Silly Stocking Stuffers

Christmas Eve is perfect for sneaking silly stocking stuffers into each Christmas stocking hanging near your fireplace. You could pretend Santa had done it, but why let him have all the fun?

Silly stocking stuffers are generally thought of as goofy and often useless gifts that are crammed into a Christmas stocking just for fun. They can be anything from a reindeer toy that poops out candy to a real lump of coal to a piece of gum that looks like a lump of coal. 

Choosing Silly Stocking Stuffers
The idea behind silly stocking stuffers is fun. If the item can bring a smile to the recipient's face, then you have found a good stocking stuffer. Don't look for items that will embarrass the recipient or make someone angry. Instead, look for items that would be funny to both you and the recipient. In other words, if someone is sensitive about their hair turning gray, stuffing their stocking with hair color or a gray wig might trigger tears rather than smiles, as there is often a fine line between silly and mean. Have fun, but don't be hurtful.

Here are some ideas to get you started. Most of these can be found very inexpensively:

• Silly Putty for the child in each of us.
• A Matchbox car for your daughter who asked for a real car.
• False-teeth ice cube tray mold for gramps.
• A teensy-weensy toy BB gun for your brother who requested a real BB gun, even though your mother said he would "shoot his eye out."
• Chocolate coins for your sister who wanted shopping money.
• A battery-operated rotating marshmallow roasting fork for the camper in your home.

Some silly stocking stuffers that can't help but coax smiles are retro toys for the adults in your life. A set of Jacks for an adult and a twisty-turny straw for a child have the word "silly" written all over them. Though peppermint cane pens for men and flashing earrings for women are pretty much useless gifts, at Christmastime anything goes and they will be accepted with a smile. For good measure, toss in a lump of coal.