By Priscilla Le
The most wonderful time of the year is here. And with all of the holly-jolly, the popular tradition of gift-giving sends consumers bustling through stores, online or in person, to find the perfect gifts for their loved ones.
The saying “it’s the thought that counts” is an essential mindset when it comes to gift giving. And what better encapsulates this adage than gag gifts, which are specific to the recipient? These personalized gifts foster lasting memories without breaking the bank. So what are you waiting for? Opt for gag gifts this season.
But where do you start? Let me give you a few ideas.
The goal of a gag gift is to make the other person laugh and feel appreciated, doing so by appealing to the giftee’s sense of humor or by reminding them of a memory or inside joke (Bonus points if the memory is solely between you two; this provides more intimacy). It is a single present that needs no introduction or explanation. As long as you and your recipient get the meaning of the gift, then the memory will be established, even if it only makes sense between the two of you. A general rule of thumb: if the average person does not get the context, then you’re on the right track.
Last year, I gave one of my teachers a 16-pack of rubber thimbles to accelerate her ability to pass out and sort through papers. Even though it was extremely niche, perhaps useless to the average person, it created a new memory for us to share, and BONUS it was extremely useful. She still uses them to this day.
With these types of gifts, having them open it in front of you is a must; it ensures that they get the joke and that you guys can laugh about it together, creating additional memories.
Of course, there are sentimental gag gifts. But what about the ones where you just want to just laugh?
Random objects will work. Give a rubber duck to your friend. Or a desktop inflatable man. Maybe glow-in-the-dark glasses. Go crazy. Print up a bunch of memes for them to look through. Create a video reenacting their favorite scene from Titanic. Whatever the case, if you make it random, fun and chaotic, then you’ll surely get a few laughs.
If you want to go down a less chaotic, but still funny route, anything miniature is sure to get a positive response. Not only is it adorable, but you can personalize the object to who they are as a person. Are they a violinist? Boom. Mini. Violin. Do they play a sport? Boom. Tiny. Sport. Equipment. Do they like art? Boom. Mini. Art. Kit. The possibilities are endless!
These gifts can be bought or handmade. Whatever the case, they should ultimately point back to making the giftee feel special—which in the Christmas spirit warrants even the most absurd yet thoughtful of gifts.
