35 Funny Gifts That Will Even Get Curmudgeons to Laugh
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This feature is part of Apartment Therapy's Gift Edit, our holiday package devoted to helping you give the perfect gift in 2021.
My love language is gift-giving. If I have only $20 in my bank account and happen upon a silly gift just meant for a specific friend of mine, there goes that twenty. As you might imagine, with the holiday season approaching, I've already got a running list of who's getting what. And unsurprisingly, most of the gifts are more than a little goofy.
Given *gestures to everything*, everyone could use a hearty laugh. Pair that with a thoughtful gesture for the pop-culture-loving, quirky, and Very Online folks in your life, and you're sure to be this season's gift giver supreme. Here are some gift ideas that are LOL-guaranteed, I promise.
Etsy
Puzzles have had a major comeback since the pandemic began, and now that folks have had plenty of time to develop a mastery of jigsaw puzzle completion, it's time to kick it up a notch. The Puzzle Impossible: Extreme Clear Jigsaw Puzzle is sure to infuriate the most competitive puzzle-solvers out there. This holiday season, ruin someone's life with this challenge and celebrate hard if they ever figure it out.
Moss Amigos
This gift is truly bonkers, and I can't say enough good things about it. Does your friend need… a friend? Something fundamentally absurd to brighten their day? Send them a little amigo… a Moss Amigo. Customize the amigo's habitat with different stones and even hats! Yes, the ball-of-moss friend can have its own wee hat! Have I lost my mind?! Have YOU?
Society6
As a dedicated fan of the groundbreaking artwork of Lisa Frank, but also sort of a fan of the occult, I appreciate this gift at the intersection of my interests. This notebook is designed to resemble the artistic styling of Lisa Frank's staple 1990s school supplies, but has a devilish little twist: Baphomet, the devil-god of chaos.
Amazon
No "Sopranos" fan's kitchen is complete without Artie Bucco's recipes at hand. This cookbook serves up far more than baccala recipes, with plenty of insider features from the show's characters as well. I can't even rewatch any episode of the series without a plate of pro-shoot or gabagool to munch on. For the "Sopranos" lover in your life, this is the ultimate kitchen companion.
Amazon
One of the simplest upgrades I made when returning to my office this fall was my new Ouija board mousepad. It's perfect for answering your own little questions. "Did this person need to reply-all on that email?" The mouse guides me to No. "Should I quit this job?" The mouse guides me to Yes. This mouse pad has made me a believer!
Little Rooms
Some friendships are so unique, they're difficult to define. The peas to my carrots? The peanut butter to my jelly? No. The Bigfoot to my Yeti. Share this unexpected and eye-catching take on the classic BFF necklace with your BFF. Even the most elusive and misunderstood of mountain creatures deserves a best pal. Celebrate your friendship with yours!
Cocktail Critters
Speaking of mythical creatures, who doesn't love Nessie? Fun fact: I've been to Loch Ness, and I so desperately want to believe, but the local museum doesn't even seem to have faith in its own monster. Major bummer! What we Scots do have faith in is our whisky. Keep those rocks glasses cool with Scotch Ness Monster whisky stones.
Amazon
For the parents who spend their days scrubbing crayon marks off of everything, picking up after messy eaters, and tidying up post-tantrum, the last thing they need is more "kid stuff." Thankfully, the folks at Play-Doh have made some grown-up scents for parents to enjoy during playtime (or after bedtime!) Mom Jeans and Overpriced Latte are just two of the scents available. Channel your inner child while staying true to your outer adult.
Urban Outfitters
Take it from me, the owner of a corgi: everyone likes their butts. Even the meanest-looking tough dude cracks a smile when they see my small idiot strolling toward them. It's wonderful. The Little Book of Big Corgi Butts pays homage to our little loaves and their hilarious, stupid booties. Activities, prompts, and pictures bring out the corgi-lover in all of us.
Urban Outfitters
Retro-inspired holiday decorations are all the rage, as are fun twists on the old classics. Ceramic trees in particular are having a moment. This tiny Christmas Cactus from Urban Outfitters fits neatly on a styled shelf or in an office cubicle, spreading holiday cheer wherever it lands. Plus, this gift comes with a mini book detailing unique Christmas traditions from around the world. Wholesome and quirky!
REI
Axe throwing has really blown up as a recreational activity the past few years. The only person to turn me down for a trip to the axe-throwing bar was Karl, who said that growing up in rural Georgia, he would just do this in the woods for free. Fair point! But for those whose youth didn't involve whacking trees with sharp objects unsupervised, you can bring the axe-throwing lounge home with this foam option. Fun for everyone, and not nearly as dangerous!
