To kick off the holiday season, we spent an afternoon on Greenwich Avenue looking for Christmas themed stocking stuffers under $20.  We searched for the best store to find stocking stuffers based on affordability, variety, customer service, and originality. 

Sephora

Our first stop was Sephora, located at the top of Greenwich Avenue.  We searched for small, holiday-themed makeup items for stocking stuffer gifts.  A friendly employee approached us immediately after we arrived and pointed us in the direction of a shelf full of festively wrapped products and makeup applicators.

Although Sephora does not offer a wide variety of stocking stuffers, it does have reasonably-priced items from which to choose.  We found small, Christmas-themed packages of products such as lip glosses, beauty blenders, and eye makeup.  Overall, the few stocking stuffers that we found were unique and inexpensive gift options, but Sephora only offers makeup-related gift items, which might not be appealing to every audience. 

Consumer Value Store (CVS Pharmacy)

Next, we went into CVS, located down the street from Sephora.  Unfortunately, the employees at CVS did not welcome us with the same level of customer service that Sephora offered.  However, in comparison to Sephora, CVS offers a greater variety of Christmas-themed stocking stuffers at low prices.

CVS had the most impressive selection of Christmas themed stocking stuffers, including candy, toys, mini candles, and gift cards.  However, the products lacked originality and uniqueness, and the displays created an impersonal atmosphere for holiday shopping.

Splurge

Lastly, we stepped into Splurge, a small business variety store located on Lewis Street, around the corner from CVS.  The beautifully decorated shop created the perfect atmosphere for Christmas shopping.  Upon entering the store, the friendly and welcoming atmosphere impressed us immediately.

Splurge offered a large number of inexpensive options for stocking stuffers, including Christmas candies, cookies, stationeries, hats, mittens, jewelry, and small toys for all ages.  The Christmas themed decor on these items added a tasteful appearance to the holiday season.

When we left the store, the owners sent us off with smiles and urged us to return soon.  After previously spending our time looking for stocking stuffers at chain stores, the personal and relaxed atmosphere in Splurge was extremely refreshing.

Winner

Based on the overall affordability, variety, customer service, and originality, we concluded that Splurge is the best store to find Christmas-themed stocking stuffers under $20.  We found this store particularly appealing because of its character and charm, which the franchise stores lacked.  Their friendly welcoming atmosphere and affordable pricing guaranteed their place as the winner.

Featured Image by Delaney Servick ’22