Use a custom-made bobblehead that looks like them, not another framed photo.
The Static Smile vs. the Wobbling Work of Art
A framed photo is a lovely, but flat and static, memory. A custom-made bobblehead is a gift of hilarious, three-dimensional, personalized art. You simply upload a few photos of your friend, and an artist creates a miniature, wobbly-headed version of them, often in an outfit related to their job or hobby. It’s not just a copy of their face; it’s a caricature that captures their essence. It’s a gift that transforms a simple likeness into a unique, surprising, and delightfully weird object of joy for their desk.
Stop buying “gag gifts.” Do something genuinely weird and wonderful from a site like Uncommon Goods instead.
The Cheap Laugh vs. the Curious Delight
A “gag gift” from a novelty store—like a whoopee cushion or a singing fish—is a cheap, one-note joke that quickly becomes junk. A gift from a site that specializes in “uncommon goods” is a different kind of weird. It’s the kind of weird that is clever, well-designed, and genuinely interesting. Think a mushroom-growing log, a cocktail smoking kit, or a candle that melts to reveal a metal skeleton. You’re not just giving a cheap laugh; you’re giving a gift of curious, delightful, and often surprisingly functional wonder.
Stop just getting a bottle of wine. Do a square-foot of land in Scotland that makes them a Lord or Lady.
The Drink They’ll Forget vs. the Title They’ll Flaunt Forever
A bottle of wine is a nice, but forgettable, hostess gift. For a similar price, you can buy them a tiny, one-square-foot plot of land on a preserved estate in Scotland. This novelty purchase legally entitles them to use the title of “Lord” or “Lady.” You are not just giving them a beverage; you are giving them a new, hilarious, and surprisingly official title. It’s a gift that comes with a certificate, a fun story, and the endless, pompous joy of insisting that their friends now address them by their proper title.
The #1 secret for a gift for the person who has everything is to give them a unique experience, not another object.
The Object They Don’t Need vs. the Story They Can Tell
The person who has everything does not need another object to dust. They have already bought all the “things” they want. The #1 secret for a great gift is to stop thinking about nouns and start thinking about verbs. Don’t give them a thing; give them a memory. A class in a weirdly specific skill like blacksmithing, a private tour of a local factory, a session in a sensory deprivation tank—these are gifts that can’t be bought on Amazon. You’re giving them a unique, and clutter-free, story to tell.
I’m just going to say it: That “funny” gift you’re thinking of is only funny to you.
The Inside Joke That Stays Inside
You have a hilarious inside joke with a friend, and you think it would make a great “funny” gift. The problem is, a joke that is hilarious in a fleeting conversation can often feel awkward and strange when it is immortalized on a physical object, like a t-shirt or a mug. Your gift is now a public performance of a private joke, and it’s likely not as funny as you think it is. When in doubt, it’s best to let the funny memory be a funny memory, not a piece of physical clutter.
The reason your quirky gift fell flat is because it was just weird, not personal or thoughtful.
Weird for the Sake of Weird
You buy a quirky gift, like a lamp shaped like a squid, because you want to give something unique and memorable. But the recipient has never expressed any interest in squids or nautical decor. Your gift wasn’t thoughtful; it was just weird for the sake of being weird. A successful quirky gift is one that is at the intersection of “weird” and “personal.” It’s a strange and wonderful object that is also a perfect, and surprisingly insightful, match for the recipient’s specific and unique personality.
If you’re still giving a generic “experience day,” you’re losing the unique thrill of a class in something like blacksmithing or glassblowing.
The Pre-Packaged “Fun” vs. the Primal Act of Creation
A generic “experience day” certificate is a fine, but often pre-packaged and impersonal, gift. A class in a primal, elemental skill, however, is a gift of a different magnitude. In a blacksmithing or glassblowing class, you are not a passive consumer of an experience; you are an active creator. You are working with fire, with molten metal or glass, and you are creating a solid, beautiful object with your own hands. It’s a thrilling, visceral, and deeply satisfying experience that a generic spa day can’t hope to match.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about the person who has everything is that they don’t want anything.
The Myth of the Un-Giftable Person
We often give up on the person who “has everything,” assuming they are impossible to shop for and don’t actually want anything. The lie is that their desires are fulfilled. The truth is, they don’t want more of the same “stuff” that they can already buy for themselves. What they often crave are the things that money can’t easily buy: a unique, surprising experience; a gift that shows you have been paying incredibly close attention to a small, passing comment; or the simple, priceless gift of your undivided time and attention.
I wish I knew about naming a star after someone for a truly out-of-this-world gift.
A Gift on Earth vs. a Gift in the Heavens
For years, I would give my loved ones standard, earth-bound gifts. I wish I had known about the wonderfully romantic and quirky gift of naming a star. For a small fee, you can choose a star in the night sky and officially name it in a registry. You receive a beautiful, formal certificate with the star’s coordinates and your chosen name. It’s a gift that is both scientifically real and deeply symbolic, a way of saying, “You are a shining, permanent, and beautiful part of my universe.”
99% of people make this one mistake with a unique gift: choosing something that creates clutter.
The Quirky Object That Becomes a Burden
You find a unique, quirky, and interesting decorative object. It’s a great conversation starter. The mistake is that this interesting object is also a piece of physical clutter that the recipient now has to find a permanent home for. A great unique gift is often one that is either consumable (like a bizarre but delicious hot sauce), experiential (like tickets to a strange play), or digital. These gifts provide the same thrill of novelty without the long-term burden of a physical object that needs to be dusted.
This one small action of commissioning a custom song about the recipient will be a gift they never forget.
A Playlist of Their Favorite Songs vs. a Song That’s All About Them
A playlist is a wonderful, curated gift. But this one small action can create a gift that is on a whole other level of personal. You can find talented musicians online who, for a reasonable price, will write and record a custom, professional-quality song based on the stories and details you provide about the recipient. It is a gift of a completely original, one-of-a-kind piece of art that is a tribute to their life. It is a jaw-dropping, emotional, and unforgettable experience.
Use a Cameo video message from their favorite B-list celebrity, not a generic birthday card.
The Card They’ll Read vs. the Video They’ll Never Forget
A birthday card is a nice, traditional gesture that is read once and then recycled. A Cameo video is a completely unforgettable, modern alternative. For a surprisingly reasonable price, you can get a minor celebrity—a favorite reality TV star, a retired athlete, a B-list actor from a show they love—to record a personalized video message for their birthday. The moment they realize their favorite Housewife is wishing them a happy birthday by name is a moment of pure, surreal joy they will talk about for years.
Stop buying a generic art print. Do a custom “royal” portrait with their face photoshopped onto a classic painting instead.
