Even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, chances are you’re going to need some “little” gifts at some point during this holiday season. It could be for a Secret Santa at the office, a small gift you’re giving in lieu of a tip or one of the eight nights of gifts you’re giving to your child on Chanukah. (When I was little, I got a small gift on each night of Chanukah. There never was one big gift to be had.)

If you don’t already have a gift closet you can raid for stocking stuffer-like presents, consider some of these suggestions (some of which I read about on a Gather Inc. blog):

• Magazine subscriptions. You can use a blow-in card (those postcards that fall out of magazines) to order the subscription–or you can go to the magazine’s website to do that–and then you can buy a single issue of the magazine, and present it with notification of the forthcoming subscription.
• Product samples. How many times have you shopped in a store that tossed in a few product samples–especially cosmetics, lotion or perfume? Is there someone on your list who might enjoy a stocking filled with these single-use items? If so, stockpile samples throughout the year and, voila, insta-gift.
• Free gift cards. I’m talking about the kinds of gift cards you get as a “bonus” when you transfer a prescription, or make a purchase of a certain amount at a store–and then they throw in a free $5 or $10 gift card.
• Candy. Two great places to stock up on affordable candy are dollar stores and stores like Five Below–which I guess is kind of like a dollar store, except everything is $5 or under. Whenever I’m going to the movies, I’ll hit up a Five Below for boxes of Raisinets and bottles of water. (So sue me–I bring in my own snacks to the movies. Can you blame me? I’m not paying those kinds of prices, though movie theaters like Regal and AMC are trying to ban customers from bringing in our own food. What are they going to do, strip search me?)

What are some of your ideas on little gifts to gather for stocking stuffing et al?