Etsy
Imagine the look on your pals' faces when they think they're logging onto your Wifi, only to get Rick Rolled. This classic Very Online bait and switch will never get old. The QR Code Wifi Prank is the ideal gift for your loved ones who want to convey, "you're welcome in this home, but never ever safe."
Pacsun
If you know a fan of pop-culture deep cuts, I've got a t-shirt for you. Yeah, it's a t-shirt from the fictional pizza place beloved by the entire McCallister family of Home Alone fame. Honestly, Pizza Delivery Guy is the backbone of that film. Braving Chicago's northern suburbs' snowy streets to then survive what he thought was a mafia shoot-out but what was really just "Angels with Filthy Souls"? Local hero. Wear your Little Nero's t-shirt proudly.
Pinhole Press
I need two hands to count the number of cross-country friends of mine who gave birth to babies during the pandemic. Now those kids are crawling, walking, some even talking! (Word alert: Crosby Kappmeyer is officially saying "bubbles!") Until I have the opportunity to meet these kids, I'm going to send each of them a personalized memory game with tons of pictures of my face! They'll develop motor skills and brain power while gazing at ME! What could be better?
Etsy
Pyrex aficionados go hard. Their dedication to the beloved vintage pieces should be celebrated not just at garage sales, flea markets, and vintage fairs, but on the Christmas tree as well. Enter Etsy's Twinkltoast, whose Pyrex and other vintage-inspired gifts are so niche and perfect and darling, it will delight your estate-sale shoppin' pal. These are also the ideal gift for grandparents or great-aunts whose hand-me-down Pyrex have landed on your own shelves (thank you Grandma Ann!).
Anecdote Candles
Anecdote Candles have a way of taking a precise feeling and capturing it in candle wax. Since pretty much every millennial I know right now is enduring a quarter-life crisis, I'll be buying these in bulk for all my anxiety-ridden comrades. Per Anecdote, this scent emits the familiar aroma of "all panic and no disco." Give your flustered friends the gift of empathy and self-care.
Amazon
Sorry to break it to you, but the Minions are cute and good. Their villainous high jinks, and their sweet little language? I mean! If your friend or family member has been debating whether to make the Crock-Pot leap, give them the slow cooker they didn't know they wanted. Better yet, give it to someone who has never expressed interest in a slow cooker or Minions. No regrets!
Shutterfly
I love a good personalized gift. I've given custom calendars filled with photos of a favorite pet, a personalized fanny pack covered in photos of my friend's face. (I have yet to see her wear it. Weird.) But with the amount of items available to customize, you might as well get creative, which is why I am enthusiastically advocating for gifting personalized wind chimes. You can design them with an image of the recipient's face, or add a favorite movie quote, inside joke, or a phrase like, um, "I <3 The Wind."
Amazon
Snoozies are one of my go-to gifts; they're incredibly cozy, you don't have to get too specific about size when ordering, and they come in lots of patterns ranging from respectable plaid to poker-playing dogs to pink sequins. This "mama needs some wine" pair will go over great with both actual wine moms and ironic wine mom culture enthusiasts.
Redbubble
I love stumbling upon really specific gifts, like this "Best Commercial Pilot and even Better Grandfather" travel mug. I have so many questions. How many people buy these? What if you know a good commercial pilot who's only a mediocre grandpa? RedBubble is full of these items, which are actually perfect to buy for people who check none of the specified boxes, but can nonetheless appreciate a good joke (and a nice travel mug).
Amazon
Certain people are just impossible to buy gifts for, whether they have already bought everything they want or they have very specific tastes or they're your dad. Those kinds of people should absolutely be made fun of, and The Present of Nothing is the most straightforward way to do it.
Amazon
She's an icon, she's a legend, and she is the moment... this chicken purse is a flawless gift for the person in your life whose whole personality is owning chickens, or for anyone, really. And if that special someone is too... chicken to use this bad boy as a day-to-day purse, this chonky girl could definitely be used for home storage.
Etsy
For the minion lover in your life who already has a slow cooker, these bath bombs are the ticket. You can choose between two scents: lemon/jelly donut or lemon/vanilla. Each mini bomb comes with a Kevin or Bob figurine inside. They're perfect.
Drizly
It's the gift of choice for someone you used to drink with in college: a 3.5 liter box of Fireball. While they might not actually enjoy the taste of Fireball, receiving this boxed wine-style gift is sure to give them a laugh and bring back some good, bad, and gross memories. And every sip of the 3.5 liters will bring back even more gross memories. You're such a good friend!