The Pretty Picture vs. the Hilarious Masterpiece
A generic art print is a nice, but impersonal, piece of wall decor. A custom “royal” portrait is a gift of personalized, historical hilarity. You simply send a photo of your friend or their pet to an artist, who then masterfully and seamlessly replaces the face in a classic, historical portrait with the face of your loved one. The result is a ridiculously formal and incredibly funny piece of art that is a guaranteed conversation starter and a source of endless amusement.
Stop getting them another subscription box. Do a subscription to a mystery/puzzle box like Hunt A Killer instead.
The Box of Stuff vs. the Box That’s a Story
A standard subscription box is a monthly delivery of “stuff.” A subscription to a mystery-in-a-box game is a delivery of an interactive, evolving story. Each month, a new package arrives with a collection of clues, ciphers, and evidence related to a complex, fictional murder mystery. You’re not just giving them a box of products; you’re giving them a collaborative, immersive, and thrilling “game night” experience, a chance to be the detectives in their own, private crime drama.
The #1 hack for a unique gift is to find something that serves a hyper-specific, niche purpose.
The General Tool vs. the Specialist’s Secret Weapon
A great, unique gift is often not a general, all-purpose item, but a tool that is brilliantly designed to do one, hyper-specific, and slightly weird job. Think a dedicated “avocado slicer,” a special pair of herb-stripping scissors, or a heated ice cream scoop. These are the clever, “why didn’t I think of that?” gadgets that solve a small, but persistent, niche problem. They are a gift that shows you have thought about the tiny, specific details of a person’s life.
I’m just going to say it: That box of assorted hot sauces is going to sit unused in their fridge.
The Collection vs. the Single Favorite
A big, pre-packaged gift set of a dozen different, novelty hot sauces seems like a great gift for a spice lover. The reality is, they will try one or two, find a favorite, and the other ten bottles of weirdly-flavored, mediocre sauce will sit in the back of their refrigerator, slowly expiring, for the next five years. A better gift is to do a little detective work and buy them a large bottle of a single, high-quality, artisanal hot sauce that you know they will genuinely love and use.
The reason your fandom gift was a miss is because you got a detail from the movie wrong that a true fan would notice.
The Casual Fan vs. the Hardcore Fanatic
You buy a gift for a fan of a big franchise, but you’re only a casual observer yourself. You buy a t-shirt with a quote on it, not realizing that the quote is from the terrible sequel that all the true fans hate. Or you buy a replica of a prop, but it’s the wrong color. These are the small, but crucial, details that a true fanatic will notice immediately. Your gift, while well-intentioned, is a signal that you are an outsider who doesn’t really get it.
If you’re still buying a generic board game, you’re losing the collaborative fun of a tabletop role-playing game starter set.
The Competitive Game vs. the Shared Story
A standard board game is often a competitive experience, a race to see who will win. A starter set for a tabletop role-playing game, like Dungeons & Dragons, is a gift of a completely different kind. It is a collaborative, story-building experience. There is no “winner.” The players work together as a team to overcome challenges and create a unique, shared adventure. You’re not just giving them a game; you’re giving them a framework for collective imagination and epic storytelling.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about quirky gifts is that they can’t also be practical.
The Gimmick vs. the Genius
We often think of “quirky” gifts as being useless, novelty “gags.” The lie is that “quirky” and “practical” are mutually exclusive. The best quirky gifts are the ones that are both genuinely weird and surprisingly useful. Think of a bottle opener shaped like a dinosaur, a set of nesting dolls that are also measuring cups, or a beautiful, sculptural rain chain to replace a boring downspout. These are gifts that provide the delight of the unexpected and the lasting value of a well-designed tool.
I wish I knew about getting a custom comic book made with them as the superhero.
Their Favorite Superhero vs. Them as the Superhero
My friend loved comic books, and I would always buy him the latest graphic novel. I wish I had known that there are services that can turn a person into the hero of their own, custom-made comic book. You provide a few photos and some story ideas, and an artist will create a short, professional-looking comic where your friend is the one with the superpowers, saving the day. It’s the ultimate fantasy-fulfillment gift, a way to see themselves as the hero they already are in your eyes.
99% of people make this one mistake with a “funny” gift: it’s at the recipient’s expense.
The Shared Laugh vs. the Lonely Punchline
A “funny” gift should be one that you can both laugh at together. The mistake is to give a gift where the recipient is the butt of the joke. A gag gift that makes fun of their receding hairline, their age, or a past mistake is not a shared laugh; it is a public roast. It can be hurtful and embarrassing. The best funny gifts are the ones that are based on a shared, funny memory or a quirky inside joke, where the humor is inclusive and kind, not pointed and personal.
This one small action of getting a custom puzzle made from a ridiculously funny or obscure photo will be a massive hit.
The Pretty Landscape vs. the Personal Punchline
A puzzle of a pretty landscape is a relaxing, but impersonal, activity. This one small action—of taking the most ridiculously funny or weirdly specific photo you have of your friend and having it turned into a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle—is a gift of personalized hilarity. As they piece the puzzle together, the absurd and wonderful image is slowly revealed, creating a moment of pure, surprised, and joyful laughter. The puzzle is not just an activity; it is the slow-burn reveal of a perfect punchline.
Use a high-quality, hand-carved puzzle box, not a generic gift box.
The Disposable Box vs. the Gift That Is a Game
A generic gift box is a simple, disposable container for your real gift. A beautiful, hand-carved, wooden puzzle box is a gift in itself. The recipient can’t just open it; they have to solve the secret, often complex, series of moves to unlock it. You are not just giving them a present; you are giving them a challenge, a mystery, and a fun, interactive game. The box itself is a beautiful, intriguing object that will be kept and used long after the initial gift has been revealed.
Stop buying a generic gift certificate. Do a gift certificate to a rage room instead.
The Standard Spa Day vs. the Cathartic Smash
A gift certificate for a massage is a classic gift of relaxation. A gift certificate for a “rage room” is a gift of pure, unadulterated, cathartic release. A rage room is a safe and controlled environment where you are given a baseball bat, protective gear, and a room full of old, breakable items—like plates, printers, and glassware—and you are encouraged to smash everything to smithereens. It’s a primal, exhilarating, and surprisingly joyful way to release a huge amount of pent-up stress and frustration.
Stop just getting them a new gadget. Do a course on how to use a 3D printer at a local makerspace instead.
The Tool vs. the Power to Create Any Tool
A new gadget is a great gift. A class on how to use a truly transformative piece of technology, like a 3D printer, is a gift of a superpower. Instead of just giving them a single, pre-made object, you are giving them the knowledge to design and create any object they can imagine. A membership or a class at a local makerspace is a gift of empowerment, a key that unlocks a world of creativity, invention, and the mind-blowing ability to turn a digital idea into a physical reality.
