Borders has an extensive list of recommendations for stocking stuffers for kids this year. Check it out.
Teens are often the most challenging recipients, so it helps to have a theme in mind. For teen girls, Borders recommends a “Twilight” themed stocking based on the bestselling “Twilight” saga books by
Stephenie Meyer and the current smash hit film version. Consider including these items in her stocking:
- — Borders’ exclusive “Twilight” movie T-shirts – Choose from a variety of exclusive styles that feature images of the individual characters from the movie, the entire cast, the Cullen crest and more.
- — “Twilight” movie pendant necklace and choker – Teen girls love to wear jewelry featured in their favorite movies – and the jewelry from the “Twilight” movie is sizzling hot right now. Borders has pewter-toned replicas of Rosalie’s pendant necklace and Alice’s choker, both of which feature the Cullen crest.
- — Borders’ “Twilight” gift card – A Borders exclusive, this gift card is perfect for the fan who wants to stock up on “Twilight” items she didn’t receive as holiday gifts and keep the card as a memento of this incredible cultural phenomenon.
- — Bookmarks – Another Borders exclusive, these are wonderful complements to the books in the “Twlight” saga: “Twilight,” “New Moon,” “Eclipse” and “Breaking Dawn.”
- Consider a Manga or graphic novel-themed stocking for the hard-to-buy-for teen guy. Round out the selection with a CD and some quirky gifts.
- — “Watchmen,” by
Alan Moore , with illustrations byDave Gibbons – The ultimate gift for fans of comics and graphic novels, this collection contains all 12 issues of the acclaimed series in one paperback.- — “Bleach, Volume 25,” by
Tite Kubo – An action-packed story about a young man born with the ability to see ghosts, who devotes his life to protecting the innocent and helping troubled spirits find peace.- — “Naruto-33,” by
Masashi Kishimoto – Naruto is a ninja-in-training with a head for mischievous adventures and a strong determination to be the best ninja in the village of Konohagakure.- — Manga-themed candy – Teens will love Pocky, Manga-inspired biscuit-like candy coated in flavors like strawberry or chocolate.
- — Glitterballs – With curiously tiny, colorful bits of glitter that are suspended and swirl about in a bouncy ball, these glitterballs are mesmerizing, not to mention fun! Available in both large and small sizes, they make the perfect stuffer.
- — “Viva la Vida” CD – Positively received by critics and loved by music fans around the world, this album is a must-have for any Coldplay fan.
- Fun, thoughtful and delicious are the terms to keep in mind when collecting items for mom’s stocking. Here are some gift ideas that fit the bill:
- — “Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World,” by
Vicki Myron – Dewey, a tiny, frostbitten kitten who was adopted by a librarian, charmed the people ofSpencer, Iowa for 19 years with his enthusiasm and warmth. Moms will embrace this charming, heartwarming story of love, loyalty and compassion.- — Chocolate and other delicious treats – What gal wouldn’t want to find chocolate among the bonanza of goodies in her stocking? Borders offers a great selection of delectable, mouthwatering chocolates from Ghirardelli. Holiday cocoa treats including Cocoa Trio Hot Chocolate Mix and Chocolate (milk and dark) Dipped Marshmallows from
Seattle’s Best Coffee also make great additions to her stocking.- — An inspirational journal – Encourage her to explore her creative side by giving her a journal. The interestingly designed covers of the journals in Borders’ collection are inspiration enough to put pen to paper and begin journaling.
- — “This Christmas Aretha” CD – The Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin brings her inimitable style to her first ever-Christmas collection featuring 11 favorite Christmas tracks, including “Silent Night,” “Angels We Have Heard on High” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” Available only at Borders and Waldenbooks stores.
- — Giving Earth organic lip balm and lip gloss – A perfect lip treatment choice for the mom who prefers Earth friendly products.
Forget the tie and aftershave this year – spruce up dad’s stocking with quirky and humorous gifts as well as great music and an action-packed DVD:
- — Humorous calendars – He’ll think of you each day when he reads a page from his hilarious desk calendar. Choose from Dilbert, Brevity and the Borders-exclusive Argyle Sweater, just some of the humorous calendars available at Borders. These are gifts to enjoy all year long.
