Stocking Stuffers

Individually wrapped, $2.25, actually eaten

Most stocking stuffers get opened, acknowledged, and quietly abandoned by January. Meat sticks don't have that problem — they're gone by New Year's, which is the entire job.

Each one is individually wrapped and shelf-stable, so they need no refrigeration and no wrapping. They go straight in.

The move is variety, not volume. Five different flavors beats five of the same one. Alligator and Wild Boar get a reaction. Elk and venison are the ones that get finished first. Maple duck is the surprise nobody expects to like and then does.

For kids' stockings, the milder beef and venison sticks work well — 7 to 10 grams of protein, no MSG, no fillers, and a short ingredient list you can read out loud.

Hardwood smoked in small batches at Zick's Specialty Meats in Michigan, a family smokehouse over forty years old. USDA inspected every production day.

Filling several stockings? Build your own pack to choose the exact mix, or look at the variety bundles if you'd rather split one box across a few people.