The #1 secret for a gift for a pop culture fanatic is to find a piece of subtle, high-quality merchandise, not a loud t-shirt.
The Walking Billboard vs. the Secret Handshake
A loud t-shirt with a giant movie logo on it can feel a bit like a walking billboard. A true fan often appreciates a more subtle and sophisticated nod to their favorite piece of pop culture. The #1 secret is to find a high-quality, understated piece of merchandise—a beautifully designed enamel pin, a piece of jewelry that is a subtle replica of a prop from the show, a pair of socks with a clever, repeating pattern. It’s a “secret handshake” gift that only another true fan would recognize.
I’m just going to say it: Nobody actually wants a singing fish.
The One-Joke Wonder
The “Big Mouth Billy Bass” was a cultural phenomenon, a novelty gift that was hilarious for about five minutes. And then, it was just a creepy, plastic fish on the wall that would gather dust and occasionally startle you by bursting into song. It’s the perfect example of a one-joke wonder, a gift whose entire value is depleted in the first moment of surprise. A truly good, quirky gift is one that continues to be interesting, useful, or delightful long after the initial joke has worn off.
The reason your interesting gift wasn’t appreciated is because there was no story behind it.
The Random Object vs. the Meaningful Memento
You give someone a simple, interesting-looking, wooden object. They appreciate it, but it feels random. Now, imagine you give them that same object and say, “I got this for you on my trip to the coast. It’s a piece of driftwood that has been smoothed by the ocean for years. It made me think of your resilience.” The object is now imbued with a story. It has a history, a meaning, and a personal connection to you. A great gift is not just the object; it’s the story that comes with it.
If you’re still buying a generic “nerd” gift, you’re losing the specific appeal of a licensed prop replica from their favorite movie.
The Themed T-Shirt vs. a Piece of the World
A t-shirt with a nerdy slogan is a generic gift. For a true fan, a high-quality, officially licensed, 1:1 scale prop replica from their favorite movie is a gift of a different magnitude. It could be a wizard’s wand, a starship captain’s communicator, or a superhero’s iconic weapon. You are not just giving them a piece of merchandise; you are giving them a tangible, physical piece of the fictional world they love. It’s a gift that allows them to hold a piece of their favorite story in their own hands.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about gift-giving is that it needs to be serious.
The Solemn Exchange vs. the Playful Surprise
Gift-giving can often feel like a very formal, serious, and high-pressure affair. The lie is that it has to be this way. The truth is, gift-giving can, and should, be a source of fun, laughter, and playfulness. A gift that is genuinely funny, weird, or surprising can create a more memorable and joyful moment of connection than the most expensive and “serious” present. Don’t be afraid to be a little bit silly. The goal is joy, not solemnity.
I wish I knew about the existence of custom face-cutout air fresheners for cars.
The Generic Pine Tree vs. Your Floating Head
For years, my go-to, small, funny gift was a generic, pine-tree-shaped air freshener. It was a boring, low-effort choice. I wish I had known that you can get a custom air freshener made with a cutout of any face you want. The idea of your own goofy, smiling face, or the face of their beloved pet, dangling from their rearview mirror and smelling like “new car” is a brilliantly weird, personal, and hilarious gift that is guaranteed to be a hit.
99% of people make this one mistake with an “inside joke” gift: the joke isn’t as funny as they remember.
The Legendary Joke vs. the Muted Reality
You have an inside joke that, in your memory, was the most hilarious moment of all time. You decide to immortalize this joke on a t-shirt or a mug. The mistake is that time can often sand the edges off a joke. When the recipient opens it, the reaction is a polite smile, not the uproarious laughter you were expecting. The joke, removed from its original context, has lost its magic. Sometimes, the best inside jokes are the ones that are left as perfect, un-monetized memories.
This one small action of donating to a weird and wonderful charity in their name will be a memorable gift.
The Standard Charity vs. the Bat Conservation
A donation to a well-known charity is a wonderful gift. A more memorable and quirky gift is to find a reputable, but slightly weird and wonderful, charity that aligns with the recipient’s personality. You can make a donation in their name to a bat conservation group, a sloth sanctuary, or an organization that preserves old, historical maps. It’s a gift that is both ethically sound and delightfully unexpected, and it will be a much more interesting story to tell than a standard donation.
Use a historical map of their hometown from the year they were born, not a generic piece of wall art.
A Pretty Picture vs. a Personal Time Machine
A generic piece of art is a simple decoration. A historical map of a person’s hometown, from the year they were born, is a personal time machine. It’s a fascinating, and often surprising, snapshot of the world as it was when they entered it. They can see the streets they grew up on, and the places that have changed or disappeared. It’s a gift that is not just a map; it’s a piece of their own, personal history, a conversation starter, and a beautiful piece of art, all in one.
Stop buying a generic gag gift from a novelty store. Do a high-quality, hilarious card game like Cards Against Humanity instead.
The One-Off Joke vs. the Engine for a Hundred Jokes
A generic gag gift, like a snake in a can, provides one, five-second joke. A high-quality, well-designed, and genuinely hilarious party game is an engine that can generate hundreds of jokes and a whole evening of laughter. It’s a gift that is not just a one-off prank, but a reusable tool for creating a fun, social, and memorable experience with friends. It’s the difference between telling one joke and giving the gift of a whole comedy show.
Stop just getting them a book. Do a book with a hidden flask inside instead.
The Story on the Page vs. the Secret in the Book
A book is a great gift. A book that has been hollowed out to perfectly conceal a stainless steel flask is a gift of a different, and more mischievous, caliber. It’s a gift that combines a love of literature with a touch of spy-movie cool. It’s a clever, beautifully crafted, and surprising object that is both a fun novelty and a genuinely useful and discreet way to carry a little tipple. It’s a gift that is guaranteed to get a surprised and delighted reaction.
The #1 hack for a unique foodie gift is a kit to grow their own gourmet mushrooms.
The Store-Bought Mushrooms vs. the Magical, Home-Grown Harvest
A box of gourmet mushrooms from the store is a delicious treat. A “grow your own” mushroom log is a gift of a magical and fascinating science experiment that happens on your kitchen counter. You simply mist the log with water, and within a week or two, a beautiful and alien-looking cluster of delicious, gourmet mushrooms—like oyster or lion’s mane—will erupt from the side. It’s a fun, easy, and incredibly rewarding gift that provides a truly fresh and unique culinary experience.
I’m just going to say it: That “bacon-scented” everything is disgusting.
