Has the chaos of the world, the quarantines, lockdowns and instability, felt like a little much? You’re not alone, pal. It’s been crazy. We need ways to blow off some steam and snicker at something.
Enter modern day gag gifts. We need them, we love them, and there’s so many options to crack a smile with silly presents.
Gag gifts are notorious for being practical jokes and prank gifts. But these days, they are so much more! While there’s still a special place for slapstick and practical joke gifts, a decline in whoopee cushions and fart cans is – I think we can all agree – a good thing. In their place, we’ve gotten much more creative with laughter inducing gifts that deliver fun in all sorts of ways.
Since we have access to useful products in all shapes and sizes, not to mention quirky items decorated in just about anything – we can now give funny gifts that function. Whether they are kitchen gadgets, attire or couch pillows, we can get personalized presents that won’t die in a drawer somewhere after the initial laugh.
Gone are the days when humorous gag gifts had to be useless and corny. We don’t need to sell ourselves short with corny products, unless corny is what you’re going for. I’m partial to cob jokes myself.
Have a friend or loved one down in the dumps who could use a little pick me up? Could you use one yourself? Splurge on some laughter “medicine” and feel better in no time, at least on some level. Hey, life is short and laughing is life-changing.
A Novelty Gift
That’s right, it can be a new, bizarre, unusual, or strange item that can bring about a smirk if not a full crack up. Weird keychain of someone’s favorite salad dressing? Yep. A lamp made of a sequined unicorn as a birthday gift for a forty year old? Mhmm.
What about those plastic lumps of coal we got as kids in our stocking each year? Boo. We can do better! If nothing else, they should be edible chocolate in my opinion.
Edible Gag Gifts
Yes, it’s a snack. It’s a treat. It’s weird and possibly embarrassing but you also want to eat it! So many fun chocolate and other foodie favorites can be found in strange offerings. Have fun finding these and eating hilarious shapes with a slightly uncomfortable, yet joyful look on your face. You could get them a chocolate orange but you’re missing an opportunity. You guys could be noshing chocolate or candy zombies, frogs, buttons or pickles for Pete’s sake.
A Twist on a Classic
This type of gag gift is one of my favorite approaches because it gives us tons of leeway. You take something classic Americana, or a staple item. Then, you give it a good ‘ol twist with the funny stick. Cowboy boots are dope, but you know what’s doper, fuzzy cowboy boots. Or glow-in-the-dark cowboy boots. Or cowboy boot slippers. Endless amusement, folks. Take something they love and give them a wacky one.
An Extreme Version of Something
Extreme version gag gifts take the ordinary and make it extraordinary. Like a humongous ice cream cone that’s too big to eat, or a miniature oven that actually cooks teeny food. Extreme gag gifts aren’t limited to huge and tiny offerings. Nay. They can also play with colors, complexity, pretty much anything that makes the regular into something radical. Bring cheer instead of tears. What extreme gag gifts do you find funny? There’s a good chance your friends will agree with you.
Ridiculous Combinations of Unrelated Things
I love ridiculous gag gifts that play with contrasting elements of two or more opposing, or usually unrelated things. That description’s a mouthful. The concept is simple though.
The joy is in the strange combo! You never know, a lot of people love French fries with ice cream. How about an umbrella with a blue sky and a blazing sun on it? Now, we’re talking. How about ice cube molds shaped like flames or militant, cute bunny figurines? You get the idea.
What’s a modern gag gift?
It’s funny… for somebody, highlighting aspects of reality that go under the radar.
At the end of the day, a modern gag gift still reflects a joke on some level. Preferably, it’s showcasing a joke that the recipient enjoys too. Gags are usually considered absurd or a spoof on a subject. They might be embarrassing in polite or professional circles, but not always. For instance, you can get Hulk smash fists for a coworker and no one’s gonna find that offensive. If they do, they need a gag gift. Please be kind and buy them one.
Another great feature of gag gifts is that they highlight aspects of reality, or of society, that tend to go under the radar. Gag gifts can bring up topics that are not talked about openly or often.
If you complain about taxes constantly, you’re annoying. But if you have a funny death by taxes button everyone can push on your desk, you’re a funny dude. By using humor, we can deflate that tension and still address an elephant in the room. White Elephant Gifts are a different elephant altogether, and you can read more about that animal over here.
Show Your Mischievous Streak
Want a gift that gets a reaction? Have a mischievous streak?
You can push the envelope and dabble with the uncouth and get a gag gift.
Maybe you know someone who loves to giggle at wisecracks and absurd products as much as you do. Or you want to push the boundaries and give a gag gift to someone who needs to loosen up and lighten up a bit. There’s nothing like a toilet paper themed tape dispenser on your boss’s desk to show it’s okay to chill out and relax a little.
Literal Jokes
Funny signs and placards are a great example of these, as well as tongue-in-cheek license plates. Humorous t-shirts too… with sarcastic, sardonic or dark humor that capture how you feel that day or your personality. Funny images on your hat or hoodie that make Zoom meetings much more entertaining. These are gag gifts that keep on giving. I mean, you’re practically doing a service. It’s for the public good.
Inside Jokes
This is an ingenious why to say you care about a person. Instead of being overly sappy, it’s happy!
Gag gifts can serve as a moving reminder of what you and your friends, family or partner find hilarious – and you can relive that bond through the gift you give. These funny representations spark more joy, solidify the bond further, help us remember the silver lining in life. Bust out the Kleenex, I’m sounding sentimental.
But seriously, amusing gifts bring smiles like you wouldn’t believe and I’m not ashamed to say it makes me happy. If you’re not the gushy type, funny gifts are an awesome alternative that still shows consideration in their interests and who they are.
The perfect present for hard to buy for recipients.
Modern day gag gifts are great for a person who doesn’t take themselves too seriously. If you know a show, movie, pet or hobby they like, you’re golden. There are tons of humorous ways to go. You can even buy a funny shirt based on their age. Or a funny version of something they use every day for work, the kitchen, the bathroom, you name it. You really can’t go wrong with bath towels, just saying.