Stockings are funny and many families have various traditions regarding them. In my family, we open our stockings first, then eat breakfast – which is always a homemade coffee cake and now a healthier quiche, then open presents one at a time, taking turns and then shower – workout – whatever until family comes over for a late lunch. Our stockings were usually filled with toiletries like cotton balls or travel sized toothpaste, gum or candy, hair holders, and other essentials that I didn’t necessarily ask for but inevitably will use. Today, I’m sharing my favorite stocking stuffer ideas for 2014 gym rats. This isn’t Goop and they are all affordable. If you haven’t gotten someone a gift yet, it might be fun to get these all together and make a gift box.
My sister-in-law grew up having her stocking filled with gift cards and CDs. Roomie grew up getting things like batteries that went with other big gifts as well as small toys and candy. When I first spent Christmas with his family, I don’t think he even looked at what was inside until dinner time!
Bobble Sport Bottle $11.99
Ever since I started drinking Essentia, I’ve become a water freak. I want to know where it came from, what is in it and is it free of contaminants. I love the Bobble Sport Bottle for when I’m at the gym and don’t feel like spending $3 for bottled water. The spot top is attached to a carbon filter that removes chemicals and impurities from your water. It’s easy to refill at any water fountain or sink.
This is great to carry with you at school to stay hydrated and then to use for practice afterwards – or for my peers, work and then later to use at the gym. It’s also great for someone who travels a ton! From personal experience, drinking water out of the sink in hotels rooms always sketches me out. I know tap in Boston is ranked pretty good but I have no idea about the rest of the cities I frequently visit. I know I’ll be fine and survive, but I drink 16 ounces of water every day first thing in the morning and I’d like to know that I’m not getting remnants of old prescription drugs. Get 20% off through Dec 31st using promo code GIVEFUN. <- Not an affiliate link
The bottle holds 22 ounces of water and is BPA free. It conveniently fits in your treadmill water bottle holder and comes with a handle. The filter lasts about 2 months and costs $5 to replace – which beats buying a bottle of water each time you go to the gym! They are offering a bottle at 20% off
GIVEAWAY: Wanna win a bottle yourself? Leave a comment below telling me your family’s stocking tradition! Winner will be notified on Wednesday the 17th.
Goody Quick Style Paddle $11.99
If you shower at the gym, you probably dread doing your hair at the crowded blow dry areas. This new brush by Goody promises to remove excess water and speeding up drying time. I’ve been using it for a few months and do notice a slight difference – slight! But hey, I can use every extra minute I can get. I can never seem to find my favorite brush, Goody Ouchless. Google says they sell it at WalMart online for $5! Best brush ever if you have hair that tangles easily.
Lavanila The Healthy Deodorant , $14
Twenty thousand people can’t be wrong. That’s how many people have “favorited” this stuff on Sephora’s website. Lavanila, The Healthy Deodorant deodorant rocks and is a must in every gym bag. My mom bought a mini one for my stocking last year at Sephora and I have been using it religiously ever since. Aluminum and paraben free, you can wear this stuff without stress. It smells nice, goes on smooth and keeps you smelling fresh even after the most rigorous workouts.
Affordable Cute Hair Ties – Etsy $0.50 each
Ok, so no longer are these hair ties, the OMG all the rage but they are still pretty expensive to buy, something you don’t want to spend on yourself but know you need. Not only do they look cuter than regular hair ties but they are more gentle on your precious hair. I’ve seen them for sale for as much as $5 an elastic!!!! Simply visit Etsy, type in elastic hair ties and up pop up a variety of vendors offering their ties for much less. This gal is charging $13.99 for 30. Snag a few for yourself and add one or two to your others gifts as a fun addition.
Guru Sandals – $30
The shower sandal that looks cute and can be worn outside the locker room too! I know – these cost more than your average stocking stuffer so maybe they aren’t great to include here but I wanted to because they are so cute and got their start on Kickstarter. Gurus are made from natural fibers and were inspired by the ancient Indian wooden sandal, worn by Mahatma Gahndi. They come in a variety of cute colors. In addition to being eco-friendly, for every pair you buy, Gurus plants a tree.
Well, this would end up being a very expensive stocking, wouldn’t it? Maybe grab one or two for the stocking and then head to CVS for the rest. You can never go wrong with a pack of travel tissues, mints, gum, and floss. 🙂
My stocking stuffers sound a lot like the ones you get! Mostly just toiletries, chap stick, stuff like that.
We always have an orange and large sized chocolate bar!
our stockings always had little treats and trinkets. when we were little, my mom would stick little boxes of sugar cereal in them since we were never allowed to eat it during the year! 🙂
Stockings were a big to-do in my house growing up. My mom filled them as the month went along which was torture for us to watch and feel them, trying to guess what the goodies were. With my own kids, I fill their stockings on Christmas Eve, usually with a mixture of fun stuff and needy stuff, like socks. I usually slip in an iTunes card or a small, wrapped gift for one last surprise.
I like your stocking stuffers…simple and things that are needed.
My mom gives awesome stockings full of makeup and beauty products usually!
I’m a HUGE Water Bobble fan and loved that you posted it here. My family’s stocking tradition is just a lot of small, sweet treats 🙂 We don’t really ever have candy in our house so letting my kids get a Peanut Butter Cup tree in their stocking is very exciting.
My mom always gives us scratch offs and Lindt chocolates! And I always get a new colo of nail polish in my stocking! We open them first then the presents under the tree.
I love the ribbon hair ties! You really can never have enough!
I think stocking are the best part! All the fun little things! We always open them right when we wake-up!
Nice! I need to get that brush. I’ve never heard of it before. Yes, my family still does stockings, and we open them first too. Have a great Monday, Sarah! 🙂
Sometimes our stockings are filled with the most exciting/valuable/yearned for presents! My dad always sneaks nice gift cards or jewelry into my mom’s stocking 🙂 My sister and I usually get cute trinkets in ours!
When I was young my parents would give me a small stocking-stuffer type gift on each of the 12 days before Christmas, usually some kind of candy or a little toy.
Just sent this list to my husband 😉
My family always opens stocking first thing on Christmas morning before breakfast and other presents. It is one of my favorite parts of Christmas!
We always open our stockings first on Christmas morning. My mom always fills my stocking with small gifts. Last year, she bought me a journal, dark chocolate, an avocado keeper, some athletic socks and a Christmas ornament. She occasionally throws in something a bit more expensive like the Kate Spade ‘Eat Cake for Breakfast’ mug she got me last year!
My mom always gets us scratch off tickets for our stockings.
My brother and I used to get stocking that sound similar to yours but a few years ago my parents stopped doing them 🙁
In our stockings we were the same as you -- toiletries and candy/treats. My favorite was a cute small jeweled pill box that works well to carry a few Tylenol or other pills. Something I use but would never think of to buy myself.
This water bottle looks awesome! I would use it at work or in the car even. 🙂
My family’s stocking tradition is much like yours with the essentials but we also throw in a few treats like a magazine we love and some candy treats that are favorites of each person.
We always start with stockings and then each person gets to open a gift after in a rotation of sorts until they are all done. Then we eat breakfast and take a nap! 🙂
Happy Holidays Sarah, You are very inspiring and I’m so glad I found your blog and you tube channel.
The stockings are my favorite part of christmas morning because of how awesomely my mom always stuffs them! She always has hair stuff, gum and razors in mine.. plus lots of useful little goodies!
I love that deodorant!
We like to include fresh fruit and chocolates as stocking stuffers.
We do a mix of candy and practical things (e.g., socks).