The Quirky Idea vs. the Nauseating Reality
A few years ago, there was a powerful and misguided trend of “bacon-scented” novelty items—candles, air fresheners, soaps. The idea sounds quirky and fun. The reality is that the artificial, chemical approximation of the smell of bacon is a nauseating and deeply unpleasant scent that will linger in your home like a greasy ghost. A gift should be a pleasant experience. Do not inflict the horror of synthetic, smoky meat scent on the people you love.
The reason your novelty gift is in a landfill is because it had no purpose beyond the initial laugh.
The 30-Second Gift
A novelty gift is designed for one thing: the initial, 30-second moment of surprise and laughter when it is opened. After that, its purpose is fulfilled. It is not useful, it is not beautiful, and it has no further role to play in the recipient’s life. It becomes a piece of clutter, a source of guilt, and eventually, a resident of the local landfill. A great, quirky gift is one that continues to be useful or delightful long after that initial, 30-second laugh has faded.
If you’re still buying a generic gift, you’re losing the joy of discovering something truly bizarre on Etsy.
The Big-Box Store vs. the Global Bazaar of Weird
A generic gift from a big-box store is a safe, but boring and predictable, choice. A site like Etsy is a giant, global bazaar, a treasure trove of the handmade, the unique, and the wonderfully bizarre. With a few creative search terms, you can find a gift that is so specific, so weird, and so perfectly tailored to the recipient’s personality that they will be convinced you are a mind-reader. You are not just buying a gift; you are going on an adventure to find a one-of-a-kind treasure.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about the person who has everything is that they are hard to shop for.
The Myth of the Un-Giftable
The person who “has everything” is often seen as the most difficult person to buy a gift for. The lie is that they are hard to shop for. The truth is, they are the easiest. Because they don’t need anything, you are completely liberated from the pressure of having to buy a practical or useful gift. You have the total freedom to get them something that is purely for delight—something weird, wonderful, experiential, or completely absurd. The pressure is off. You just have to find them a moment of joy.
I wish I knew about custom soundwave art that plays a recording of a special message.
The Art You Can See vs. the Art You Can Hear
A piece of soundwave art—a visual representation of an audio file—is a beautiful and modern gift. I wish I had known that you can now get a version that has a QR code embedded in the art. When the recipient scans the code with their phone, it will actually play the original audio file—their wedding song, a child’s laugh, a personal voicemail message. It’s a magical piece of interactive art that transforms a visual representation back into a powerful, emotional, and audible memory.
99% of people make this one mistake with a quirky gift: not considering the recipient’s actual sense of humor.
Your Funny vs. Their Funny
You have a very dry, sarcastic sense of humor. Your friend has a very goofy, slapstick sense of humor. You buy them a gift that you find hilarious, but it is based on a type of humor that they don’t find funny at all. The mistake is assuming that “funny” is a universal language. Humor is incredibly personal and subjective. A successful funny gift is not one that you think is funny; it’s one that is perfectly tailored to the recipient’s specific and unique sense of what makes them laugh.
This one small action of getting their favorite, worn-out t-shirt professionally framed will be a surprisingly touching gift.
The Shirt in the Drawer vs. the Memory on the Wall
Everyone has a favorite, old t-shirt that is too full of holes and memories to ever be thrown away. It lives in the bottom of a dresser drawer. This one small, but profound, action—of taking that beloved, worn-out shirt and having it professionally mounted in a beautiful shadow box frame—is a surprisingly touching and wonderful gift. You are taking a piece of their personal history, a nearly forgotten relic, and elevating it into a piece of art that they can display with pride.
Use a high-quality metal detector for the aspiring treasure hunter, not a toy one.
The Toy That Beeps vs. the Tool That Finds
A cheap, plastic, toy metal detector is a fun prop for pretend play, but it can be a frustrating and disappointing tool in the real world. A high-quality, entry-level, real metal detector is a gift that can turn a kid or an adult into a genuine, modern-day treasure hunter. It’s a fascinating, and surprisingly addictive, hobby that gets them outside, encourages patience and observation, and comes with the thrilling possibility of unearthing a real piece of lost history in their own backyard.
Stop buying a generic subscription. Do a subscription to the “Ugly Produce” box instead.
The Box of Pretty Produce vs. the Box That Fights Waste
A subscription to a standard meal kit or produce box is a great gift. A subscription to a service that specializes in “ugly” or “imperfect” produce is a quirky, delicious, and ethically-minded gift. These services rescue the delicious, fresh, and perfectly edible fruits and vegetables that are rejected by grocery stores simply because they are a weird shape or have a small blemish. You’re giving them a box of affordable, healthy food and a chance to participate in the fight against food waste.
Stop just getting them a new hat. Do a hat with a built-in Bluetooth speaker instead.
The Hat for Warmth vs. the Hat That’s a Walking Sound System
A warm, winter beanie is a practical and cozy gift. A beanie with a high-quality, built-in, Bluetooth speaker system is a gift of a different and more futuristic kind. It allows the wearer to listen to their music or a podcast on the go, without the hassle of uncomfortable earbuds, especially while running or working outside. It’s a clever, seamless, and surprisingly well-integrated piece of wearable technology that combines two needs into one stylish and functional package.
The #1 secret for a unique gift is to think about their most obscure interest.
The Main Hobby vs. the Secret Passion
You know your friend loves to cook, so you get them a cooking-related gift. But what about their smaller, more obscure, and less-obvious interests? Maybe they are also secretly obsessed with the history of cartography, or they have a passion for a specific, rare type of succulent. The #1 secret for a truly unique and impressive gift is to find a gift that is related to that second-tier, more obscure interest. It shows a level of deep listening and observation that is the hallmark of a truly great gift-giver.
I’m just going to say it: The best quirky gifts are the ones that are also surprisingly useful.
The Gimmick vs. the Genius Gadget
A quirky gift that is only quirky is a novelty item that will quickly become clutter. The best, most successful, and most-loved quirky gifts are the ones that make you laugh at their strangeness and then make you say, “Wait, that’s actually genius.” A spatula shaped like a squirrel that is also a perfectly functional and well-designed tool. A set of nesting dolls that are also a full set of measuring cups. These gifts combine the delight of the unexpected with the lasting value of a genuinely useful object.
The reason your gift didn’t land is because you tried to be ironic, but it just came across as a bad gift.
The Fine Line Between “Ironic” and “Insulting”
You buy a friend who is a coffee snob a giant, bulk can of the cheapest, worst-quality coffee you can find. You think this is a clever, “ironic” gift. They think you have just given them a can of terrible coffee. There is a very, very fine line between a gift that is ironically bad and a gift that is just… bad. Irony is incredibly difficult to convey in a physical object, and your clever, meta-commentary on their taste will likely be lost, leaving them with a genuinely disappointing present.
If you’re still buying a generic candle, you’re losing the weirdness of a candle that smells like “Old Books” or “Rainy Day.”
