Stockings are like rapid-fire gift giving—tiny bursts of excitement with each little trinket, toy or piece of candy. A childhood tradition that is seriously underrated, a good stocking is thoughtful, personal and surprising. It shows someone (your significant other, for example) that you've been paying attention and took some time to assemble a package of presents tailored to their tastes. Of course, not all the pieces have to be extravagant. Some are funny. Some are practical. That's the whole point. Here's how to assemble the ultimate stocking.
The wonderful filling to any good stocking. Candy canes and Hershey's Kisses are classics of course, but you could always trade up: Mexican chocolate and some artisanal salted caramels ($8). Feel free to customize to their specific tastes in sweets.
Because the stocking's always the first to be opened (right?), you can give clues to the big ticket gift coming up. A camera strap ($82) for the DSLR camera or maybe the remote to the flat screen TV hidden in the closet.
Maybe its ear plugs because she says you snore. Or perhaps she gets you that girly face cream she knows you're always stealing from her bathroom.
Small scale with a big impact. It could be as personal as a handwritten IOU for dinner, as thoughtful as tickets to an upcoming show or movie, or as grand as plane tickets.
For some reason, a stocking's not complete without stuff like socks and school supplies. Make it personal—touchscreen gloves ($25), quality pens ($20), soft wool socks or some T-shirts from their favorite brand.
Growing up, it might've been a little robot. Now it can be an iPod nano ($129), a new beard trimmer or that tiny point-and-shoot camera they've been eyeing.
Growing up, we always got soap on a rope. Maybe it was an '80s thing. Go with a small indulgence like Malin + Goetz's peppermint soap ($10) or a travel bottle of their favorite fragrance.
An orange in the toe of a stocking is an old tradition that goes back to the real St. Nicholas. It adds an old-timey charm, holds the stocking's shape and makes it easier to fill.