As we’ve gotten older, we’ve learned the true secret of Christmas: The real gifts are not the ones under the tree, and they’re sure as heck not the friends you’ve made along the way. They’re the little treats you get in your stockings. And Trader Joe’s stocking stuffers are some of the best—espeically since they’re usually pretty darn cheap.
Need something to munch on while you open presents? Check the stocking. Want a little salty snack to tide you over until Christmas dinner? Check the stocking. Craving the affection and approval of your parents, who always seem happier to see your siblings than you? Check on yourself, because holidays are hard. But the stocking probably has some chocolate, and that’s always nice.
Here are our picks for the best Trader Joe’s stocking stuffers to snag in 2024—some are more expected than others, but trust us.
- Festive Chaos of Gummy Candy
-
We hope your Christmases aren’t quite as insane as that one episode of The Bear or all of Die Hard, but there’s probably at least a little chaos. Did we think we’d get to a place where we’d look at a bag of gummies and feel seen or heard? No, but here we are. And nothing soothes us like knowing we won’t have to choose between festive gummies like ornaments and trees, classic gummy shapes like bears and Coke bottles, or WTF shapes like mustaches. Because they’re all in this one bag of gummies.
- Jingly Jangly
-
Jingle Jangle: TJ’s fans know it. They love it. They also hate it, but only because everybody knows that once you open that tin, it’s over. You’ll either finish it yourself or life-long relationships will crumble in the merciless process of deciding who gets the chocolate covered Joe-Joes. As it turns out, the way to avoid both a tummy-ache and a heartache is having TJ’s do the portioning for you. These little individual bags are perfect Trader Joe’s stocking stuffers. They contain all the glory of the Jingle Jangle mix, and none of the stress of thinking about where to hide a bulky tin while you avoid eye contact with your family members who hint that they “want a little something sweet.”
- Shishito Crisps
-
Shishitos are for the bold. They’re the Russian roulette of peppers. And now? Now they’re here to add a little intrigue to your Christmas. Most shishitos are mild, but about one in every ten to twenty is considerably spicier. TJ’s has packaged these sneaky little buggers into vacuum-fried gambles, so that you can enjoy a crunchy snack while also playing the game of “can anyone tell I’m sweating?” If you have a heat-seeker in your household, these are the Trader Joe’s stocking stuffers for you.
- Festively Shaped Pretzels
-
Pretzels are perfectly neutral, crunchy, and salty. The perfect snack to cleanse the palate between breakfast cinnamon buns and afternoon charcuterie boards. Add onto this stellar resume that they’re festive shapes? Like, there are pretzels shaped like stockings! What more can you want from a Trader Joe’s stocking stuffer? Must have been made by Shohei Ohtani because they’re a home run.
- Hot Chocolate Stirring Spoon
-
Picture this: Christmas is winding down. Bellies and hearts are full. The roaring fire has settled into a warm, comfortable glow. The Hallmark movie where all of that is happening is over and now you’re back to reality where things with company are probably a little awkward and you’re not excited to clean up all that wrapping paper. On the bright side, Santa stuffed your stocking with a fast pass to delicious hot chocolate. This all-in-one combination of chocolate, stirring tool, and marshmallows just needs a hot mug of liquid to steep in before it’s ready to take you back to your childhood and give you a nice hug from the inside.
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!