The “Vanilla” Candle vs. the Candle That Tells a Story
A generic, “fresh linen” or “vanilla bean” scented candle is a nice, but boring, gift. A far more interesting and memorable gift is a candle from a niche, independent maker that is designed to evoke a specific, strange, and wonderful memory. A candle that smells like an old, dusty library. A candle that smells like a forest floor after a rainstorm. These are not just scents; they are stories. They are a gift of a tiny, flickering, and beautifully weird atmospheric experience.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about creativity is that you have to be born with it.
The Myth of the “Artistic Gene”
We often think of creativity as a magical, innate talent that you are either born with or you are not. This is a profound and damaging lie. The truth is, creativity is not a noun; it is a verb. It is a skill that can be learned, a muscle that can be strengthened through practice, and a process that can be cultivated. You don’t have to be a “genius” to be creative. You just have to be curious, to be willing to play, and to give yourself permission to make a beautiful mess.
I wish I knew about the existence of companies that will turn a child’s drawing into a real stuffed animal.
The Drawing on the Page vs. the Cuddly Friend in Their Arms
A child’s drawing is a precious and wonderfully weird piece of their imagination. For years, I would just stick them on the fridge. I wish I had known about the companies that can take a child’s two-dimensional drawing of a monster, an alien, or a strange new creature, and transform it into a real, high-quality, three-dimensional, custom-made stuffed animal. It is a gift of pure, unadulterated magic, a way of bringing their unique and personal creation to life in a cuddly, huggable form.
99% of people make this one mistake with a tech gift: buying a first-generation product that’s full of bugs.
The Bleeding Edge vs. the Proven Performer
You want to give a gift of the latest, most exciting, cutting-edge new piece of technology. The mistake is that a “version 1.0” product is almost always full of bugs, glitches, and unforeseen problems. The early adopters are essentially paying to be beta testers. A much better and safer gift is to wait for the second or third generation of a product, after all the initial kinks have been worked out. It might be slightly less “new,” but it will be a far more reliable and less frustrating experience for the recipient.
This one small action of giving a high-quality, beautiful kaleidoscope will be a gift of analog wonder.
The Digital Screen vs. the Infinite Patterns of Light
In a world of flat, digital screens, a high-quality, handcrafted kaleidoscope is a gift of tangible, analog magic. It is a simple, low-tech object that can create an infinite and ever-changing universe of breathtaking, geometric beauty. It’s a gift that encourages a moment of quiet, mindful observation and a sense of childlike wonder. For a person who is feeling burnt out by the digital world, it is a beautiful, screen-free, and surprisingly profound escape.
Use a set of historical “misfortune” telling cards, not a standard tarot deck.
The Standard Fortune vs. a More Humorous Fate
A standard tarot deck is a classic and wonderful gift. For a friend with a slightly darker and more ironic sense of humor, a set of “misfortune” telling cards is a hilarious and quirky alternative. These are often beautifully illustrated, parody decks with a Victorian or Edwardian aesthetic, that predict a series of comical and mundane misfortunes, like “You will be plagued by a persistent and annoying hangnail.” It’s a gift that plays with the conventions of fortune-telling in a clever and deeply funny way.
Stop buying a generic notebook. Do a waterproof, tearproof one for their weird adventures instead.
The Soggy, Ruined Journal vs. the Indestructible Logbook
A standard, paper notebook is a fine gift. But for the friend who is an avid hiker, a kayaker, or just generally prone to being in messy situations, a waterproof and tear-proof notebook is a gift of a different caliber. You can literally write in this notebook in the middle of a rainstorm, or even underwater, and the pages will not smudge or disintegrate. It’s a brilliant, practical, and almost indestructible gift for the person who needs a place to record their thoughts in the most extreme of environments.
Stop just getting them a plant. Do a carnivorous plant like a Venus flytrap instead.
The Pretty Plant vs. the Plant That Bites Back
A standard, leafy houseplant is a lovely, living gift. A carnivorous plant, like a Venus flytrap or a pitcher plant, is a gift of a fascinating, and slightly terrifying, piece of natural wonder. It’s a plant that is also a predator. It’s a conversation starter, a science experiment, and a surprisingly effective (and entertaining) form of natural pest control. It’s a gift that is a little bit weird, a little bit wonderful, and a whole lot more interesting than another succulent.
The #1 hack for a gift for a prankster is a high-quality, elaborate prank kit.
The Whoopee Cushion vs. the Art of the Prank
A single, cheap, gag-store prank is a one-off joke. For a true prankster, a high-quality and elaborate prank kit is a gift of a new, artistic medium. These kits often contain a variety of more sophisticated and clever pranks—like a remote-controlled noise machine, a package that is impossible to open, or a set of high-quality, realistic-looking fake bugs. You’re not just giving them a joke; you’re giving them the tools to elevate their craft and to orchestrate their next great work of harmless chaos.
I’m just going to say it: That shower beer holder is going to lead to a broken bottle in the tub.
The Dream of the Shower Beer vs. the Reality of the Slippery Suction Cup
A suction-cup holder for a beer in the shower seems like a brilliant and quirky gift. The reality is, a steamy, wet, and often textured shower wall is the mortal enemy of a suction cup. It is only a matter of time before that holder, and the glass bottle it contains, will come crashing down into the tub, creating a dangerous and messy situation of broken glass and spilled beer. It’s a gift that is a predictable and slightly dangerous accident waiting to happen.
The reason your gift seemed random is because it was.
The Lack of a “Why”
You give a gift that has no apparent connection to the recipient’s life, hobbies, or personality. They are left confused, wondering, “Why did they give this to me?” The reason the gift seemed random is because it was. A successful gift, no matter how quirky, should have a clear and understandable “why” behind it. It should be a bridge between you and the other person. A gift without that bridge is just a random object, an answer to a question that nobody asked.
If you’re still buying a generic poster, you’re losing the intricate detail of a patent diagram print of their favorite invention.
The Pop Culture Poster vs. the Blueprint of Genius
A generic movie or band poster is a fine piece of wall decor. A more unique, sophisticated, and wonderfully nerdy gift is a high-quality print of the original patent diagram for an invention the person loves. It could be the patent for a classic electric guitar, a vintage video game console, or a beloved camera. It’s a gift that is a piece of history, a work of technical art, and a tribute to the human ingenuity behind the objects we love.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about unique gifts is that they have to be expensive.
The Price Tag vs. the Personal Connection
We often think that a “unique” or “one-of-a-kind” gift must come with a hefty price tag. This is a lie. The uniqueness of a gift is not determined by its cost, but by its level of personal connection and thoughtfulness. A custom-made puzzle from a funny photo, a small, weird, and perfect find from a flea market, a handwritten book of your favorite shared memories—these are all deeply unique and priceless gifts that can be created for a very small amount of money.
