Giving at Christmas isn’t just about the big presents; sometimes the smaller gifts, tasty treats and stocking fillers are more fun and more meaningful than anything else. Here are 9 of our favourites.
One of my favourite memories about Christmas from when I was a kid is waking up early and seeing a fully stuffed stocking at the end of my bed. Santa had done his duty once again!
There’s something about stocking filler presents that’s just so much fun.
The big ones under the tree are awesome too obviously, but fun little things, delicious morsels and even bigger ticket gifts that are small enough to fit in the stocking ready to open as soon as everyone’s awake are great.
To show you what we mean, here’s a selection of special treats that are sure to delight.
Click here for your free copy of Hint Magazine 20219 Christmas Treats & Stocking Fillers
The build-up to Christmas is almost as much fun as the day itself. These first three are all about that.
1. Countdown in style – Aussie Craft Gin Advent Calendar 2021 Edition
With 25 rare, unsung or special edition Aussie gins from around the country and artwork by local cartoonist Jess Harwood, this is the way to see in Christmas Down Under.
Each beautifully finished 30ml bottle of gin comes with tasting notes and the story behind its distillery so you know which bottle to buy next and why.
You can read our full review of this amazing advent for the big kids here.
Countdown in style – Aussie Craft Gin Advent Calendar 2021 Edition
2. Beautiful gift tags from Emma Kate Co X Jodi Lee Foundation
Add a little extra gift to your giving this year with these beautiful tags from Emma Kate Co. Emma has designed a set of six unique tags in her iconic handwriting to welcome in the Christmas cheer.
She’s worked in collaboration with the Jodie Lee Foundation – an amazing foundation focused on bringing awareness to bowel cancer, and its early detection and prevention. Proceeds from these tags go to the JLF fund.
Beautiful gift tags from Emma Kate Co X Jodi Lee Foundation
3. Give the gift of an epic minibar!
Small but perfectly formed, these miniatures of classic spirits are the perfect stocking stuffer for the avid imbiber. And the wealth of cocktails that can come from them will make someone’s Christmas.
We’re thinking gin and tonics or negronis with the 200ml Bombay Sapphire, vodka martinis with the 200ml Grey Goose, elderflower spritz with the 100ml St Germain or margaritas with the 50ml Patron… or maybe just everything together in a crazy long island ice tea!
St Germain 100ml $10.90 RRP
Patron Silver Tequila 50ml $16.99 RRP
Bombay Sapphire 200ml $20.99 RRP
4. The sweetest of gifts – Curiosity Chocolates
From the heights of Jindabyne in NSW’s Snowy Mountains, these artisanal chocolates are the picture of Christmas. Each sweet morsel is hand-made and unique to Curiosity Chocolates using locally sourced ingredients – the perfect dainty for those with a sweet tooth and an eye for detail.
Christmas isn’t Christmas without special food to eat while you’re opening presents. And to be honest, these ideas are gift on their own!
Super-fast delivery nation-wide at a $15 flat rate.
Cocktail Domes
Bringing the cocktail bar home and magically sealing your favourite drink inside rich opulent dark chocolate domes, these ganache-filled cocktails are simply divine, and use the actual spirits you would in a liquid cocktail.
2x espresso martini domes using vodka and kahlua dark chocolate ganache, 2x negroni using gin, vermouth and orange bitters in a dark chocolate ganache, 2x margaritas using tequila, lime and white chocolate ganache and 2x Cointreau using a white chocolate ganache.
Matcha Strawberry Christmas Tree
Harnessing the delicious moreishness of matcha to form the Christmas tree and accents of real freeze-dried strawberries to decorate, this matcha strawberry Christmas tree is a sweet icon of the festive season.
Silver Chocolate Baubles
Perfectly formed and truly delicious, these Christmas tree baubles not only look like the real thing, they hide a surprise within their shiny spheres. Break one open to find a little peppermint cream snowman!
Snowflake Bars
These satisfyingly square chocolate bars (12x12cm) come in a range of flavours, embossed with a beautiful geometric snowflake design and packaged in artwork by local artist Simon Blazey (@rockafellaindustries) that reflect the alpine aesthetic.
These Hazelnut Chocolate and Dark Chocolate Espresso bars are exquisite, but there is a wide range of other delicious flavours to explore.
The sweetest of gifts – Curiosity Chocolates
5. Baked by Keiran Christmas hamper
Nothing quite says Christmas like a mince pie or gingerbread man, but the hamper from this Sydney craft bakery does way more than that. From French-trained pastry chef Keiran McKay and his bakery known for its incredible 72-hour sourdough, this is the hamper that will make Christmas:
Within the bounds of this bountiful box are:-
– BBK signature chewy gingerbread men, Christmas trees and baubles
– crumbly, buttery moreish mince pies
– festive rocky road full of milk choc, marshmallows and cranberries
– signature granola with a festive touch of craisins
– Christmas canelé – delicious little white choc-topped cake volcanos filled with fruit mince
– Chef Keiran’s Drunken Pud (best served warm wth a big dollop of cream)
Click and collect Keiran’s Christmas hamper from his bakeries in Elizabeth Bay, Dulwich Hill, Bondi or Peakhurst.
Baked by Keiran Christmas hamper
6. Thicc Cookies & Bigg Brownies Kris Kringle Box – AVAILABLE DECEMBER 1
No stocking if full without food, and this Christmas box is literally choc full of delicious.
The clever people at Bigg Brownies and Thicc Cookies, who also make a monster 1kg cookie with various goodies baked in, have created this Christmas masterpiece.
5x huge New York style Thicc Cookies, each one packed with flavour and somehow managing to be soft and crumbly at the same time:
– Gingerbread THICC Cookie
– Choc Chip THICC Cookie
– Red Velvet THICC Cookie
– Peppermint THICC Cookie
And a giant Chocolate Dream Bigg Brownie, which is perfectly named. Apart from its delectable brownie-ness, this tasty creature has on its top Tim Tams, Chocolate Fingers, Maltesers, Ferrero Rocher, Chocolate Honeycomb, Kit Kat, meringue kisses and some more chocolate.
It’s a work of edible art!
Proof that stocking fillers don’t have to be just for the kids, these pretty special presents perfect for Christmas morning will really set the mood for the rest of the holidays.
7. Australian craft spirit gift packs from Nip of Courage
Spoil your significant other with choice with one of these three or four bottle packs of Australian craft whisky or gin.
The Starward pack contains the three of this Melbourne whisky distillery’s finest: 200ml bottles of Twofold mixed grain whisky, their Nova single malt and Fortis, Starward’s amazing cask-strength whisky.
Australian craft spirit gift packs from Nip of Courage – others start as low as $50.00 RRP
8. Best Restaurants gift card
Gift cards have had a bad wrap over the years, but perhaps that’s because they weren’t for anything fun!
Best Restaurants Gift Cards has over 400 different restaurants your lucky favourite person can spend their card with as well as take-away options and even wine!
Simply load the amount of money you want to gift onto a card (e-cards are available but physical cards come in a lovely presentation box) and they can choose where they dine. It’s perfect. And if you play your gift card right, you might be their plus-one!
9. Grant Burge Chardonnay Pinot Noir Sparkling bon bons!
The best party favour ever to grace Christmas lunch, these bon bons from Grant Burge Wines just brilliant. No bad jokes, no silly hat, just your very own 200ml bottle of top Aussie sparkling to enjoy.
This time of year is supposed to be about sharing, but not this time. This little tipple is all yours. Merry Christmas!
For more Christmas gift inspiration, check out our free gift guide Hint Magazine:
