Seed packets make the perfect stocking stuffers!

Your mother doesn't need another throw pillow. Your dad has too many pocket knives. Your best friend already has all the kitchen gadgets they can fit in their cupboards. What to get for the person in your life who has everything? Seeds! Maybe we're biased, but seeds are the perfect holiday gift. 

No one needs more clutter, but finding something useful and enjoyable to give is a challenge. The idea of giving experiences instead of material things is gaining steam, but it can be hard to find something affordable. Tickets to the show are pricey, and so is an hour's massage. Seed packets to the rescue! Seeds are inexpensive to buy but pack a big smile factor later on. How much joy can you get from looking at a big patch of sunflowers? A lot!

For that person on your list who already has everything, seed packets are something that is useful, personable, and unique. They'll get put to use, and bring joy and happiness, and maybe a good meal to your loved one. Except for flower seeds, you won't even have to worry about buying the wrong color. And, of course, shopping for them in our new catalog is fun.

Giving seeds as a gift is a unique way to show you care. Gardening is good for our mental health and stress reduction. Growing green plants and connecting with the rhythms of the seasons encourages us to be present in the moment and take notice of our natural surroundings. A bouquet of flowers picked from the garden or a planter of petunias can bring a smile to our faces on a bad day. Gardening is a lifelong hobby and pursuit that brings health and happiness to hundreds of millions of people across the world. Giving seeds is an expression of care and love to those you give them to.  

Seeds are great gifts!

Unlike a super-sized chocolate bar (which makes their pants not fit, and now they need new pants), a packet or three of seeds provides weeks or months of enjoyment, which lasts much longer than the dopamine hit of a sugary snack. 

Seeds are eco-friendly and cost-effective and provide joy long after the holiday gift-giving season is over. Whether vegetable, herb, or flower seeds, they are a memorable gift that people will experience over and over again as the plants grow. 

Seed packets are perfect for hard-to-shop-for people, and even Secret Santa events at work are easy with a few packs of seeds. It's a thoughtful gift, and you'll be able to stay under the spending limit. For traveling loved ones, seeds don't take up space in their luggage or car and won't break or leak. They're easy to mail to those you won't get a chance to visit. 

Even newbie gardeners enjoy a gift of seeds. For experienced green thumbs, have fun choosing quirky or different varieties. Purple beans, black tomatoes, popcorn, gourds, giant pumpkins—the list is endless.

Ten Fun Reasons Seeds are the Perfect Holiday Stocking Stuffer

1. A packet of seeds won't set off the airport metal detector.
2. Seeds don't need batteries.
3. You can't buy the wrong size.
4. Unlike the chocolate bar or musical tie, they won't see it coming.
5. Seed packets don't take up much space in Santa's sleigh.
6. They're easier to tie a bow around than a new car.
7. They don't make noise when the kids find them (ooh, a kazoo!).
8. Seed packets are mysterious when shaken (wrap them up and make them guess).
9. Way more fun than socks. 
10. Herb seeds can be a subtle hint to your relatives that their cooking needs a little more flavor!

Customize it to each person and their skill level

We gardeners know that some plants and seeds are easier to grow than others. Sunflowers and beans pop up reliably, and melons and pumpkins are fun to watch grow. Packets of seeds can be easily tailored to new or experienced gardeners, apartment dwellers, farm-house families, and those with varied hobbies. What cook wouldn't like fresh herbs? Seed packets offer the opportunity to curate a custom flower blend matching someone's favorite colors or gather favorite foods into a collection sure to be well received.

For new gardeners, keep it simple with recognizable plants and easy care. They'll appreciate the gift more when it grows and thrives. Add a handwritten note about when and where to plant them and any care they'll need. A colorful patch of zinnias outside a window will remind them of you all summer long.

Themed seed packet gift ideas

Seeds are perfect for getting creative and having a little fun making it personalized. Here are a few ideas to get your imagination moving.

• Got a Virginia Tech fan? Try some Flamma Orange Celosia and Tidal Wave Red Petunias for a team color-themed garden bed. A Chicago Bulls fan might like some red and white Beacon Impatiens in a container near their grill. 
• BBQ cooks in your life can always use more hot peppers, paste tomatoes, and onions. Make it a package deal with Walla Walla sweet onions, speckled Roman tomatoes, and early Jalapeno seeds for their own barbeque sauce.
• The chef on your list can begin a kitchen-door herb garden with rosemary, thyme, oregano, tarragon,  and dill. They can even grow them indoors. 
• Who loves pesto? A couple packets of Dolce Fresca basil seeds will have them dipping bread and tossing pasta with homemade basil in no time. 
• Smoothie aficionados might like some watermelon, kale, carrots, cucumbers, or pumpkins. Or all of the above!
• A bag of compost and a package of Dill's Atlantic Giant pumpkin seeds for each family member, and you have the makings of a pumpkin growing contest. Start a tradition!

Other items to add on

Some gardeners have everything they need (but the seeds), while others are just starting out. Apartment dwellers might be short on outdoor space and a Tabletop Grow Light System could be just the thing to get their gardening efforts started. A tomato barrel is perfect for helping those with limited space grow tomatoes, cucumbers, or even vining flowers. 

To add more garden-themed gifts under the tree, think about what each gardener or prospective gardener on your list might have a use for. Knee pads or kneeling pads are a functional gift and are always needed. Kneeling on a small rock is the gardening equivalent of stepping on a Lego. Gardening gloves always wear out and need replacing, and no one ever said Humbug to a sassy new watering can. 

Sharing recipes on handwritten note cards and including the seeds for ingredients and herbs is a great way to give a special, personal gift you've put thought and effort into. 

For more holiday shopping ideas, check out our curated Gift Guides, seed kits, and more.