I wish I knew about custom nesting dolls painted to look like the recipient’s family.
The Generic Doll vs. a Family in a Box
A set of traditional, Russian nesting dolls is a beautiful and classic gift. I wish I had known that you can find artists who will create a custom set of nesting dolls, hand-painted to look like the members of the recipient’s own family, or even their pets. It transforms a classic, folk-art object into a deeply personal, wonderfully quirky, and absolutely one-of-a-kind family heirloom. It’s a gift that tells the story of their family, one delightful, nested layer at a time.
99% of people make this one mistake with a fandom gift: buying from an unlicensed seller.
The Cheap Knock-Off vs. the Real Deal
You find a t-shirt or a poster online with a design from a popular movie or TV show. It’s cheap, and it looks pretty good. The mistake is that it is likely from an unlicensed seller, meaning it is a low-quality knock-off and the original artists and creators are not getting a single penny. An officially licensed product might cost a little more, but it is a higher-quality item, and it is a gift that ethically and financially supports the creative people who actually made the thing you love.
This one small action of giving a beautiful, antique skeleton key will be a fascinating and mysterious object.
The Gift with a Secret Story
For the person who loves mystery, history, and beautiful, old objects, this one small action can be a perfect and inexpensive gift. Go to an antique store or a flea market and find a single, beautiful, and ornate, antique skeleton key. It’s a gift that is a tangible piece of a forgotten story. What lock did it open? What door did it guard? It is an object that is imbued with a sense of mystery and history, a small, beautiful puzzle with no answer.
Use an at-home escape room or murder mystery game kit, not another night of Netflix.
The Passive Screen vs. the Interactive Puzzle
A night of watching a movie is a passive, and often solitary, experience. An at-home escape room or a murder mystery game kit is a gift of a collaborative, interactive, and thrilling adventure. These kits come with all the clues, ciphers, and evidence you need to transform your living room into a high-stakes crime scene. You’re not just watching a story; you and your friends are the main characters, working together to solve the puzzle and save the day.
Stop buying a generic t-shirt. Do a t-shirt with a subtle, nerdy reference that only true fans will understand.
The Walking Billboard vs. the Secret Handshake
A t-shirt with a giant, obvious logo from a popular franchise can feel like a generic, walking billboard. A far cooler and more sophisticated gift for a true fan is a t-shirt with a subtle, clever, and “in-the-know” reference that only another hardcore fan would understand. It could be the logo of a fictional corporation from the movie, or a simple, graphic representation of a nerdy concept. It’s a gift that acts as a “secret handshake,” a quiet signal to a community of fellow geeks.
Stop just getting them a new mug. Do a self-stirring mug instead.
The Manual Stir vs. the Magical, Automatic Swirl
A new mug is a classic, but often uninspired, gift. A self-stirring mug is a gift of a different and more magical caliber. With the press of a button, a tiny, battery-powered whirlpool is created at the bottom of the mug, perfectly stirring your coffee and sugar with no spoon required. It is a completely unnecessary, and yet deeply satisfying and delightful, piece of minor, everyday magic. It’s a fun, quirky, and surprisingly useful gadget that can bring a small moment of joy to a morning routine.
The #1 secret for a gift for a cynic is something so absurdly optimistic it’s hilarious.
The Eye-Roll vs. the Involuntary Smile
A cynic is a person who is allergic to cheesy, sentimental gifts. The #1 secret for a successful gift is not to try and match their cynicism, but to go in the complete opposite direction. A gift that is so over-the-top, so absurdly, and so relentlessly optimistic that it becomes a piece of high comedy. Think a box of “inspirational” kittens, a motivational poster with a ridiculous, nonsensical quote, or a subscription to the “Good News Network.” The sheer, unapologetic cheerfulness of the gift is the punchline.
I’m just going to say it: The “person who has everything” is often the most appreciative of a simple, heartfelt letter.
The Object They Could Buy vs. the Words You Can Give
For the person who can afford to buy any object they desire, a physical gift can often feel like a hollow gesture. What they often lack, and what money cannot buy, is a genuine, and well-articulated, expression of appreciation. A simple, heartfelt, and specific handwritten letter, outlining the positive impact they have had on your life, is a gift of a different currency. It is a gift of your time, your vulnerability, and your genuine affection, which is often the one thing they truly want.
The reason your clever gift wasn’t a hit is because it was too clever for its own good.
The Puzzle Box That Can’t Be Opened
You have a very clever and witty idea for a gift that is based on an obscure pun or a complex, multi-layered reference. The reason it wasn’t a hit is that the recipient didn’t get it. Your gift was so clever that it was completely indecipherable. A great gift should not require the recipient to have a PhD in your specific brand of humor to understand it. A gift should be a moment of connection, not an intellectual puzzle that makes the other person feel a little bit stupid.
If you’re still buying a generic gift, you’re losing the joy of giving them something they never knew existed.
The Predictable vs. the “Wow, What is This?”
A generic gift is a safe, but predictable, choice. The true joy of gift-giving, for both the giver and the receiver, is often in the moment of pure, unexpected discovery. It’s in finding and giving that one, strange, wonderful, and perfectly suited object that the recipient never even knew existed, but now cannot imagine their life without. It’s a gift that says, “I know you so well that I can find the things that you don’t even know you want yet.”
The biggest lie you’ve been told about weirdness is that it’s a bad thing.
The Fear of Being Different vs. the Joy of Being Yourself
We are often taught by society to smooth out our rough edges, to hide our strange obsessions, and to conform to the norm. The biggest lie is that our “weirdness” is a liability. The truth is, our weirdness is our superpower. It is the collection of our unique passions, our quirky sense of humor, and our specific tastes that makes us interesting and lovable. A gift that celebrates a person’s specific and wonderful weirdness is a gift that says, “I see the most unique parts of you, and I love them.”
I wish I knew about the existence of llama rentals for parties and events.
The Boring Birthday Party vs. the Llama-geddon
For years, my parties were the standard fare of music, food, and conversation. They were fine. I wish I had known that, for a surprisingly reasonable fee, you can rent a pair of well-behaved, and often elegantly dressed, llamas to be the guests of honor at your event. It is a gift of pure, surreal, and unforgettable absurdity. The presence of the llamas instantly transforms a boring party into a legendary event that people will be talking about for the rest of their lives.
99% of people make this one mistake with a unique food gift: choosing something that is more weird than delicious.
The “Wow, That’s Weird” vs. the “Wow, That’s Delicious”
You find a truly bizarre and unique food item, like scorpion lollipops or canned haggis, and you think it’s a great, quirky gift for a foodie. The mistake is that you have prioritized the “weird” factor over the “delicious” factor. A true foodie is not interested in a culinary dare; they are interested in things that taste amazing. A great, unique food gift is one that is both interesting and genuinely delicious. Don’t give them a gimmick they have to pretend to enjoy.
