The best stocking stuffers for new parents are small things they will use every single day: a 2-in-1 burp cloth and bib ($18), a muslin swaddle ($25), or a swaddle and bib gift set ($39) printed with the state they call home. They fit the season, they fit the budget, and they turn a stocking into a little piece of hometown.
Baby's first stocking tends to fill up with things that get set aside by New Year's. A burp cloth printed with the boardwalk or the bayou gets used before the wrapping paper is even recycled.
If you are mailing it, plan ahead. The Postal Service recommends sending by December 17 for Ground Advantage and December 18 for Priority Mail for delivery before Christmas in the contiguous U.S.
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Stocking stuffers by price
- Under $20: a 2-in-1 burp cloth and bib for $18. It measures 24 by 10 inches, so it folds flat into the toe of a stocking.
- Under $30: a 47 by 47 inch muslin swaddle for $25. It comes rolled with a printed band, which makes it easy to tuck in standing up.
- Under $40: a swaddle and bib gift set for $39. Two matching pieces in one design.
- The big one: a 3-piece bundle with a swaddle, burp cloth and bib, and a onesie for $60. Too big for most stockings, perfect under the tree.
Why a hometown print beats another rattle
New parents get a lot of small, cute things in December. Most of them are generic. A stocking stuffer printed with the place they love says you were paying attention.
Think of the new dad from Jersey who still talks about pork roll, or the mom who moved from Chicago and misses deep dish. The New Jersey swaddle has saltwater taffy, a Shore lifeguard stand, blueberries, and a diner. The Chicago swaddle has deep dish pizza, Navy Pier, and the green river. Those details are what make it a keepsake.
Well-stocked designs to start with
Not sure where to start? These designs are well stocked right now:
- New Jersey: taffy, a lifeguard stand, blueberries, pizza, and diners
- New York City: an everything bagel, the Brooklyn Bridge, a taxi, and the Statue of Liberty
- Florida: oranges, manatees, palm trees, and rocket ships
- Massachusetts: a lobster, a whale, a Minuteman, and Nobska Lighthouse
- Louisiana: crawfish, magnolias, the fleur-de-lis, and a Mardi Gras float
How to build baby's first stocking
Start with one piece they will use daily, like a burp cloth and bib. Add one piece that doubles as a keepsake, like a swaddle in their home state. If you are giving to the whole family, a gift set covers both in one design.
Shipping is free on orders over $65. Two gift sets, one for each new family on your list, come to $78 and ship free. For a bigger first-holiday gift, see our guide to baby's first Christmas gifts that aren't another ornament.
A note on the swaddle: the American Academy of Pediatrics advises parents to stop swaddling as soon as a baby shows signs of trying to roll over. After that, a muslin swaddle keeps working as a nursing cover, a stroller shade, or a play blanket on the floor.
What to write on the tag
A stocking stuffer does not need a long card. A short line on the gift tag does the work, and the hometown print says the rest. A few ideas:
- "For the littlest one in the house. Merry first Christmas."
- "A little bit of home for your first stocking."
- "So you always know where you came from."
- "Santa heard you're from Jersey." (Swap in their state.)
Every gift set comes as a matching swaddle and 2-in-1 burp cloth and bib, so all you add is the tag and the stocking.
Questions gift-givers ask
What are good stocking stuffers for new parents?
Small things they will use every day. A 2-in-1 burp cloth and bib is $18, a muslin swaddle is $25, and a swaddle and bib gift set is $39, each printed with a state or city design.
What do you put in a baby's first stocking?
One everyday piece, like a burp cloth and bib, and one keepsake, like a swaddle printed with the family's home state. Both fold or roll small enough for most stockings.
When should I order baby stocking stuffers to arrive by Christmas?
Order by early December. As a general guide, USPS recommends shipping by December 17 for Ground Advantage and December 18 for Priority Mail for delivery before Christmas in the contiguous U.S.
Is there free shipping?
Yes. Shipping is free on orders over $65, and orders ship daily from Texas.
Fill their stocking with a little bit of home. Ships daily from Texas. Free shipping over $65. Shop baby gift sets β