The best part of Christmas morning may well be the stockings. And while it’s pretty easy to find gifts for certain people, there is one category of nearly impossible-to-shop-for people: parents. Because parents don’t need stuff; they need an entire day without having to say, “You’re OK!” They need eight hours of uninterrupted sleep — and to pee in peace. Since none of those things can be wrapped, where does that leave Mom and Dad? After all the stress and effort that goes into the holidays, the last thing your co-parent/sister/mom/dad needs is for you to fill a stocking with things just for the sake of… filling a stocking with things. Ya feel us?
So skip that leopard-print eye mask, put down the whiskey stones (seriously, what is it with the whiskey stones?) and back away from the novelty T-shirt that declares, “It’s wine o’clock somewhere.” We’ve rounded up the best practical stocking stuffers parents will actually be thrilled about. Ahead, you’ll find 15 awesome, legit useful little gifts that will easily crown you reigning holiday gift royalty. When you stop weeping with joy, read on to get started.
Wacaco Minipresso GR Portable Espresso/Coffee Machine
Is there anyone more deserving of a fresh cup of coffee than a parent? This genius Minipresso portable espresso/coffee machine is small, light and versatile and allows you to make a perfect espresso or coffee on the go. You heard us: Portable. Espresso. Maker. How have you lived this long without one? I don’t know either. The Minipresso also lets you grind your own beans for maximum flavor and is hand-operated so you can make coffee even when there’s no electricity. Get in our carts.
Wacaco Minipresso GR portable espresso/coffee machine, $49.90 at Amazon
KeySmart Pro With Tile Smart Location Key Organizer
Do you know that parent who tries to fumble through their entire key ring to unlock the door while holding a wriggling kid and also two bags of groceries? Or the parent who searches through the entire house twice a day to figure out where their child hid their keys? We all do. This life-changing device from KeySmart is not only a compact key organizer with Tile smart location, it also lets you track your missing keys on a map, all from the free Tile app on your phone. You can also use the app to play a tune so you can find your keys faster. And did I mention it holds 10 keys plus has a flashlight and bottle opener? If only it could also stream Netflix, it would be the only device you needed.
KeySmart Pro with Tile smart location key organizer, $49.90 at Amazon
SoundBot Shower Speaker
The shower is quite possibly the only place a parent can get any peace and quiet, so make the most of those sweet, sweet seven minutes alone with this amazing Bluetooth shower speaker from SoundBot. It suctions to your shower wall, has a built-in mic, six hours of playtime and straightforward control buttons. You can also use it at the beach, pool, on a boat, the car, office or even in your closet when you try to hide and eat the last Twizzlers before your toddler sees them.
SoundBot shower speaker, $14.99 at Amazon
Felted Pan Handle Covers
How many times have you gone to pull a pan out of the oven or off the stove with your bare hand? (Just us? OK then.) These felted pan handle covers are the kitchen item you never knew you needed. No more wrapping a dish towel haphazardly around the handle and your hand, no more holding your toddler away from the oven with your foot while you try to remove a pan while yelling, “Hot! Hot!” These pan handles are made of wool, fit snugly onto a handle and come in a rainbow of colors, and they’re pretty cute too.
Felted pan handle covers, $12 each at Graf Lantz
Soi Handbag Illuminator
Do you know that parent who tries to fumble through their entire key ring to unlock the door while holding a wriggling kid and also two bags of groceries? Or the parent who searches through the entire house twice a day to figure out where their child hid their keys? We all do. This life-changing device from KeySmart is not only a compact key organizer with Tile smart location, it also lets you track your missing keys on a map, all from the free Tile app on your phone. You can also use the app to play a tune so you can find your keys faster. And did I mention it holds 10 keys plus has a flashlight and bottle opener? If only it could also stream Netflix, it would be the only device you needed.
KeySmart Pro with Tile smart location key organizer, $49.90 at Amazon
Hot/Cold Pack
Ah, the literal aches and pains of parenting. Whether you’ve strained your shoulder hauling a 40-pound toddler around all day or given one too many piggyback rides, in lieu of a professional massage, a good hot/cold pack is the next best thing for some relief. This one is a festive snowflake print (it is the holidays, after all) and has a large leak-resistant opening cap so you can easily fill it with ice or warm water.
Hot/cold pack, $11.99 at Amazon
Icelandic Face Mask Sheet Set
Me time doesn’t exist for most parents, as me time usually gets hijacked by a tiny cherub demanding attention and becomes we time, which is all the time. Give the ‘rents a break and some much-deserved self-care with these awesome Icelandic face mask sheets. With two masks each of peach, papaya, litchi, mangosteen and almond, these masks make your skin bright and luminous and make you look well-rested (which you haven’t been since, oh, how old is your kid now?). Plus, they smell delicious.