This one small action of giving a high-quality, handheld constellation projector will bring the night sky indoors.
The Glow-in-the-Dark Stars vs. a Private Planetarium
Those plastic, glow-in-the-dark star stickers for a ceiling are a classic, but ultimately disappointing, childhood toy. This one small action—of giving a high-quality, handheld, star projector—is a gift of a different magnitude. These small, powerful devices can project a breathtakingly beautiful and surprisingly accurate map of the night sky onto a ceiling, complete with thousands of stars and constellations. It’s a gift that can turn any dark room into a peaceful, awe-inspiring, private planetarium.
Use a set of potion-making cocktail ingredients and oddly shaped glasses, not a standard bar set.
The Standard Cocktail vs. the Alchemical Concoction
A standard cocktail shaker and a set of highball glasses is a fine gift. For the person with a more mystical or nerdy sensibility, a “potion-making” kit is a more magical choice. You can assemble a gift with unique, color-changing spirits, shimmering edible glitter for cocktails, and a set of strangely shaped, beaker-like glasses. You’re not just giving them the tools to make a drink; you are giving them the ingredients and the vessels to feel like a fantasy alchemist, mixing up a bubbly, magical elixir.
Stop buying a generic pen. Do a pen that writes in invisible ink instead.
The Pen That Writes vs. the Pen That Hides
A nice, generic pen is a practical gift. A pen that writes in invisible ink, with a small UV light on the end to reveal the message, is a gift of mystery, intrigue, and childlike fun. It’s a gift that taps into the universal, and often forgotten, love of secret codes and hidden messages. It’s a simple, inexpensive, and surprisingly delightful gadget that can be used for everything from writing secret notes to creating a fun scavenger hunt.
Stop just getting them a new gadget. Do a lock-picking practice set instead.
The Gadget You Use vs. the Skill You Learn
A new, electronic gadget is a great gift. But a lock-picking practice set is a gift of a completely different and more fascinating kind. It’s not a tool for any nefarious purpose; it is a gift of a puzzle, a mechanical mystery. The set, with its clear practice locks and various picks, allows a person to learn and understand the intricate, hidden mechanics of a common, everyday object. It’s a unique, surprisingly meditative, and deeply satisfying skill-based gift for the person who loves to understand how things work.
The #1 hack for a gift for a true crime fanatic is a piece of murderabilia (if you dare).
The Book About Crime vs. a Piece of the Story
A book about true crime is a great gift for a fanatic. For the person with a darker and more macabre sensibility, a piece of “murderabilia” is the next-level, ultimate gift. This is a highly niche and controversial collecting world, but you can find authenticated, and often surprisingly affordable, items online—like a letter written by a famous serial killer or a piece of evidence from a historical crime scene. It’s a chilling, fascinating, and deeply weird gift that a true crime fanatic will never, ever forget.
I’m just going to say it: That “emergency underpants” dispenser is not as funny as the catalog made it seem.
The Catalog Comedy vs. the Real-Life Crickets
You see it in the novelty gift catalog: a small dispenser that holds a pair of compressed, disposable underpants for “emergencies.” It seems like a hilarious, quirky, gag gift. The reality of opening this gift in front of your family on Christmas morning is often a moment of awkward silence and confused smiles. The joke is not quite funny enough, and the object itself is just a bit too weirdly intimate. It’s a gift that is a guaranteed recipe for a slightly uncomfortable moment.
The reason your gift is in the back of a closet is because it has no practical application in their life.
The Interesting Object vs. the Useless Object
You give a gift that is genuinely interesting and unique. The problem is that it has absolutely no place or purpose in the recipient’s actual, day-to-day life. It is an object without a verb. It cannot be used, it cannot be easily displayed, and it does not solve a problem. It is just… an interesting thing. And an interesting thing, without a purpose, will almost always end up as a forgotten piece of clutter in the back of a closet. A great gift is one that can be integrated, not just admired.
If you’re still buying a generic desk toy, you’re losing the mesmerizing physics of a desktop Stirling engine.
The Newton’s Cradle vs. the Quiet, Magical Machine
A standard desk toy, like a Newton’s Cradle, is a fun, but common, object. A desktop Stirling engine is a gift of a different and more magical caliber. It’s a beautiful, elegant, and surprisingly simple heat engine that is powered by the heat of a cup of hot coffee. With no sound and no visible combustion, its flywheel will begin to spin, a quiet and mesmerizing demonstration of thermodynamics at work. It’s a gift of scientific wonder that is both an elegant sculpture and a fascinating conversation piece.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about collectors is that they want you to add to their collection.
The Expert’s Collection vs. Your Amateur Contribution
It seems logical: if someone collects something, they will want more of it. The lie is that they want you to be the one to choose it. A true collector is an expert. They have a deep, nuanced, and highly specific understanding of what they are looking for. Your well-intentioned, but amateur, contribution is almost guaranteed to be a duplicate, a fake, or simply not up to their standards. A better gift is one that supports their collection, like a beautiful display case or a book on the subject.
I wish I knew about the company that makes custom vinyl records with your own playlists and cover art.
The Digital Playlist vs. the Physical Artifact
A digital playlist is a wonderful, thoughtful gift, but it exists only in the cloud. I wish I had known that you can take that same playlist and turn it into a truly special, physical artifact by having it pressed into a custom, one-of-a-kind vinyl record. You can even design your own cover art. You’ve taken a fleeting digital gift and transformed it into a substantial, tangible object. It’s a piece of art that can be displayed, a nostalgic experience that can be shared, and a testament to the effort you put into curating the perfect soundtrack.
99% of people make this one mistake: buying a quirky gift that makes a lot of noise.
The Funny Sound vs. the Annoying Roommate
You see a quirky gift that makes a funny, repetitive noise—a screaming goat, a fart machine, a talking fish. It’s hilarious for the first few times. The mistake is forgetting that the recipient has to live with this new, noisy roommate. The joke will get old very, very quickly, and the funny toy will be transformed into a source of profound and relentless annoyance. A great, quirky gift is one that is visually interesting or quietly clever, not one that adds to the noise pollution of a home.
This one small action of giving a beautiful, high-quality bug hotel will be a unique gift for a nature lover.
The Garden Decoration vs. the Pollinator Palace
For the nature lover or the gardener, a “bug hotel” is a wonderful and unique gift. It’s a small, wooden structure filled with a variety of natural materials, like bamboo tubes and pinecones, that is designed to provide a safe and welcoming nesting place for beneficial insects like solitary bees and ladybugs. It’s a beautiful, sculptural object for the garden that is also a gift to the entire local ecosystem. You’re not just giving them a thing; you’re giving them a tiny, buzzing, pollinator palace.
