Fodor’s Holiday Gift Guide 2016: Stocking Stuffers

They say the best things come in small packages, and we’re inclined to agree, especially when those packages are stocking-shaped and include traveler-friendly goodies like gourmet instant-coffee tubes, cute compression socks, and solar lights.—Jacinta O’Halloran

We’ll spare you the details of the kinds of bacteria growing on your phone and just say it’s no wonder you break out on the phone-cradling side of your face. Skip the harsh tech wipes and load up on device-and-face-friendly wipes—plant based and alcohol and ammonia free—from SpruceandCo. Stash in your handbag and suitcase so you can sanitize every phone (and touchscreen) you encounter on your travels.

Your subjects and creativity will no longer be limited to retro filters thanks to this mobile lens kit. The set of lenses includes fisheye, wide angle, and macro lenses, all strung together on a convenient keychain so you will always be ready to easily snap one to your phone. Bring on the double-taps!

Know someone who subscribes to the philosophy that the show must go on . . . even on a bike or in the shower? The Loop Bike Speaker, a compact and versatile Bluetooth speaker that is designed to be looped onto your handlebar, shower head, stroller, or backpack belongs in their stocking. The battery is USB charged and lasts about 2 hours—long enough to sing along to the Hamilton cast recording.

Matcha is the finely ground powder of a specially grown and harvested green tea, known for its antioxidants, nutrients, and for boosting your focus and energy. Matchaful’s stick packs—conveniently sized to fit in your wallet, carry-on, or gym bag—allow you to tap into clean, lightly sweet energy wherever you are. Simply add one single-serve pack of this 100% organic matcha from Nishio, Japan to your water bottle and shake up for a quick pick-me-up or blend with hot water and steamed milk for a matcha latte. 

Light up the holiday stockings of campers, backpackers, and doomsday preppers, as well as the lives of people in need (for every light sold, a light is given to a person or family in need) with Nokero’s compact and efficient solar lights. Designed to withstand the elements, Nokero—for “no kerosene”—lights charge fully in daylight and then run for up to 15 hours. They can be used as a flashlight, as a table lamp with the included base, or as a lantern hung from the clip on the top of the lamp.

Go for broke: The 3-pack is a great gift for a family that camps together.

It can be hard to get a good night’s sleep when you’re on the road or jumping time zones. Give the weary travelers on your list the gift of sweet dreams with a dual pillow spray from This Works. The dual spray bottle includes both Deep Sleep and Sleep Plus (three times the concentration) sprays, formulated from blends of lavender, chamomile, and vetiver to naturally calm your body and mind and improve the quality of your sleep.

Make sure you always have a quality cup of coffee when you most need it with Sudden Coffee’s gourmet instant coffee. Packaged in easy-to-stash tubes, all you need is hot or cold water or milk.

Perfect for: The coffee lover on the go.

Handbag designers like Rebecca Minkoff are offering $325 “tech purses” this season that are basically cute little handbags with leather tassel key fob chargers. Sure, a Rebecca Minkoff bag is a great gift but you could save yourself $300 and add a soft suede tassel keychain charger complete with USB and lightning cord to any handbag or backpack.

Imagine how productive you could be if you didn’t spend so much time scrambling to find your phone, keys, and passport! Tile’s nifty Bluetooth tags attach to all your valuables big (bike) and small (wallet), valuable (luggage) and precious (your toddler’s favorite Teddy bear) using Bluetooth technology and the network of users to locate your missing items.

Replace the customary bottle of wine as a hostess gift or stocking stuffer this holiday season with a bottle of local–global vodka. Our Vodka is distilled, blended, and micro distilled in some of your favorite cities around the world—London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Detroit, and Los Angeles (with New York, Miami, and Houston on the way). While all cities share a core recipe, they have individual flavors and locally sourced ingredients. The small bottle and simple, stylish packaging makes this gift a great way to toast your travels.

Socks get a bad rap around the holidays as a gift that requires no thought, but Lily trotters Compression Socks, available in a variety of fun colors and patterns and with a cushioned heel and reinforced toe (and 15-20 mmHG compression), send a very different message. They say “I care about improved blood flow to your legs while you fly.” They say “I care that your socks look as good as they feel.” They might even say “I wish Tina Turner legs for you.” 

Keep your keys and your sense of humor in the same place with these clever and cute keytags from Various Projects. There’s a keytag for everyone on your list; some of our favorites include “This Must Be the Place,” “Dream House,” “Adventure,” and “Getaway Car.”

Why we love it: Custom keytags are also available.