Stocking stuffers for food lovers

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The best things come in packages that can fit in a novelty stocking. It's true. These smaller gifts will put a smile on the dial of any food-loving friend or family member.

Cheap (under $20)

Gifting socks at Christmas is pretty naff. Unless those socks are printed with bananas, pineapples or sexy entendre eggplant emojis. Or if they roll up to look like sushi. Thanks, Sock It Up, Australia. Thanks, DOIY Design.

Three Potato Four has snack-fancying motel keychains and taco pendants. Combine them with a Georgia Perry sandwich patch for an awesome little gift pack. Meanwhile, Marimekko has a swell range of pot holders for adding colour to any oven door.

I'm stoked to find out Le Creuset has an espresso cup (mug?) on the market now. Its larger, long-black-suitable sibling has gotten me through many Good Food Guide deadlines. While on the subject, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide are currently on sale for $14.99 each with free delivery. Huzzah!

Not that cheap, but not that expensive either, really (under $50)

Boy, Dinosaur Designs has some nice gear for the house. The resin soy dish is one of the more moderately priced items and comes in a bunch of smart colours. TIP: can probably be used for other condiments.

You know what else is good for holding condiments? The hot dog. If you know a bloke who likes hot dogs as much as hot dogs like mustard, Peter Alexander has the right pyjama shorts to party this summer.

Any good pyjama party needs wine opened, so here, have a legless pirate corkscrew. And squirrel nutcracker. Because everyone should own a squirrel nutcracker. Look at his little hands!

Getting up there (under $100)

In further food-on-clothes adventures, Beloved in the US has designed a pair of "Pho Tastic" yoga pants. Equally attractive is the Mediterranean Basics Gift set from Greek herb and spice specialist, Daphnis and Chloe. A few wild thyme flowers would look smashing on a wedge of Bruny Island Cheese and Sorry Thanks I Love You has created a Bruny three-pack for Australia's convenience.

Back on the mainland, Sydney industrial design studio, Marz, has crafted the Delano and Miami solid bronze bottle openers. It looks like they could open Doctor Strange-style portals when joined together, not just your uncle's Crown Lager.

OK, well don't expect much else this year ($100 and over)

Caviar on Christmas morning is quite a treat. Bypass the beluga and track down a tin of naturally blue, wild scampi caviar from Shark Island instead. Terrific on oysters or salmon blinis.

In other salty news, fourth-generation furniture maker John Goulder has designed a pair of American white oak salt-and-pepper grinders for Adelaide's JamFactory. They're gorgeous bits of craftsmanship and will last for decades.

And finally, if you do buy cheese for anyone, here's the knife to slice it with. Ignore the nonsense that says gifting a knife is bad luck Nobody minds when it has a hand-forged blade and beautiful deer antler handle.