Use a year’s supply of their favorite, hard-to-find snack, not a generic gift basket.
The Basket of “Meh” vs. the Mountain of “Yes!”
A generic gift basket is a collection of a dozen mediocre things. A far more powerful, and often funnier, gift is a giant, overwhelming, and slightly ridiculous quantity of their one, single, favorite, and often hard-to-find, snack. Imagine their face when they unwrap a box containing not one, but fifty, of their favorite, obscure, imported candy bars. It’s a gift that says, “I know your one, weird, specific, culinary love, and I am honoring it in the most absurd and wonderful way possible.”
Stop buying a generic calendar. Do a calendar of “Awkward Family Photos” instead.
The Pretty Landscape vs. the Daily Dose of Laughter
A calendar with pretty pictures of landscapes or flowers is a nice, but forgettable, gift. A calendar filled with a year’s worth of professionally curated, and genuinely hilarious, “Awkward Family Photos” is a gift of a daily dose of laughter. Every month, they get to turn the page to reveal a new, brilliant, and cringe-worthy masterpiece of family dysfunction. It’s a gift that is both practical and guaranteed to be a source of consistent, daily, and much-needed amusement.
Stop just getting them a new shirt. Do a “smart” shirt that can monitor their posture instead.
The Shirt You Wear vs. the Shirt That Coaches You
A new shirt is a fine gift. A “smart” shirt with built-in sensors that can monitor your posture is a gift from the future. These high-tech garments can provide a gentle, vibrational nudge when you start to slouch, helping you to build a subconscious awareness and to strengthen the muscles needed for good posture. It’s a quirky, but surprisingly useful, piece of wearable technology that can be a genuine wellness tool for the person who is hunched over a desk all day.
The #1 secret for a truly unique gift is to combine two of their interests in an unexpected way.
The Two Separate Passions vs. the Hybrid Creation
Your friend loves both Star Wars and Shakespeare. A gift related to either one would be a good gift. The #1 secret for a truly unique and brilliant gift is to find something that combines the two. The book “William Shakespeare’s Star Wars,” which retells the classic movie in iambic pentameter, is a perfect example. By finding a gift that lives at the weird and wonderful intersection of two of their passions, you are giving them a gift that feels like it was created in a lab, specifically for them.
I’m just going to say it: Your gift isn’t “eclectic,” it’s just a bunch of random stuff you bought at a flea market.
The Curated Collection vs. the Box of Junk
There is a fine line between a gift that is a “curated, eclectic collection” and a gift that is just a box of random, unrelated junk. The difference is intention and a unifying theme. A collection of vintage, blue, glass bottles is eclectic. A box containing one old bottle, a rusty wrench, and a single, sad-looking shoe is just… a box of junk. A great gift, no matter how quirky, should have a clear and understandable story that connects all the pieces.
The reason your gift of a “fun experience” was a dud is because it was your idea of fun, not theirs.
Your Perfect Day vs. Theirs
You love loud, crowded, music festivals, so for your friend’s birthday, you get them tickets to one. But your friend is an introvert who hates crowds and loud music. Your gift of a “fun experience” is actually a gift of a stressful, anxiety-inducing ordeal for them. The reason the gift was a dud is simple: you bought a ticket to your perfect day, not theirs. A great experience gift is an act of empathy, a gift that is chosen from the menu of what would make them truly happy.
If you’re still buying a generic gift, you’re losing the chance to give them a Gallon of pickle juice from Amazon.
The Predictable vs. the Brilliantly Absurd
A generic, predictable gift is a safe choice. But in the weird and wonderful world of online shopping, you have the opportunity to give a gift that is truly, brilliantly, and unforgettably absurd. For the friend who is always drinking the pickle juice straight from the jar, you can buy them a single, gallon-sized jug of just the juice. It’s a gift that is so specific, so over-the-top, and so perfectly tailored to their one, weird habit that it will be met with a level of joy and laughter that a “normal” gift could never achieve.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about gifts is that they need to make sense.
The Logic vs. the Laughter
We are often taught that a good gift should be logical, practical, and make sense. The lie is that this is the only way. Some of the best, most memorable, and most-loved gifts are the ones that are completely and utterly nonsensical. A gift that is purely for the sake of a laugh, for the sake of a shared, absurd moment, can be a profound act of connection. A gift doesn’t always have to be a solution to a problem; sometimes, it can just be a delightful piece of beautiful nonsense.
I wish I knew that a beautiful, antique map of a fictional place (like Middle Earth or Westeros) is a perfect gift for a fantasy lover.
A Map of a Real Place vs. a Map of a Place of the Heart
A map of a real place is a wonderful gift. But for the person who has spent hundreds of hours living inside a fictional world, a beautiful, high-quality, antique-style map of that place is a gift of a different kind. A detailed map of Middle Earth, of Westeros, or of Hogwarts is not just a piece of fantasy merchandise; it is a tangible, geographical representation of a world that feels as real and as important to them as any real country. It’s a gift that honors the geography of their imagination.
99% of people make this one mistake: buying a quirky kitchen gadget that only does one thing.
The “Unitasker” That Becomes Clutter
You see a clever, quirky kitchen gadget that is designed to do one, and only one, very specific job—like a special tool for de-stemming strawberries or a slicer just for bananas. The mistake is that these “unitaskers” are the enemy of a well-organized kitchen. They are a gift of a future piece of clutter. A great kitchen tool is one that is versatile and can be used for a dozen different tasks. Don’t give them a one-trick pony that will just take up precious drawer space.
This one small action of giving them a single, perfect, impossibly delicious heirloom tomato from your garden will be better than any expensive gift.
The Taste of a Season
In the middle of summer, a single, perfectly ripe, sun-warmed, heirloom tomato, grown in your own garden, is a gift that is better than almost any expensive, store-bought object. It is a taste of the season, a burst of pure, unadulterated, and fleeting deliciousness that money cannot buy. This one small, simple, and nearly free action—of sharing the perfect bounty from your own garden—is a profound and memorable gift of a sensory experience that will be remembered long after a more expensive present is forgotten.
Use a consultation with a genealogist to trace their family tree, not a generic DNA kit.
The Raw Data vs. the Human Story
A generic, mail-in DNA kit is a fun gift that can give you a list of percentages and a map of your ethnic origins. It’s a gift of raw data. A consultation with a professional genealogist is a gift of a different magnitude. They can take that data and use it to build a real, human story. They can trace your family tree, find the names and the stories of your ancestors, and uncover the specific, personal history of your family. You’re not just giving them data; you are giving them their own, personal, and epic story.