Discover one-of-a-kind gifts for every age in the exclusive Moss and Ink Gift Guide, spotlighting some amazing local businesses!
Find the Guides Here:
- Moss and Ink Local Gift Guide
- Stocking Stuffer Ideas
- Gift Ideas for the Tweens in your life
- Teenager Gift Ideas
- Gift Ideas for Adults
- White Elephant Gift Ideas
- Black Friday Ads
Moss and Ink Local Gift Guide
Refurbished Treasures: A Streator Favorite
Refurbished Treasures 306 E Main St, Streator
Since opening in April 2022, Refurbished Treasure has delighted shoppers with a hand-picked, ever-changing collection of gifts for every age and occasion. Owner Lori’s artful displays turn browsing into a treasure hunt—step inside and discover your next perfect find! Gift Cards available!
The French Press: an Ottawa Favorite
The French Press 728 Columbus Street, Ottawa
The French Press is a top-rated cafe and creperie located in the heart of downtown Ottawa. We serve a variety of made-to-order savory and sweet crepes, fresh quiche of the day, homemade soups, and salads, along with various hot and cold beverages. Set in the historic charm of an old row house, The French Press provides a French-themed atmosphere to enjoy a relaxing meal and delicious food. It’s a great place to take a short break from the bustle of holiday shopping and the cold weather! We also have gift cards available — a thoughtful gift for your special friends and family for the holidays.
Three Wishes, another Streator Favorite
Three Wishes 317 E Main Street, Streator inside More on Main
A unique curated shopping experience owned by three women who longed to make their passions into a business. We feature home decor, bereavement, wedding, kids, baby gifts and more for you and your littles. We carefully choose our items and foster many small businesses within our shop. We enjoy meeting the needs of our customers who have become friends through the sharing of stories. Gift Cards available.
The Thread Revival: A Streator Favorite for Pre-Loved Fashion Finds
The Thread Revival 322 E Main St, Streator
Opened in 2023, this 3,000 sq ft resale haven breathes new life into gently worn clothing. Score current trends and unique finds—new-with-tags Nike, Adidas, UGG booties, Free People, plus a concert band tee room and Y2K vintage vault. All the different items and colors turn every visit into a style adventure at wallet-friendly prices. Gift Receipts available.
Are you a local business owner and want to see your own business here? Message us HERE and we’ll be sure to include you as well!
Stocking Stuffer Ideas
Sorted from young to older, these Stocking Stuffers are bound to be a hit this year!
Stimulating sensory development AND safe for those teething gums, these soft and easy to grab rattles are bound to be well loved and chewed.
$8.99 on Amazon
Encouraging early language skills and exploration through textures.
Make bedtime calming and fun with this baby must-have.
$5.99 on Amazon
Babies as young as 6 months explore textures, refine hand-eye coordination, and master cause-and-effect through open-ended play. Toddlers delight in nesting, sorting by size, stacking and balancing the blocks into a colorful tower.
$24.99 on Amazon, but be sure to check stores like Three Wishes mentioned above as well!
Perfect for infants 6 months+, these floatable, squeezable pals promote sensory play, grip strength, and imaginative water adventures without the worry. Lightweight, quick-drying, and delightfully squishy, they’re the guilt-free splash solution every parent deserves. Bath time just got happier—and a whole lot cleaner. Hole-free, these little toys will not fill with water and grow mold or mildew! Multiple themed sets available.
$19.99 on Amazon
6 Pack of differently textured Sensory Balls
Explore every sensation with Textured Sensory Balls—six vibrant spheres in unique patterns: bumpy, ridged, spiky, smooth, nubby, and wavy. Perfect for tiny hands 6 months+, they boost tactile awareness, grip strength, and endless discovery. Safe, squeezable, and washable fun! Also fun as tactile balls to keep older hands busy.
$13.99 on Amazon
6 Pack of Montessori Style Wooden Puzzles
Unlock big skills with Montessori Wood Puzzles—six chunky animal sets crafted for preschoolers 3+. Smooth edges, vibrant images, and self-correcting fits spark problem-solving, vocabulary, and fine motor mastery through joyful, independent play.
$23.99 on Amazon, but be sure to check our local small businesses first!
These thick crayons are perfect and safe for little hands learning to hold a writing instrument. Pair them with the Coloring Book listed next and enjoy their creativity coming to life!
$15.99 on Amazon
Bug Book for Kids: Coloring Fun and Awesome Facts
A favorite: Coloring AND learning bug facts, made possible by this coloring book perfect for preschool aged children.
