Stocking stuffers that may be better than the ‘real’ presents

The holiday shopping isn’t complete until there’s a little something special tucked away in the Christmas stockings...

All-in-one grow kits

Just add water into the wax-coated paper tube planter. The soilless kit includes seeds, plant food and more for easy growing. Choose from holiday favorites like poinsettia and white spruce. Lavender, forget me knot and poppy are also available. $12. modsprout.com

Pocket-sized tool

Each stainless steel PocketMonkey tool is laser cut and etched at the company shop in Portland, Maine. It’s TSA complaint and serves 12 functions, from bottle opener, screwdriver, ruler, to orange peeler. Available in singles, 5 packs and 10 packs. Starting at $10. zootilitytools.com

To-go bicycle repair

There is no AAA for bicycle breakdowns, is there? The six tools in this tin box may prevent cyclists from dragging their bikes along while walking to their destination. The kit features a six-headed allen set, two metal tire levers, patch repair, rubber cement, buffer and a bone tool. $17.50. kikkerland.com

Cool, kitschy mugs

The Unemployed Philosophers Guild’s witty company slogan is “The unexamined gift is not worth giving.� Their mug selection will likely make those into art, literature, pop culture and science smile. Some mugs change when hot liquid is added. Watch “Star Trek� characters leave the Transporter Room on one side and materialize on a planet surface on the other side of the mug. Part of every purchase goes to select causes such as Doctors Without Borders. $13.95. philosophersguild.com

Carry-along cocktails

The kit comes with ingredients and tools to make two cocktails, you supply the alcohol and glasses. Opt for classic holiday flavors of ginger and cinnamon with a hot toddy or choose from six other cocktails. Perfect for travel. $24. wandpdesign.com

Hot sauce holster

Before Beyoncé gave us “I got hot sauce in my bag, swag,� the actor who played Chris Pérez in “Selena� pulled a Cholula bottle out of a leather holster and sprinkled it on pepperoni pizza. For those that love spice or have been searching for a bottle holster ever since, Tapatio created a keychain that comes with a 1.6-ounce bottle. Single or three pack, $7.50-$20. tapatiohotsauce.com

International snacks

Stuff the adventurous eater’s stocking with holiday treats from 12 countries. The Universal Yums holiday box features a thousand-year-old candy recipe from Korea, a Peruvian cinnamon and clove chocolate bar and Australian Christmas pudding. Trivia materials and a booklet describing the stories and traditions of each snack are included. Select from two sizes and from one-, three- or six-month subscriptions. $16-$150. universalyums.com

Selfie lighting

Scroll through the Kardashians’ or Janet Mock’s Instagram and you’ll find photos where this portable LED light is, at least partly, responsible for their glow. The case comes with a dimmer button to control the light on the front and back, a rechargeable battery and cord. The LuMee Duo Marble case is available for iPhone models only at $69.95. There is one original LuMee case for Samsung Galaxy S6 at $29. lumee.com

Phone camera lenses

Adding accessories is a thrifty way to upgrade a smartphone. This kit carries three lenses: wide, macro and fish eye. The clip-on feature makes it adjustable for multiple smartphone models. $10. kikkerland.com

Pop culture dolls

The designer behind Kahri paints original watercolor illustrations of fashion, music and art icons to print on linen. The result is 5-inch keychain dolls that can be attached to purses, backpacks or keys. Larger 10-inch dolls better suited for office or home décor are also available. Some featured icons are André Leon Talley, David Bowie, Prince, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Frida Kahlo and Yayoi Kusama. Starting at $20. kahri.com

Iconic toys

Funko carries a variety of licensed game, TV and movie collectible toys — from NFL players to “World of Warcraft,� “Game of Thrones� to “Golden Girls,� and “Star Wars� to “Moana. Retailers� are on nearly every commercial street corner in Barnes and Noble, Best Buy, Gamestop, Target, Toys R Us, and Walmart. $5.79-$74.99. funko.com