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My favorite holiday gifting category is the stocking stuffer. Just when everyone thinks the parade of presents has ended, out come the stockings stuffed to the gills with yet more goodies. The small, fairly uniform sizes of stocking stuffer gifts only add to the air of mystery of what this ever-so-special sock will bear. Here are some size-appropriate gift ideas as you make your list and check it twice:

Fornasetti Profumi per La Casa Incense Box (www.Barneys.com) – $245
The brilliant Barnaba Fornasetti has turned his artistic attention towards the notion of home fragrance in combination with decorative objects that elevate a room’s ambiance. World-renowned perfumer Olivier Polge of International Flavours and Fragrances (IFF) created the first Fornasetti fragrance, Otto. This is a decorated ceramic lid/burning receptacle and wooden box that contains 80 incense sticks. The scented incense sticks include such fragrances as thyme, lavender, orris and cedarwood, which enhance the natural environment while ethereal incense notes at the base evoke a dream-like dimension of Fornasetti’s graphic poetry. This is a unique luxury gift that’ll stimulate multiple senses.

Audi Xikar Lighter (www.Audi-Collection.com) – $89
A modern look that matches its accentuated elegance, this Audi-branded lighter comes complete with two cigar punches (7mm & 9mm). It activates its powerful jet-flame through a light push of the thumb. Sized at 2.5″ w by .5″, this high-quality, sleek, and sophisticated lighter also features the globally recognized Audi rings logo. This is a great stocking stuffer for the cigar lover who will enjoy the additional features of convenience. A classic and elegant gift item this and any season.

Mophie Juice Pack Air (www.Mophie.com) – $79.95
Get on-the-go power for the iPhone 4 in a light-weight and ultra-thin external rechargeable battery case. The Mophie Juice Pack Air is designed to virtually double the time you have to rock, talk, surf and send with your iPhone 4! This sleek solution is a rechargeable external battery that is concealed inside of a protective form-fitting case. It offers users the full protection of a hard-shell case while providing virtually twice the battery life of the iPhone alone–all in an ultra-thin, light-weight, low-profile design. Compatible with both AT&T and Verizon form-factors, and available in black, red, and white, this external battery case not only protects the phone, but is also prevents the “red-bar” blues.

Victorinox Swiss Army Slim USB (www.Amazon.com) – $39.99 (4GB) – $449.99 (128GB)
The Victorinox Swiss Army Slim USB drive offers its users iron-clad data protection in a waterproof and shock-resistant slim design. Offered in seven heritage and “pop” colors like silver, blue, orange, pink and green, these USBs are perfect stocking stuffers, and come in a wide range of storage capacities — from 4GB to the ultimate 128GB. The Slim line joins Victorinox Swiss Army’s current offering of flash memory devices, which boast the most sophisticated USB data encryption technology available and provides consumers with unmatched protection for their digital data. The Slim line is the future of on-the-go storage, with its highest capacity 128GB drive able to accommodate the equivalent of 25,600 songs; 25,000 pictures taken with a 20 megapixel camera, or 50,000 pictures taken with a 10 megapixel camera; 18 full videos in HD format; or 32 Britannica encyclopedias with multimedia content.

KORRES Cherry-Picked Holiday Kit- Cherry Oil Lip Gloss Quad (www.Sephora.com) – $28
The limited edition Holiday Kit features KORRES four most popular Cherry Oil Lip Gloss colors in 0.2 ounces: Light Purple is a sheer pale pink with delicate shimmery finish; Natural Purple is a wearable, neutral rose for a subtle, polished look; Fuchsia leaves lips with a bold and vibrant flush; and Naked Rose is a modern take on coral, featuring golden reflective sparkles for a warm, radiant glow. This full-color, lip-conditioning gloss softens and cares for lips, providing shine without a sticky finish. Cherry Oil hydrates the lips while Vitamins E and C offer antioxidant benefits. The cherry oil contains vitamins and antioxidants. Easily absorbed by the skin, these elements nourish dehydrated skin as well as amplify shine and accent a natural, healthy color.

Zippo Hand Warmer (http://zippo.com) – $19.95
You want to be able to enjoy the great outdoors, whether skiing, winter walks, or waiting for your child’s soccer practice to end when it’s cold outside. Now you can more comfortably with the Zippo Hand Warmer. Available in black and metallic, it is actually rather clever for those who have just about everything this holiday season. It can slide into your pocket with its high-polish finish and a sleek, thin design. It’s virtually odorless and stays warm for up to 12 hours. Plus, it’s reusable with Zippo lighter fluid and includes a convenient filler cup and warming bag. While it burns lighter fluid, it does not produce a flame. It stays hot for hours unlike the disposable hand warmers you buy from the grocery store. Like any Zippo product, it’s built with the quality and durability that are the founding principles of the brand. It’s a “hot” item to slip into someone’s stocking this year.

