Issues → December 2006 → Feature Stories →
New England's Finest: Stocking Stuffers
Stocking stuffer ideas
by Katrina A. Yeager
"The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there." Clement Clarke Moore's Christmas Eve poem inspires our stocking stuffer ideas.
Nestled All Snug
Cold feet are no fun. Cold, wet feet are even worse. Leave it to Darn Tough Vermont to handle both problems. Darn Tough socks ($13-$22) are the best socks we've ever slipped our feet into. The merino wool blend wicks away moisture, which ensures that your feet will stay toasty and dry. Made for "on-mountain, in-country, and back-road" use, the socks hold up, adventure after adventure. They're knit in Northfield, Vermont, at Cabot Hosiery Mills, the last of its kind in New England. Where can you get them? Call 877-327-6883 or 802-485-6066, or go to darntough.com.
Visions of Sugar Plums
In our opinion, this line in the poem should have read "visions of sugar-plums and popcorn." You won't be able to resist the temptation of Sweet Twist's chocolate-covered, caramel-coated popcorn. It's a signature take on a favorite treat, made by three sisters in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. Be forewarned: Sugar and salt make an addictively good combination. Get more than one bag. Six ounces, $3.99. 401-885-7579. sweettwist.com
A Bundle of Toys
What child doesn't, at some point, want a pet for Christmas? This year, surprise the kids with an adorable friend who comforts and likes to have fun but requires no care: a pocket-sized dog, cat, or horse by Douglas Cuddle Toys. It will be love at first sight when a so-soft stuffed animal ($5) is found peeking out of the stocking. It's a story that the Keene, New Hampshire-based, family-owned company has heard before -- after all, it's been producing plush toys for 50 years. To find a retailer, call 800-992-9002 or 603-352-3414, or go to douglascuddletoy.com.
Away They All Flew
Mark how quickly time passes with a colorful Annie Catherine monthly calendar. In just two years of being in business, artists Annie Darling and Catherine Breer have taken their Portland, Maine, designer stationery company to national acclaim. The wall calendars (medium-size poster-weight paper, $27) and desk calendars (pictured here, $16) feature prints of Catherine's acrylic paintings. Choose from a collection of flowers or New England scenes. A hammock swings in the breeze, poppies bloom, roofs poke above a village center's treetops ... each evocative image will remind you to slow down and enjoy life's moments. 207-771-7871. anniecatherine.com
As White as the Snow
That's how clean you'll feel after using Goatboy soap. The Agee family of New Milford, Connecticut, creates these bars with milk from their small herd of dairy goats. Goat's milk is known as an excellent moisturizer and as a good cleanser for sensitive skin, due to a low pH. The slight acidity helps kill bacteria and helps balance the soap's alkalinity for gentle cleaning. Goatboy soap lathers up well, and the fragrances are authentic -- the lavender actually smells like lavender from the fields. There are 29 different scents, plus unscented, offered in 4.5-ounce bars ($5). Our favorites are Serious Citrus, Red Clover Tea, and Lavender Oatmeal. 860-350-0676. goatboy.us
Happy Christmas to All
Spruce up the green tree with Swirly Designs ornaments ($17.00-$24.50). Husband-wife team Paul and Lianne Stoddard (he's an illustrator, she's a graphic designer) of Stoneham, Massachusetts, craft these hanging keepsakes out of painted polymer clay. Their line of one-sided ornaments presents a playful, contemporary take on snowmen, Santas, stars, and so on. (We think new parents will cherish the Baby's First Christmas design.) Each ornament has 3-D details -- such as a bell that actually rings, ribbon, sparkles, and danglers -- that capture the magic of the season. It's a perfect way to remember this Christmas in years to come. 781-438-0266. swirlydesigns.com
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