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What makes a good Detroit stocking stuffer
A stocking is small, so the rules are simple. The gift has to fit, it has to be cheap enough that you can buy six of them, and it has to say Detroit without explaining itself. A Lions keychain does that. A random scented candle does not.
I think about stocking stuffers in four buckets: stuff you eat or drink, stuff you wear, stuff you carry, and stuff you do. Detroit does each of them well, because the city’s best-known brands have been selling cheap, durable, slightly nostalgic things for a long time. Better Made has been frying chips in Detroit since 1930. Vernors has been a Michigan ginger ale since the 1860s. Faygo started in Detroit in 1907. Carhartt began here in 1889. Those are the names that make a Michigan person smile when they pull them out of a sock.
This is the Detroit-flavored version of the stocking, and it works whether you live ten minutes from Eastern Market or you’re mailing a care package to someone who left. If you’re shopping for a bigger budget, our guides to Detroit gifts under $50 and Michigan-made gifts go further. If the person has moved away, start with gifts for people who moved away.
Snacks and pop: the easiest wins
Food and drink are the safest stocking stuffers because nobody has to guess a size or a team. They’re also the ones that people from Michigan actually miss when they leave.
Better Made potato chips
Better Made is a Detroit original, founded in 1930, and the bag with the red and white graphic is as Detroit as a Coney dog. The barbecue and original flavors are the ones locals argue about. A few single-serve bags or a sampler tucks easily into a stocking, and it’s the first thing a Detroit transplant asks for. Shop Better Made chips on Amazon →
Faygo and Vernors
Faygo, which started in Detroit in 1907, is known for Rock & Rye, Redpop and Moon Mist. Vernors, the aged ginger ale first made in Detroit by pharmacist James Vernor in the 1860s, is the drink people reach for when they’re sick or nostalgic. Both are heavy, so they’re better as a gift-bag item than a literal stocking stuffer, but a single can or mini-bottle tucked in the toe works. Shop Faygo on Amazon → Shop Vernors on Amazon →
Sanders fudge topping and candy
Sanders is one of Detroit’s old confectioners, known for hot fudge and bumpy cake. It isn’t always sold on Amazon, so if you want the real thing, go to the maker. Visit Sanders → If you just want a Michigan sweet in the stocking, a search turns up regional candy and cherry treats. Shop Michigan candy on Amazon →
Jiffy mix
Chelsea Milling Company has made Jiffy corn muffin mix in Michigan since 1930, and the little blue-and-white box is a joke gift that people actually use. It also ships well. Shop Jiffy mix on Amazon →
Stuff to wear: cheap, warm and local
Michigan winters do the selling here. Anything warm that costs less than a movie ticket is a stocking win.
Carhartt beanies
Carhartt was founded in Detroit in 1889 and is headquartered in Dearborn. The knit watch cap is one of its most popular items, it comes in a lot of colors, and nobody has ever been unhappy to get one. It’s the most reliable wearable on this list. Shop Carhartt beanies on Amazon →
Detroit team beanies and caps
If the person loves a team more than a brand, go with the Honolulu blue Lions beanie, a Tigers old English D cap or a Red Wings knit hat. These are easy to find and are often priced well below jerseys. Shop Lions beanies → Shop Tigers hats → Shop Red Wings beanies →
Detroit socks
Socks are the gift that always works. A pair with a Detroit skyline, an old English D or a Motor City print is cheap and fits everyone. Shop Detroit socks on Amazon →
Stuff to carry: keychains, stickers and small fan gear
This is where a team fan’s stocking gets filled. These items are flat, light and do not need a size.