Icelandic face mask sheet set, $10.98 at Amazon
Audible Audiobooks Subscription
One of the unfortunate side effects of parenting is that for a few years, the theme song to Paw Patrol and the baby shark song become the soundtrack to your nightmares. Not to mention having time to sit down and read a book won’t happen until they’re in middle school, so if you stick a subscription to Audible in their stocking, you’ll be their hero. Audible has the biggest selection of audiobooks out there, so there’s something for everyone, and you can listen anytime, anywhere on any device. Even if you switch devices, you’ll never lose your place. And yes, there are kid-friendly books too, so that long car ride back home after the holidays? They’ll be covered.
Audible audiobooks subscription, $14.95 per month at Amazon
Water Bottle That Reminds You to Drink More Water
All too often when you have kids, 3 p.m. rolls around and you realize a) the only thing you’ve eaten today is your kid’s leftover scrambled eggs and half a granola bar they dropped on the floor, and b) you haven’t had anything to drink. At all. Not even your morning coffee, which you carried around the house and microwaved three times but never actually drank. This water bottle from UncommonGoods will help with one of those issues, as it reminds you to sip your way through two full bottles of water per day.
Water bottle that reminds you to drink more water, $19.99 at UncommonGoods
ThisWorx Car Vacuum
For a parent, their car is a battlefield. It’s a changing table, restaurant, movie theater, transportation and entertainment center all rolled into one. A car vacuum cleaner is a necessity. The untold amount of ground Cheerios and gunk ground into your car is no match for this car vac, which has three nozzles, super-strong suction and extended reach capabilities. Now, you won’t be embarrassed for the car door to open in the drop-off line at school.
ThisWorx car vacuum, $29.97 at Amazon
‘Becoming’ by Michelle Obama
It’s awesome when there’s a parent who is humble, incredible, kind and also killing the parenting game. It doesn’t hurt that she’s our favorite president’s wife either. Michelle Obama is one of the most iconic and compelling women of our era. As first lady, she helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history while also establishing herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world.
Along the way, she busted a few dance moves, made us laugh, crushed Carpool Karaoke, was #RelationshipGoals with President Obama and raised two amazing daughters under the glare of the media. Her memoir, Becoming, is sure to be your favorite book of the season.
Becoming by Michelle Obama, $19.50 at Amazon
ZZ Plant
You might need to put this at the top of the stocking, but you can never have enough plants, and who knew Amazon sold live plants? Your bedroom is about to become a jungle. And we’re not talking about sticking an impossible-to-care-for-, needs-a-greenhouse-to-live-type plant. A plant isn’t a great gift unless it’s a) easy to care for, b) useful (hello, air purifier) and c) pretty. It also helps if the plant is death-defying, like a succulent or an air plant. Pair it with a cute little planter, top it with a bow, and you’re a regular Santa Claus.
ZZ plant, $26.34 at Amazon
This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray
While you may not be able to gift a parent eight hours of uninterrupted sleep, you can help them drift off to sleep easier and stay asleep with this sleep aid spray. It has essential oils like lavender, vetivert and chamomile that help you calm your frazzled nerves, relax and stay asleep. It’s an award-winning natural sleep aid that you might want to buy a few extras of for any unexpected holiday guests. Or you. Mostly you.
This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray, $29 at Amazon
Baggu Reusable Grocery Bag Set
Let’s be real; reusable shopping bags don’t exactly scream holiday joy, but they’re insanely useful, and this veggie-patterned trio from Shopbop are just so darn cute. We never remember to bring our reusable bags when we go grocery shopping, but we might if they were this fashionable. Not to mention they fold up into itty-bitty sizes you can easily stick in your pocket, so the next time your kid finds a rock collection they just have to bring home, you can confidently say, “No problem. I got this,” and whip out one of these eco-friendly bags.
Baggu reusable grocery bag (set of three), $32 at Shopbop
Polaroid Instax Mini 9
Sure, posting photos on social media is great and all, but when faced with sifting through the thousands upon thousands of photos to find ones to print; forget about it. But now, your fridge will be bare no longer. This Polaroid Instax Mini takes the classic Polaroids we all know and love, just half the size, so they’re easy to tuck into a wallet, mail to grandparents or tape to your dashboard so you can see your sweet toddlers smiling, covered-in-spaghetti-sauce face all day, every day. Not to mention how nice it feels to instantly hold the picture you just took in your hands and watch it develop. Show your little ones. Watching the picture appear out of thin air will blow their minds.
Polaroid Instax Mini 9, $56 at Amazon
Quip Electric Toothbrush Set
Nobody thinks to replace their toothbrush every 3 months like you’re supposed to, and Quip takes that off your never ending mental to-do list. This all black electric toothbrush not only looks fashionable, but Quip will send you a sonic vibrating toothbrush with multi-use cover, timer, and toothpaste every 3 months, so you don’t have to worry about it.
electric toothbrush set, $55 at Quip
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