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X-mini v1.1 Capsule Speaker™ (www.x-mini.com) – $19.90
The X-mini is a revolutionary pocket-sized speaker that packs explosive volume and bass over ten times its physical size. Featuring an extendable vacuum that mimics the resonance of a sub-woofer, the X-mini v1.1 Capsule Speaker provides crisp, full-bodied sound and volume for up to six hours of playback from any MP3, smartphone or laptop. Thanks to a social “Buddy-Jack” design, users can connect one X-mini v1.1 Capsule Speaker to another, forming an endless “daisy chain” of self-powered, bass-enhanced portable speaker systems. The X-mini v1.1 Capsule Speaker is available in both black and red.

ila Security (www.ilaSecurity.com) – $19.99-$29.99
Fill your loved one’s stocking with peace of mind in the form of stylish personal safety accessories. It’s been reported that, when feeling threatened, women often lose the ability to scream as fear-induced adrenaline courses through their bodies. Named after the Hindu Goddess of Speech, “ila”, the alarms in the collection are designed to scream on their behalf in order to shock and disorientate any potential attacker or thief, and to attract attention. Small and indisputably powerful, ila Security’s alarms unleash 130 decibels on their unsuspecting target. The ila DUSK is a stylish charm that hangs conveniently from a handbag or backpack that, when activated by pulling the chain, emits an ear-piercing woman’s scream, giving precious seconds to get away. Most women get their keys out of their bags in advance of approaching their front door or car, so the ila PEBBLE key-ring alarm is on hand in case of an attack close to home or vehicle. The ila SPORT is light, stylish and easily fits into the palm of the smallest adult hand. Clipped unobtrusively to clothing, the ila SPORT is easily activated with one hand by pressing a button at the top of the gadget, and it can be disarmed with a small on/off switch to avoid false alarms. Placed against the door inside a room, the innovative ila WEDGE emits a siren when activated, which will scare off a potential attacker or thief, warn the victim that they have an unwanted visitor and alert neighbors.

Party In Your Shoes Dress Socks (www.PartyInYourShoes.com) – $14
These are dress socks for men but with a twist. Targeting the whimsy-minded working man who is tired of his typical uniform, the portion of the sock above the shoe is a conservative high-quality cotton dress sock with the company’s signature martini glass logo embroidered at the top. Meanwhile, hidden inside the shoe is a “party” of fun designs, patterns and colors, subtly mimicking the angst of corporate professionals who restrain themselves at work. There are more than a dozen styles to choose from. Founded by an M&A lawyer from a Wall Street law firm and a stay-at-home mom who missed her lawyer husband, these entrepreneurs have created a fun and whimsical gift for the man who has everything. He’ll be tickled you stuffed his stocking with these footloose and fancy free socks this year.

Wine Wipes (www.WineWipes.com) – $6.95 each/3 for $18
Love red wine but hate the purple smile it can leave behind? Here’s a solution! Wine Wipes is a proprietary blend of stain-removing and teeth-protecting ingredients available in a convenient 20-wipe compact that comes complete with a mirror.  Just run Wine Wipes over your teeth and mouth, and order another round of red. They are super convenient and not only get rid of red wine stains but they are a palette cleanser! Developed in part by a world-renowned chemical laboratory, this first-of-its-kind formula owes its power to a unique combination of ingredients that includes baking soda, salt, hydrogen peroxide, calcium, glycerin and orange blossom.

Universal Cell Phone Propping (www.overstock.com) – $6.49
Use this innovative universal balancing ball suction stand to prop your Apple iPhone, iTouch, Smartphone, cellphone, etc. The perfect little stand will prop your devices at a slightly slanted angle for easy, hands free, convenient viewing for movies, photos, or for music videos. The suction cup holds tightly to the back of your device for vertical or horizontal viewing. The stand also can hold onto devices covered in TPU cases. It comes in black or pink with a 90-day warranty. This is a practical and inexpensive stocking stuffer for the cell phone-fiend in your family.

***Some or all of the accommodations(s), experience(s), item(s) and/or service(s) detailed above may have been provided at no cost and/or arranged to accommodate this review, but all opinions expressed are entirely those of Merilee Kern and have not been influenced in any way as per the disclosure policy on our “Legal” page***