Team keychains and lanyards
Lions, Tigers, Red Wings and Pistons keychains are the definition of a stocking stuffer. Add a lanyard if the person works somewhere with a badge. Shop Lions keychains → Shop Pistons keychains →
Detroit stickers and magnets
Stickers with the Detroit skyline, the Spirit of Detroit statue or a Detroit-flavored joke go on water bottles and laptops. Magnets work the same way for fridges. Shop Detroit stickers on Amazon → Shop Detroit magnets →
Detroit pennants and ornaments
A mini-pennant or a small team ornament doubles as a stocking stuffer and a tree decoration. It’s the one gift here that comes back out every December. Shop Detroit ornaments on Amazon →
Stuff to use: mugs, coffee and games
Detroit mugs
A Detroit mug is a close second to a beanie in terms of reliability. Pair it with a bag of coffee or hot cocoa mix and you’ve built a gift for about the same money as one nice item. Shop Detroit mugs on Amazon →
Playing cards and small puzzles
A deck of Detroit-themed cards is a fun way to turn a stocking into a game night. For something bigger, a small Detroit skyline puzzle stays in the family. Shop Detroit playing cards → Shop Detroit puzzles →
Detroit books
Paperbacks about the city, from photography to history, are a good way to add something meaningful for a few dollars. They don’t fit in a sock, but they do fit beside it. Shop Detroit books on Amazon →
How to pack a Detroit stocking
The stockings that land best use a simple formula: one thing to eat, one thing to wear, one thing to use and one thing that’s just funny. For a Lions fan, that could be a bag of Better Made, a Honolulu blue beanie, a keychain and a Faygo. For a Detroit transplant, swap the beanie for a pair of Detroit socks and add a Vernors. For a co-worker or a Secret Santa, a mug and a snack is enough.
Put the heavy item, like a can of pop, at the toe, the beanie or socks in the middle, and the flat items on top. If you’re mailing the stocking, put it in a box and skip the pop.
A good stocking doesn’t need to cost much. Pick a budget per person, choose four to six small things from the list above, and stop. The thought is that you picked things that mean Detroit to that person.
Stocking stuffers by person
For a Lions fan
Lions fans are the easiest people in Michigan to shop for, because the team colors do the work. Honolulu blue and silver on a beanie, a keychain and a pair of socks makes a full stocking before you’ve thought about food. Add a bag of Better Made for game-day snacking. Browse Lions gifts on Amazon → For a bigger Lions budget, see our Lions fan gift guide.
For a Tigers, Red Wings or Pistons fan
The same formula works. Swap in the navy and orange of the Tigers, the red and white of the Red Wings, or the blue and red of the Pistons. Our guides to Red Wings gifts, Pistons gifts and Tigers gifts have more ideas if you want to go beyond the stocking.
For a Detroit transplant
The person who moved away wants a taste of home more than a logo. Lean on food and drink: Better Made, Vernors, Faygo and Jiffy mix. A small Detroit skyline print or magnet for the fridge does the rest. Shop Detroit skyline gifts →
For a co-worker or Secret Santa
Keep it light and safe: a mug, a bag of chips and a sticker. Nobody has to explain it, and it fits any office budget. Shop Detroit mug gift sets →
For a teenager
Teens like things they can stick on a laptop or wear. Stickers, a team beanie and a pack of cards go over better than anything with a skyline on it. Shop Detroit sticker packs →
Mistakes to avoid
A few things trip people up every year. Pop and glass are the first: they’re heavy, they break, and they leak if you mail them in a soft package. Buy them locally if you’re delivering by hand and ship them in a hard box if you’re not. Second, chips crush. If you mail a bag, pad it or choose single-serve packs, and skip the family-size bag.
Third, don’t buy sizes you’re guessing at. A beanie is almost always one-size, and socks are forgiving, but shirts and hoodies are not stocking stuffers. Save those for a real gift. Finally, check that the seller is selling the real thing. On Amazon, look at who ships and sells an item before you add it to your cart, especially for team gear. Unofficial gear is common, and it’s not always labeled clearly.
The last thing to watch is timing. Michigan weather can slow a delivery truck, and December is the busiest month for every carrier. Anything you order after the second week of December is at risk of arriving late. If you’re running short on time, go to a store in Detroit and pick up the same things in person: Eastern Market and the Michigan grocery chains carry most of the snacks here, and the Detroit team stores carry the fan gear.
Give them a reason to come home
If the person you’re shopping for is far away and homesick, the best stocking stuffer might be a note that says you’ve booked a weekend. Downtown Detroit is a good base, with hotels within walking distance of Comerica Park, Ford Field and Little Caesars Arena. Check rates for downtown Detroit hotels on Expedia → Midtown is the better choice if you want museums and restaurants. Check rates for Midtown hotels on Expedia →
Order timeline
Order food and drink first, since those are the ones you can’t swap out if something goes wrong. Order wearables second. Leave stickers, magnets and keychains for last, because they ship in an envelope. If you’re shipping out of state, aim to have everything in your hands by December 15 so you can pack and mail it with time to spare.
