Showgirl Stocking Stuffers

Last year I listed a series of showgirl stocking stuffers on Facebook. While these are great gifts year round, they're especially perfect at Christmas time because all of my recommendations will fit inside a stocking. I've added a few more to the list.

• Good thread nippers. Don't scrimp on these and buy a $3 pair, even though it may be very tempting. The cheap pairs are barely sharp at all and only nip thread when it's pulled to where the blades meet at the very back. Trust me on this one. Spend a little extra on some Gingers. You can even get a fancy ribbon to tie to them so your seamstress can wear them around her neck while sewing; that's what we did in the costume shop in college.

• Sharpies. It's always handy to have a Sharpie on hand to color in damages on black garments that you notice at the last minute. Great for autograph situations. Some people use them to create beauty marks. I'm all about color, so I buy them to go with my coloring when I find them in golds and bronzes.

• Simple false eyelashes. Your showgirl can always use simple false eyelashes. She can double stack them if she wants them thicker. Get her plenty of them because she will use them.

• If your showgirl travels, chances are she's registered in a frequent flyer program or two. You can gift her some of your miles and that will help her continue her adventures. 

• Every showgirl needs a sewing kit, but a personalized kit will serve better than the standard kit with a brass safety pin and white buttons. Get your showgirl some needles, a wax button (to strengthen the thread), and a spool or two of thread to match the colors she wears most. I go through a lot of Flamingo and Peacock thread, so small spools of those work best. 

• Tiny bottles of favorite hooches, disposable flasks, hidden wine bag bras. If your showgirl likes hooch (or wants to smuggle in a favorite hooch-free drink), these are good investments.

• Every dancer needs a pair of ballet slippers. If the dancer in your life already has a pair, it may be showing signs of wear and tear. Amazon and Dance Distributors are great with sizing. Troll your dancer's wardrobe to see if there is a preferred brand, color, and style.

• Gift her with a coupon for a free foot massage. Dancer feet are calloused, crampy, and overworked. We don't always take the time to treat them with care and respect. I'm not talking a foot massage that would make Marcellus Wallace upset, but the kind that brings relief to her feets.

• More foot stuff! For the times when you can't rub her feet, get her some Yoga Toes. They're a great preventative for bunions, and they give the foot an incredible stretch. You can pick them up (or a comparable brand) at the drug store on your way home!

• Snacks! Tiny packages of favorite snacks are always welcome. Peanuts, mints, jelly babies, jerky, crackers all make great treats for a showgirl on the go.

• This one takes a little work but will be greatly appreciated. Restock the touring toiletry bag with your showgirl's favorite products. Sometimes we get so busy we forget to restock our travel toothpaste, lotions, and tissues between trips. I always carry slivers of artisan soaps from my hometown because my husband hates hotel soaps.

• Give the gift of dance. Gift certificates for a local class or recommended technique videos are very welcome.

• Charming pillboxes, lipstick cases, and tiny yet durable containers are fantastic showgirl stocking stuffers. We always need tins for hair elastics, bobby pins, and pasties.

• Showgirls (and some showboys) can use nail polish. This can be a bit tricky because different folks have different nail polish requirements. One thing is certain: Never buy your showgirl discount nail polish, even if it is just a stocking stuffer. That 99 cent crap can turn nails yellow or peel off right after application.  I'm so rough and tumble that I do best with adhesive nail strips.

• Poo-pourri. I think everyone needs some of this stuff because it is miraculous. Imagine some random girl from high school who you don't recognize talking BS about you to your niece. You may be a jerk who doesn't even remember who she is, but you KNOW your poo doesn't stink if it ever comes up that you think it doesn't. Allows for a comfortable deposit in a shared bathroom on the road and at home. :) 

• Something handmade and useful. We have so much decorative stuff because we dress in decorative stuff. (Some of us are the absolute worst at dusting the decorative stuff we have in our house.) Potholders make great drink coasters. Zippered pillowcases make excellent shoe storage. Hand decorated tote bags are always useful. Placemats are great for the makeup table. Ashtrays for hairpins or safety pins. Pin cushions. Heck, glue some cool stuff to a flask and we'll be over the moon! Handmade stuff is awesome! 

• Stockings, duh. Your girl might go through a lot of stockings if she does stocking peels, or she may just be a fishnet gal. If you can't find her legwear packages for her favorite brand, I'll give you some recommendations in the comments. 

• This one is simple but is perhaps the most valuable. Give your time. Put on "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing" and take some pressure off in an area where you can really help. Washing the dishes, rhinestoning with her simple instructions, hand washing the sparkly bits, cleaning her sewing machine, bringing over salads so she can keep working. You can package this gift simply (Sharpie on a notecard in the stocking), or fancily (an inexpensive watch with a fancy note with poetic words about the gift of time).