- — “Covers” CD – The recently released CD from the five-time Grammy Award winner
James Taylor features musical interpretations of tunes from the 50s, 60s and 70s by artists includingBuddy Holly , the Dixie Chicks, The Temptations,Leonard Cohen ,George Jones andEddie Cochran .- — “The Dark Knight” DVD – The hit movie staring
Christian Bale is now available on DVD. Slip some microwave popcorn along with this incredible follow up to “Batman Begins” in dad’s stocking. He’ll appreciate the two plus hours of movie watching bliss this gift will provide.- — Candy coal – A vast improvement on the traditional – and messy – nugget of coal and nearly as inexpensive! So delicious that even
Charles Dickens might have approved.- — Bananagrams – A portable fast-paced word game great for any age, but good for dads who love to play Scrabble. Letter tiles are housed in a snazzy banana-shaped pouch – the first person to create an individual crossword using all of the tiles wins.
For kids ages 6 to 12:
- — “The Tales of Beedle the Bard,” by
J.K. Rowling – “The Tales of Beedle the Bard” includes five engrossing fairy tales – accompanied by pen-and-ink illustrations by Rowling and extensive commentary by Albus Dumbledore himself. Each tale reveals valuable life lessons that underscore love, trust, friendship and goodness. A wonderful addition to the Harry Potter fan’s collection, and at 6 inches by 9 inches, it’s the ideal stocking stuffer.- — “The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, And a Spool of Thread,” by
Kate DiCamillo with illustrations byTimothy Basil Ering – This is gorgeously illustrated classic fairy tale full of quirky, unforgettable characters. With the movie version set to releaseDec. 19 , it’s an especially hot title for kids.- — “The 39 Clues,” by
Rick Riordan – An interactive multimedia series where players must solve 39 clues to find money and win prizes. Hugely engrossing and fun for the whole family.- — Holiday Smencils – Pencils made from recycled newspapers infused with the delicious holiday scents of gingerbread and candy cane.
- — Lenticular Bookmarks & Rulers – Decorated with vivid 3-D images of penguins, horses, lion cubs and kittens, these bookmarks and rulers are sure to delight recipients.
For kids age three to five:
- — Dr. Seuss books – No kid’s stocking would be complete without “The Cat in the Hat” and “Green Eggs and Ham.” These timeless classics provide joy to generation after generation.
- — Zingo – Bingo with a “zing” is the best way to describe this game. Each player gets a Zingo card to fill using matching picture tiles from the Zingo Zinger machine. The first player to fill his or her card wins.
- — Elephant and Piggie Books, by
Mo Willems – This beloved picture book series features two lovable and unforgettable characters – a good natured (and sometimes reckless) pig and a cautious, not-so-optimistic elephant.- — Julius! Matching Game – A classic matching game with 72 cards featuring Julius and his friends. A great memory skill building game.
For toddlers:
- — “Swing!: A Scanimation Picture Book,” by
Rufus Butler Seder – Using Scanimation, a revolutionary animation technology, each page in this remarkable book comes to life with art that looks like it’s moving. Accompanied by a cheerful, rhyming text, the illustrations are bursting with activity and leave kids-and adults-astonished and curious about the animation process.- — “That’s Not My Snowman,” by
Fiona Watt – Babies and toddlers will love turning the pages of the books in this wonderful series. The books, which feature bright and colorful pictures with patches of different textures, are designed to develop sensory and language awareness.- — “Goodnight Moon” by
Margaret Wise Brown – Beloved by generations of readers for its lulling and calming goodnight wishes, this bedtime book is a wonderful way to bid adieu to the day and fall asleep looking forward to the adventures tomorrow may bring.- — My First Alphabet Game – An innovative game with full color photos and bold graphics that make learning the alphabet loads of fun. It’s a game kids will return to time and time again.
I’m not sure about all the recs for teens, since I’m not one and don’t have any (my kids are still in the pre-teen stage), but the recs for kids ages 6-12 are excellent.
via PRNewswire