid Glass Thinking Putty
This might remind your grown-up kid of the silly putty of their childhood. This improbable stretchy “liquid glass” will serve as a toy and stress reducer.
12. OOMBRA Bra
This comfortable bra for your daughter was developed by a pediatrician when she realized what her young patients needed. Available in multiple colors and prints with two strap styles, the OOMBRA comes in six sizes. Underwear, socks, t-shirts, and bras are all practical stocking stuffers.
13. Lokai Bracelets
We think these bead bracelets are lovely on the inside and out; Lokai is a socially responsible brand with a mission to help everyone find balance along life’s journey. Each bracelet is infused with elements sourced from the earth’s highest (Mt. Everest) and lowest points (Dead Sea). Plus, we love that the company donates 10% of net profits to charity.
14. Touchscreen Glider Gloves
It’s challenging to find the cold-weather gear our teens will wear, even if they’re freezing! These gloves are touch-screen sensitive for your entire hand, so they can be worn while texting. They are well-priced and are pretty perfect for stocking stuffers.
15. Do Your Laundry, or You’ll Die Alone
We love this slender book of wit and wisdom, written and illustrated by our amazingly-talented friend, Becky Blades, before her eldest daughter left for college. It includes everything you’ll want your teen daughter to know about living her best life away from home and for her mom to coach her along the way.
16. Makeup Brush Set
It is a wonderful treat to get a brand-new set of makeup brushes — this is a great stocking stuffer for teen girls.
17. Notes to Self Socks
We love Notes to Self socks for their reminders of positive words or phrases every time our teens or young adults take them out of the drawer to wear. PLUS, they are incredibly well-made and comfy.
18. Frother
When your teen finishes their coffee or hot cocoa with this handy frother, they can create a customized hot drink at home rather than heading to Starbucks for a more expensive one. This device’s utility and thin shape make it a great stocking stuffer.
19. Men’s Long Sleeve Crew and Joggers PJ Set
Roll up these two pieces of this comfy PJ set, and your son may want to live in these for the rest of the holidays.
20. E.L.F. Putty Primer
Smooths imperfections and helps get skin ready for makeup. This is a very popular teen brand and is 100% vegan and cruelty-free.
21. Birdie Personal Alarm
This small alarm can be clipped onto a backpack or keychain and, when activated, has a very loud siren and strobe light. The audible alarm can be used multiple times, and the battery for the light is replaceable after 40 continuous hours of use. Available in five colors.
22. Mario Badescu Facial Mist
This is a must-have for many teen girls who prefer to mist their faces rather than use a heavier moisturizer.
23. Tile Pro
Our kids rely on Tile tracking devices to find their keys as they run out the door. They will never be late again. Tile Pros operate in a 400-foot Bluetooth range (which is the longest of their product line) and are water-resistant. Comes with a one-year replaceable battery.
Big savings on the Tile site, and Grown and Flown readers take an ADDITIONAL 20% off with GNF20 at checkout (a limited-time-only offer, some exclusions apply).
24. Apple AirPod Pro Case Cover
Are your kids getting Apple AirPods Pros for their big holiday gift this year? Consider one of these inexpensive silicone covers that will help protect this expensive bit of tech from scratches and damage.
25. Lip “Sleeping Mask”
Rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants, this wildly popular overnight lip treatment leaves lips soft and smooth. Available in berry, grapefruit, vanilla, or apple-lime formulas.
26. Lost and Found Stickers by Tile
Stick Tile Lost and Found labels to favorite items like laptops, water bottles, and more. Use the Tile free app to activate each label so that If anything gets lost, your teen’s return details can be accessed by scanning the QR code on the label.
27. Jack Black Lip Balm
We are big fans of these lip balms — they have an SPF of 25 and an assortment of pleasing scents. This is a wildly popular cosmetics brand for guys (but great for everyone), and they have many other fabulous products and gift sets that are perfect for stocking stuffers.
28. Dino Cell Phone Holder
With this adorable mini dino, your teen will have a space to rest their cell phone to FaceTime with you! They can watch their phones without having to hold them upright. Phones can rest vertically or horizontally, and the dino is available in a dozen colors.
29. Sugar Lip Balm
Sugar is one of our favorite makeup brands, and this luscious lip gloss in Rose, with an SPF 15, looks irresistible. This is a top G&F pick for teenage girls.
30. Question-a-Day Journal
For your thoughtful teen, this journal will be a way for them to create a record of five years of their lives by answering one question daily.
31. Fair Isle Beanie With Pom
We love the festive look of this pom beanie and think it would be perfect as a stocking stuffer.
32. Field Notes Memo Books: National Park Series
If your teen prefers paper and pen to stay organized when taking notes, here is a trendy brand with loads of different styles to pop in their stocking. We love this National Park Series, with iconic covers representing 18 parks.
33. Journaling Pens
Discovering a new rainbow pack of pens in a stocking on Christmas morning will be a thrill for any of your artistic teens who love to journal.
