Stocking fillers for adults are harder than for children: grown-ups do not need another novelty, but a small thing they will actually use or keep is always welcome. Here are twelve ideas for £10 and under, plus a few for a little more, all of them small enough for a stocking and good enough to keep. Prices were correct when we published this guide, and each product page always shows the current price.
The short answer
For £10 and under: a crystal wax melt bar (£3.50) with real gemstone chips inside, a ceramic pebble wax burner (£6.95), a mini glass terrarium on tung wood (£7.75) or a pouch of unscented candle sand (£9.60). Three wax melt bars come to £9.45 with the automatic 10% off.
Under £5
1. A crystal wax melt bar, £3.50
A 50g snap bar of fragranced wax set with real gemstone chips, which appear in the pool as the wax melts and can be rinsed and kept once the scent has gone. There are ten blends in our crystal wax melts range, so you can match one to the person:
- For the bath lover: Amethyst Dream, lavender.
- For Christmas itself: Carnelian Fire, spiced orange.
- For a romantic: Rose Quartz Love, classic rose.
- For someone who likes bold scents: Obsidian Shield, resinous Dragon's Blood.
- For a cosy evening: Tigereye Strength, vanilla sandalwood.
£5 to £10
2. Three wax melt bars, £9.45
Three bars are 10% off automatically in the basket, which brings them to £9.45: one each of three favourite scents, or three for three different people.
3. A ceramic pebble wax burner, £6.95
A smooth ceramic pebble with a dish on top and room for an ordinary tealight underneath. Our pebble wax burners come in speckled off-white, in two sizes, or matt black. Add a box of unscented tealights and it is ready to use.
4. A mini glass terrarium, £7.75
The mini terrarium on natural tung wood is about 13cm tall, a small glass home for an air plant or a little moss. Plants are not included, so tuck an air plant from a garden centre into the stocking alongside it, or leave the choice to them.
5. Unscented candle sand, £9.60
A 300g pouch of unscented white candle sand with four cotton wicks: a candle they pour and shape themselves. It needs a stable, heat-resistant bowl of their own at least 10cm across, with at least 5cm of sand, and unscented is the safe choice when you do not know someone's taste in fragrance.
A little more: up to £15
- 6. A small terrarium on natural tung wood, £10: a small open glass globe, about 13 x 13cm. See the small terrarium.
- 7. A single candle holder on wood, £11: hand-blown glass on wood for one tealight. See the single candle holder.
- 8. A small flower vase on wood, £12: a slim bud vase for one stem or a few sprigs of dried lavender. See the small flower vase.
- 9. A small diamond terrarium, £12: clear glass panels in a brass-finish frame, about 14.5cm tall. See the small diamond.
- 10. A medium terrarium on natural tung wood, £12: an open glass globe about 15 x 15cm. See the medium terrarium.
- 11. Fragranced candle sand, £12: 300g with four wicks, in ten scents. See our candle sand.
- 12. A burner with one wax melt, £10.45: a complete little gift that is ready to use with a tealight.
Making it complete
- Burner gifts: add a box of unscented tealights.
- Terrarium gifts: add an air plant or a bag of preserved moss, and a one-line care note.
- Candle sand gifts: point them to our guide on what to burn candle sand in.
Wrapping and ordering
Glass and ceramic need a little care in a stocking: wrap each piece in tissue or a soft cloth and put it towards the middle, not the toe. We dispatch within 1 to 2 working days, and UK delivery is a flat £4.99, usually arriving 3 to 5 working days after dispatch. Carriers get busy in December, so it pays to order early.
Common questions
What are good stocking fillers for adults?
Small things they will use or keep: a fragranced wax melt bar, a pouch of candle sand, a mini terrarium, a bud vase or a tealight holder. Avoid novelties that end up in a drawer.
What is a good stocking filler under £5?
A crystal wax melt bar at £3.50. It snaps into cubes, so they can use as little or as much as they like, and the gemstone chips inside are a small keepsake.
What can I put in a stocking for her?
A rose or lavender wax melt, a bud vase with a sprig of dried lavender, or a mini terrarium with an air plant. Choose by what she already loves: scent, flowers or plants. For bigger presents, see our Christmas gifts for her.
What can I put in a stocking for him?
A bold scent such as Dragon's Blood or vanilla sandalwood, a matt black pebble wax burner, or a small geometric terrarium for the desk. Our Christmas gifts for him have more ideas under £30.
Browse every stocking filler under £10 and every gift under £20, or read our Secret Santa ideas. Buying for a teacher? See our Christmas teacher gifts.