$8.99 on Amazon
Safe pretend play made possible by Schleich, in Moss and Ink’s opinion THE brand for rubber animals like this.
Note: Running’s in Streator has a lot of them available as well!
$19.99 on Amazon (the Dino pictured)
Bring stories to life with these colorful Hand Puppets—vibrant, soft fabric friends with wiggle eyes and unlimited potential. Spark imagination, language, and giggles for ages 2+. Machine-washable magic!
$19.49 on Amazon
For the warmer days, but no less fun watching the bubbles freeze in the snow. Available in all the shapes, it will be fun to guess if the bubbles will keep the shape or become round.
$15.99 on Amazon ( Did you know they make bubbles for pets too? In our Pet Guide below! )
Need we say more?
Whether the child is Kindergarten-aged or 40 years old, Lego’s are always a hit!
Lego’s can help enhance creativity as well as spatial reasoning.
$34.99 on Amazon
Stickers, Stickers and more Stickers
Ignite creativity and gives the littles a chance to bedazzle their belongings. Stickers are fun, affordable and encourage self-expression.
Be sure to keep some Goo-gone on hand though.
$7.99 on Amazon
Add a few pieces of this set to the Stockings every other day and watch their imagination expand as they have more and more to incorporate into their ideas.
$16.99 on Amazon
These cute and fun socks, with other themes available, are a great alternative to Movie-/TV- Character themed socks which can be just so expensive! Practical yet fun and playful, also keeps their little feet warm.
$18.99 on Amazon for a Pack of 6 Pairs
Colorful Hair Accessory Set for Girls
Adds flair, is useful for everyday wear and helps with self-expression. Not to mention the possibilities for ‘Crazy Hair Day’!
$14.99 on Amazon
You’re not going to run out until Summer break with this set of over 350 temporary tattoos in all sorts of kid-friendly themes!
$4.99 on Amazon
Gifts for the Tweens:
Available in multiple colors, if your child likes to draw on themselves or others, these are the crayons to do it with!
$16.99 on Amazon
Pocket Tic-Tac-Toe Fidget—a palm-sized, silent classic tic-tac-toe. Smooth silicone board, endless focus fun for ages 8+.
$17.99 on Amazon
Perfect for those rebellious little late-night readers! As someone who devoured all Harry Potter Books via a very small night light as not to be discovered, I would have loved this!
$28.99 on Amazon
Life skills are so often pushed to the back burner but are so incredibly important! Pick a topic out of this book every month and work on it as a family to teach your younger ones, setting them up for the future.
$14.49 on Amazon
These books create lots of laughter, discussion but also some deep thinking at times during tougher decisions.
$11.99 on Amazon
A timeless classic for truly all ages.
Other colors available for this beginner yo-yo.
$8.99 on Amazon
Perfect for those kids that have outgrown their rubber ducks but still love some fun at bath time.
Previously bought for my own children, these are really fun!
$15.99 on Amazon
Fix and play with the Drill and Learn Toolbox by VTech; open this toddler-friendly toolbox and get ready for role-play fun with the included electronic fix-it tray, working toy drill, hammer, wrench, nails and screws.
$29.99 on Amazon
This Doll-included Gymnastics themed set features a balance beam, Gym clothing and accessories.
$32.99 on Amazon
Expert Level Snowball Making Kit
Collect snow, shape it and launch the balls toward your enemy! Hours of icy-fun guaranteed!
Please stay warm, or warm up with Hot Cocoa after the fun!
$25.99 on Amazon
Enjoy some nice Hot Cocoa after that snowball fight with the launcher above!
Also keep an eye out locally for ‘Hot Chocolate Bombs’, ornament shaped chocolate filled with marshmallows and more for a nice cup of hot cocoa, while supporting local Artisans.
This Gift set is $19.99 on Amazon
While technically now the ‘old’ version, it is no less fun than the new device!
$399.99 on Amazon
The newest edition of the classic Switch. Bigger display, improved processing and all the fun.
$499.99 on Amazon
Fun Fact: There is currently NO YouTube App available for the Switch 2
Pick your child’s initial and get their savings started this Christmas!
$22.99 on Amazon
Hours of messy fun cracking open these fossils and discovering which dinosaur they’ve uncovered.
$24.99 on Amazon
Tips for choosing the right Stocking Stuffers and Gifts in general:
- Safety First: Ensure items are age-appropriate, non-toxic and free of small parts for children under 3.