Amazon
The problem with the game Clue, in my humble opinion, is there isn't enough Betty White. The Golden Girls fan in your life will be as excited receiving this present as they will be choosing whether to play as Rose, Blanche, Dorothy, or Sophia. And don't worry, no one gets murdered in Golden Girls Clue; the only mystery that needs to be solved is who ate the last piece of cheesecake.
Urban Outfitters
Who said tarot readings had to be serious? This cat tarot deck can predict your death in the most adorable way possible. It's a complete, 78-card tarot deck, but the hermit card is a cat hiding in a paper bag, and all the cups in the cups suit are water bowls. It's the cutest thing I've ever seen, and it even comes with a guidebook for those who are new to tarot (or at least new to cat tarot).
Amazon
Tea is another go-to gift of mine, and this pla-TEA-pus strainer adds some whimsy to a cup of chamomile. Since a lot of people don't have loose-leaf tea lying around, try pairing the strainer with some tea from a shop like Ivy's Tea Co. or BLK & Bold. Your giftee can sip their new tea while reading up on platypus facts. Did you know they don't have stomachs?
Etsy
Ah, a plant. A tried-and-true gift choice for housewarmings and people you don't know that well. But what if the gift was CARNIVOROUS? A bug-eating plant like a Venus Flytrap is a funny, bizarre twist on a classic present. My favorite thing about these plants is how they essentially have teeth. Unfortunately, this Etsy seller recommends not feeding it people food, so definitely, absolutely don't try giving it Hot Cheetos.
Amazon
My family members are dedicated trivia-goers, with a longstanding Wednesday tradition of bar trivia at their local pub. My mom even keeps the questions every week so she can quiz my grandparents and my brother and me over the phone. Without fail, she always feigns a heart attack when I don't know an obscure detail about a black and white film from the 1930s. Thankfully, Mind the Gap exists so that everyone from every generation in my family has a chance to flaunt those trivia skills.
Etsy
Is Tom Petty really a heartbreaker? What can't Kevin Jonas live without? The answers to these questions and so much more can be found in old issues of teen magazines. Trust me, anyone you give an old issue of Tiger Beat to will love skimming through its dated pages. You can find tons of old issues on eBay, and you can even personalize your gift by buying an issue with your giftee's crush on the cover.
Amazon
Take it from my mom, who has a salt and pepper shaker set for every occasion: you need a statement set! These quirky salt and pepper shakers are like a little ecosystem on your table. Plus, you'll never worry about having to count the number of holes on the top of the shaker to figure out what's about to be mixed into your scrambled eggs. It's obvious! Desert pepper, winter salt! Your gift recipient will be shaking with joy (I'm sorry).
Etsy
TikTok has cranked up the dial on our '90s nostalgia/obsession, and I'm here for it. For the groovy pharmacist, wannabe-raver, or highly-medicated-and-proud (me) pal in your life, these resin coasters are sure to make a statement on a coffee table. Honestly, I'm trying to verbalize why I am so entranced by these dang coasters, and all I can come up with is that they're just… super cool? Tight? Da bomb? What did we say back then? Take a chill pill and put in an order for this gift!
Urban Outfitters
This upcycled basketball planter adds a pop of wonder to a houseplant collection. If you have a loved one with a green thumb or some serious skills on the court, this oddball vessel might be the trick for catching their curiosity. Plus, everyone loves an unusual statement piece in a house, and this planter's sure to conjure some conversations — or at least result in the reporting of some bygone era's b-ball stats. Hopefully it's the former!
The WB Shop
Did you know that in the UK, mug means "an easily cheated person"? So if someone at a gift swap stole this "Ted Lasso" vessel from you, you'd be a gullible mug for getting mugged for your mug. (Jason Sudeikis, please hire me for your writer's room!) This coffee mug is perfect for your daily meetings with the boss, the Friday "Ted Lasso" episode drop, or simply for dunking your biscuit.
Uncommon Goods
For the friend who's found themself longing for the early days of the pandemic, hunkering down all alone in their one-bedroom apartment catching up on life (OK, the friend is me), this JOMO Journal is just the ticket. While pals are out socializing, stay inside and enjoy a Me Party. Make some lists! Do an activity! Follow the prompt! Perfect for your pal who craves a night in.
Additional reporting by Loretta Donelan
Sarah Magnuson
Contributor
Sarah Magnuson is a Chicago-based, Rockford, Illinois-born and bred writer and comedian. She has bachelor's degrees in English and Sociology and a master's degree in Public Service Management. When she's not interviewing real estate experts or sharing her thoughts on laundry chutes (major proponent), Sarah can be found producing sketch comedy shows and liberating retro artifacts from her parents' basement.
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