The 100 Best Stocking Stuffers Ideas for Teens and College Kids

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!

ninja wallet tool

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!

A keychain that is practical and adorable? Yep.

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.

left center right

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!

bracelet hair ties

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.

Anker portable battery charger

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???

taco goat cheese pizza

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.

phone pocket

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.

roam bike mount

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.

ombra

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.

glider gloves

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.

Do Your Laundry

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.

notes to self

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.

frother

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.

men's pjs

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.

She's birdie

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.

facial mist

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.

Air Pods Pro cover

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.

lip treatment

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.

lip balms

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.

cell phone dino

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.

Sugar lip balm

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.

journal

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.

pom beanie


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.

field notes National 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.

journaling pens

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.

Pura Vida Bracelets

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. 

Carhartt hat

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.

Harry Potter notebook

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.

paper airplane book

38. Avocado Slicer

This tool splits, slices, and pits avocados for your avocado-loving teens.

avocado slicer

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.

driving book for teens

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.

HotHands hand warmers
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.

Burt's bees gift set

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.

UGG socks

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.

mini jewelry box



47. Rubik’s Cube

A classic toy that is mesmerizing for tweens, teens, or young adults.

Rubik's cube

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.

crossbody bag

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.

opt infinite shine nail polish

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.

selfie ring light

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.

Herschel wallet

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.

cry baby hair mask

54. Sunglasses

Sunglasses are always useful, and Amazon has inexpensive ones that are on-trend.

solos sunglasses

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

I walk portable charger

58. Rugged and Dapper Lip Balm

A favorite lip balm for our guys.

rugged and dapper

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.

Defining Decade

60. Reusable Make Up Pads

These washable pads make it much easier to remove makeup and reduce paper at the same time.

make up pads

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.

Slinky

Lip balm

Candy, gum, breath mints

Legos

Travel-size toothbrush, shampoo, Kleenex, Advil, hand lotion

Ornament

Magazine

Deck of cards, UNO

Underwear

Razor blades

Beef jerky

Toothbrush

Hot wheels

Phone case

Headlamp

Stress or Koosh ball

Pencils

Hand sanitizer

Laundry stain stick

Gloves, mittens

Measuring spoons, kitchen gadgets

Hair ties

YoYo

Harmonica

Kazoo

Flip flops

Umbrella

Sunscreen

Post It Notes

Silly String

Pez 

Wallet

Earrings

Nail and cuticle oil

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

When your older kid lumbers into the family room on Christmas morning, takes their stocking down from the mantle and looks inside, they begin to resemble their little kid self. Here are our favorite new and traditional stocking stuffers for teens, college kids and young adults. #stocking #stockingstufferideas #stockingstuffers #teens #collegeideas #giftideas #giftguide

About Grown and Flown

Mary Dell Harrington and Lisa (Endlich) Heffernan are the co-founders of Grown and Flown the #1 site for parents of teens, college students and young adults, reaching millions of parents every month. They are writers (Lisa is a New York Times bestselling author), moms, wives and friends. They started the Grown and Flown Parents Facebook Group and are co-authors of Grown and Flown: How to Support Your Teen, Stay Close as a Family, and Raise Independent Adults (Flatiron Books) now in paperback.

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