Christmas Day highlights: launching yourself at a pile of gifts under the tree, demolishing a festive lunch and waking up to a stocking straining with gifts at the end of your bed.
Christmas stockings may have originally been designed to delight kids (and keep them in bed for a bit longer on such an exciting day), but along with advent calendars, they’re a tradition many grown-ups have refused to leave behind.
Beginning the day with wrapping paper trailing in your wake is how Christmas mornings are supposed to be, and unwrapping small gifts can be likened to stretching before a marathon.
There’s something thrilling about opening lots of tiny treats that builds a unique level of excitement bound to set the big day on a steady course of joy.
If you’re looking for great ideas to stuff into the stockings of adult friends and family, we’ve gathered a selection of the best small below. From little luxuries to seasonal novelties that will have you (and them) chortling with mirth, we’ve collected the best small present ideas at every price point.
And if you’re hoping to find something in our edit at the bottom of your own stocking, we suggest leaving this page open where your S.O or family can easily stumble across it. When it comes to guaranteed happiness at Christmas, best to leave subtlety at the door.
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Roberts Revival Rest Alarm Clock Radio
She may be small, but she sure is mighty. The latest addition to Roberts is the Revival Rest, a scaled-down version of its iconic radios.
The alarm clock radio is made for serial alarm snoozers, switching on to your preferred station come wake-up time. It doesn’t come in Roberts’ full suite of colours yet, but either the duck egg blue or black will make worthy additions to your bedside table.
Buy now £129.99, John Lewis
Twelve South AirFly Pro
Frequent fliers will love this travel gadget that can be plugged into in-flight entertainment systems and linked to in-ear headphones. The audio tool means you won't have to use manky airline headphones and can enjoy crisp sound quality through your luxe set instead. It comes with a carry case and a black version is available too.
Buy now £59.97, Amazon
Gobi Unisex Cashmere Rib Knit Bed Socks
Who couldn't use another layer of warmth in darkest winter? Cashmere versions feel the most luxe against bare skin and Gobi has them covered with a selection of colours that will go with any loungey outfit or pair of festive PJs.
Buy now £69.00, Gobi
Marshall Willen Bluetooth Speaker
A baby speaker with big boy sound, Marshall has somehow managed to squeeze the best of its audio wizardry into this tiny speaker which can be clipped onto bags or objects for 17+ hours of playback. It’s waterproof, it’s dustproof - heck, it’s lifeproof.
Buy now £101.20, Amazon
Hey Harper Daphne Chunky ring
We've had compliments and enquiries about Hey Harper’s ever since we added it to our finger stack. Beautifully engraved, the piece hasn’t lost its colour or become tarnished - even after a dip in the sea. A lovely choice for your human magpie.
Buy now £70.00, Hey Harper
Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom & Honey
A long-running favourite here at ES Best, many of Jo Malone’s colognes come in 30ml sizes, making them ideal for stuffing into festive stockings.
This is our pick of the bunch, filled with nectarine, peach and cassis notes, but with a freshness that stops it from feeling cloying or overpowering. Acacia honey is also present, adding a warming note.
A comforting and bright combination.
Buy now £55.00, Jo Malone
Floral Street The Discovery Set
Intended as a taster session for Floral Street’s bestselling blends, there’s no reason why you can’t slip a few of the 1.5ml vials into your hand luggage for streamlined spritzing while you’re away. There are eight scents to try including Wonderland Peony and Sunflower Pop, a warming combination of bergamot, mandarin and honey that smells of sweet sunshine.
Buy now £18.00, Floral Street
Seenda Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard
Perfect for working remotely or on the move, this tri-folding keyboard unfurls into a full-size design and comes complete with a touchpad mouse with the ability to right-hand and left-hand click.
The compact folded dimensions make it easy to slip into a weekend bag or backpack, and it pairs with any Bluetooth-supporting device, including iOS and Android handsets. It even comes with a collapsible phone stand to help you create a mini workstation when you’re away from home.
I have very few grumbles about this folding keyboard; it’s probably the most useful thing I’ve ever bought from Amazon. The touchpad mouse takes a little getting used to and it would be nice to see this keyboard in more colours, but these are minor criticisms.
Similarly, the two-hour charge time is a small price to pay for 150 days of battery life on standby mode. In all, this folding keyboard is an excellent piece of tech that will raise productivity levels when you’re remote working in the truest sense - and all at a price you just can’t quibble with.
Buy now £32.29, Amazon
The Pink Reef Elongated Bow earrings
Christmas means bows on just about everything, ears included. This gilded pair is finished with 18k gold plate and will look stunning whether you wear your hair up or down.
Buy now £99.00, Wolf & Badger
Microplane Zester Grater
It’s universally admitted that Microplane makes the best fine graters. A heavy, all-black grater – a zester here, but there are coarser blades – handy for grating Parmesan and citrus skins.
Buy now £20.51, Amazon
Addison Ross Multibob Mill
Why choose one colour when you can have several? Luxe homewares brand Addison Ross has launched its viral bobbin salt and pepper grinders in a multi-coloured option, perfect for saturating tablescapes with joyful bursts of vibrancy.
Best of all, the eight-times lacquered grinders are just the right size to pop into an adult Christmas stocking. Tis the season - never a truer word.
Buy now £62.00, Addison Ross
Carrie Elizabeth Jewellery Celestial Pearl Drop Earrings
Looking for understated elegance? These darling celestial-themed earrings with a pearl droplet are perfect for bringing sartorial sparkle to everyday wear. They're made from recycled silver and covered with 14k gold vermeil but if you're more of a silver jewellery kind of person, you can find them in sterling silver too.
Buy now £70.00, Carrie Elizabeth Jewellery
Tracklements 9 Mini Jar Gift Pack
They say good things come in small packages, and that’s proved right by Tracklements’ mini jar gift pack. The set of nine 25g jars includes the brand’s best and most brilliant relishes, preserves and spreads to give bland meals and snacks a leg up. Buy for the condiment fiend in your family or break up the pack and distribute into different stockings to spread the love.
Buy now £9.99, Amazon
Kikkerland Boules Set
London has gone bonkers for boules. The sport might have once been the reserve of Parisian octogenarians but it has experienced a renaissance with a whole new generation. Get your giftee in on the petanque action with this boules set from Kikkerland.
Buy now £18.00, Not Another Bill
Iconic London Name A Better Duo
Tis the season to glow brighter than the sun. Who better than Iconic London to answer the brief? The makeup brand is loved for its radiance-giving product line, including this setting spray that comes with reflective particles to leave skin looking dewy and fresh. Teamed with the Triple Threat Mascara, and your Christmas Day look is in the bag.
Buy now £26.00, Lookfantastic