34. Pura Vida Bracelets
Artisans make these trendy bracelets worldwide, and it’s easy to find designs in your daughter’s favorite colors, including her school’s. There are countless cute jewelry pieces on the Pura Vida site, so look around to discover just what your teenager will love.
Through sales of their charity collection, Pura Vida has donated over $3.8 million to 200+ non-profits.
35. Carhartt Watch Hat
These versatile acrylic unisex beanie hats come in dozens of colors and are perfect for keeping in a pocket of a jacket for those truly frigid days ahead.
36. Moleskin Limited Edition Harry Potter Notebook
Moleskin makes wonderful notebooks and the limited edition ones, like this Harry Potter notebook, make perfect stocking stuffers.
37. Paper Airplane Book
We all remember making paper airplanes out of lined notepaper. Here’s a slender book with 69 planes to fold and send off into the air. What a wonderful, nostalgic way to spend Christmas — folding and flying your little planes.
38. Avocado Slicer
This tool splits, slices, and pits avocados for your avocado-loving teens.
39. The Driving Book for Teens
The author of this new driving book for teens helped to teach her three sons how to drive and knows what motivated her kids to be careful behind the wheel. This well-researched guide will give them the info they need to help pass the written portion of their driver’s test, learn how to take care of a car, and understand how crucial safe driving is.
40. Mini Notepad Eye Shadows
Such a cute makeup gift that your daughter would love to take with her when she travels or to use at home. Available in eight different hues.
41. Hand Warmers
If your teen is in college in a cold country, it will be a little luxury to slip into gloves or boots when they trudge through the snow to get to class.
42. 6 Ft Charging Cable
If you have a teen in college (or soon to be going), a long charger cord may be the most useful gift you can give them. They can have their phone plugged in and charging overnight while keeping it close enough to their dorm bed to use as an alarm.
43. Burt’s Bees Gift Set
Burt’s Bees are a universally-beloved brand, and we think these three products — body lotion, hand cream, and lip balm — are things that anyone would love to receive.
44. Fairy Lights With Photo Clips
Here’s a whimsical way to add some illumination to your teen or college student’s room, plus they can also add some of their favorite photos or cards.
45. Fuzzy Socks
These chenille socks by UGG are incredibly soft and come in eight colors. They would be perfect to wear with boots for a toasty warm fit or to pad indoors to avoid that cold floor feeling.
46. Traveling Jewelry Box
This mini jewelry box is the right size for traveling or storing just a few special pieces. Available in six pretty colors.
47. Rubik’s Cube
A classic toy that is mesmerizing for tweens, teens, or young adults.
48. Crossbody Phone Bag
This slender, crossbody phone case bag is a practical and trendy solution for any teen who always has their phone in their hand. It has straps of two lengths, has two pockets for storing cards, cash, or keys, and the phone can be used without taking it out of the bag. Available in 37 colors.
49. Nail Polish
OPI is one of our favorite nail polish brands, and this duo set of base and topcoat Infinite Shine will extend the life of her manicure during the busy holiday season.
50. Blanket Scarf
These cute oversized scarfs are perfect for cold climates and/or to pack for chilly flights. They come in many cute colors and are very well-priced.
51. Selfie Ring Light
Being able to create better lighting for selfies or FaceTiming will be a breeze with this phone holder and ring light. It comes with three color LED lights and bendable arms with a clamp, making it a versatile light source.
52. Wallet
We think these slim Herschel wallets are perfect for guys, and if you add a few bills or a gift card to a favorite store or place to eat, this may be your son’s best Christmas gift! Available in several different styles and numerous colors.
53. Mane Club Hair Mask
Mane Club has many well-priced hair products, and their masks are on some “best-of lists.” This one, Cry Baby, is the most popular. Take a look at some other things while you are on the site.
54. Sunglasses
Sunglasses are always useful, and Amazon has inexpensive ones that are on-trend.
55. Men’s Henley Shirt
It is a nice little luxury to receive a new t-shirt and we like this Henley-style one.
56. Urban Decay Eye Shadow
Love this mini eye shadow by Urban Decay.
57. iWalk Charger
58. Rugged and Dapper Lip Balm
A favorite lip balm for our guys.
59. The Defining Decade
This is THE book to give your young adults to help them understand how important their twenties are. Also, Dr. Meg Jay explains how to make the most of this consequential decade.
60. Reusable Make Up Pads
These washable pads make it much easier to remove makeup and reduce paper at the same time.
61. Hand Sanitizer
This is a pretty adorable hand sanitizer and are available in several winning fragrances.
More stocking stuffers for teens
62. Peppermint Essential Oil Roller
This compact roller of peppermint essential oil can be an on-the-go way to enjoy a little aromatherapy.
Travel-size toothbrush, shampoo, Kleenex, Advil, hand lotion
Measuring spoons, kitchen gadgets
And finally, add some candy and an orange or apple for the toe!
You Might Also Want to Read:
2022 Holiday Gift Guide: Presents Under $25
Photo credit: Andrew Malone