- Mix It Up: Combine Toys, practical items and treats for variety.
- Personalize: Pick items based on the child’s interests, as our Gift Guide is to give a general idea.
Teenager Gift Guide
Magnetic, focus-boosting, stress-relieving. Endless hours of fun!
They have ALL the colors available.
$29.95 on Amazon
This is the bigger size, perfect for Teens but there is also a Mini available so the smaller siblings can feel part f the crew.
$159.99 on Amazon
Burrito Blanket, for your Couch Potato
If you’ve been online recently, you have seen this blanket before. even if gifts as a gag-gift, it is bound to make your teenager crack a smile.
$23.99 on Amazon
Book lovers agree, reading in a dark bedroom with a backlit Kindle, smothered in blankets is the best to do during this cold season!
$110 and up depending on which kind you get.
What quenches thirst better than a Stanley cup?
Be sure to also include a Straw-topper!
$45 on Amazon
The perfect Hoodie to stay warm ( or to steal from your boyfriend ). Big front pocket to keep your hands warm in.
$51.99 on Amazon, other colors available
For those who don’t like those Pods that go into the ear and prefer a more comfortable experience, these are IT.
$249.99 on Amazon
The ultimate noise-cancelling music experience!
But keep good track of them so you don’t end up having to track them down later.
$249.00 on Amazon
Stocked up on Snacks and Energy drinks? Good! Now all they need is an ergonomic chair to keep that behind from getting numb during their weekend raids and gaming marathons.
$149.99 on Amazon
Gifts for Adults
With 3 settings, your coffee is bound to stay hot until after that impromptu meeting or snack request from the tiny manager.
$18.69 on Amazon
Turn simple, real-food ingredients into decadent and good for you treats year round!
$199.99 on Amazon
Make bath time more fun with this waterproof speaker!
Music or podcasts, your body will love the relaxation.
$149.99 on Amazon
Don’t like baths, but are stuffy and need a shower? Drop one o these into the shower with you and you’ll feel the menthol in action as it clears and opens your nose!
A must-have for the cold season ahead.
$29.99 on Amazon
Not ready to commit to the full Bonnet routine every night? You can still give your hair a break with this amazing satin pillow case!
$18.99 on Amazon
Always be ready to go with this heavy duty and durable cosmetic case. Holds all of her make up or his shaving items.
$34.99 on Amazon, more colors available
Dark office space?
Black thumb?
These succulents will never let you down!
$39.99 on Amazon
White Elephant Gift Ideas
A White Elephant Gift Exchange is a fun, quirky party game where everyone brings a wrapped gift (usually inexpensive or recycled). Players take turns stealing gifts from each other or unwrapping new ones, leading to hilarious swaps and surprises.
The gifts in this section lean quirky because the goal is laughter and creativity—not practicality. Think gag gifts, odd gadgets, or absurdly themed items that spark playful competition and memorable moments!
Not just for babies and toddlers in the night, also useful when headed to the bathroom at night without blinding yourself and waking everyone else up.
$16.99 on Amazon
Let’s be honest, this one treat is absolutely everywhere this year! The team at Moss and Ink has yet o try it, but we’re going to soon!
$29.99 on Amazon
An absolute essential for everyone with a long commute that finds themselves eating in their car more often than they’d want to admit.
These little dip holder miracles are clipped into your car vents for convenient dipping.
$12.99 on Amazon
For those practical guys in your life, this is an absolute must have! A mini-toolbox right in their pocket, they’re bound to always look for something that needs a little tune up.
$9.98 on Amazon, but priceless once they come by and fix that squeaky office chair
Add something green to the drab grey of office spaces. With some patience and a little sunlight, this little project is bound to be a success.
$10.94 on Amazon
Not just for beer, these glasses keep all the drinks cold! No more flat AND hot soda for the company’s summer picnic next year!
$27.99 on Amazon
Do not be fooled, this is a tricky one!
The heat of your fingers reveal the colors as you play!
$21.48 on Amazon. Get it before it disappears…..
No time to sit down for lunch and stopped at Taco Bell instead? This kit is going to be a life saver!
$19.99 on Amazon
Black Friday Ads
Find the Black Friday Ads from your favorite retailers linked here:
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-Willow Moss
Affiliate Disclosure
Some links in the Moss & Ink Gift Guide are Amazon affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps keep the guide free and supports more local features—thank you for shopping small and smart! 🎁
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