We all have them. Those friends who are a nightmare to buy gifts for. They tend to fall into two types, there are those who just buy anything that they want for themselves, or those who simply don't seem to actually want anything. When asked what they want for their birthday or some such special occasion, they will often reply with that most irritating of answers, "oh you don't have to get me anything!" Well, we all like to treat a loved one and can imagine that they probably would be a little disappointed if they didn't actually receive any gifts at all.
On these occasions we often resort to the boring, standard stand-in gifts. The gift voucher, the smelly bath stuff or (heaven forbid) the socks. These gifts result in the disappointment of both the gift giver and the person receiving the present. There is another option, however. Sometimes it's best to go with something a little more unusual. If you can't buy someone an object that they really want, you can actually buy them something better - the gift of laughter! What could be better than making someone you care about laugh? In fact it's often these 'silly' gifts that are remembered as they really can be a sign of how much you care about someone, or how well you know them.
Surprise
unusual gifts can really delight the receiver if they are targeted in the right way. How is this possible? Well in order to make someone laugh with the gift that you buy for them, you have to undergo a little test and that is a test of how well you know their sense of humour. To know what will make someone laugh is to really know them.
For some people the crazier and more random the
unusual gifts are, the better. This will be something that they never knew existed and they are usually the type of person to be excited by the new and unusual. For someone who needs cheering up a little or has fallen on hard times, how about a jar of sunshine? This clever gizmo charges up in sunlight, then casts a warm glow for all, a cheery gift to be sure. Along the same lines is the pig of happiness keyring, no-one could fail to give a chuckle when unwrapping him and seeing his cheeky, toothy grin!
Sometimes, for close friends and relatives, the best way of getting a laugh is picking on an 'in joke' or private mickey-take that you have had going for some years. For the oldest member of your group of friends (or perhaps simply the overly responsible one who acts the oldest) how about an inflatable zimmer frame? Or maybe for the party girl or party boy in the family for whom you have spent far too much time making dry toast and pints of water in the morning, some special hangover curing asprin? Bound to cause a knowing chuckle upon unwrapping, not only from the person receiving the gift but also from those around you at the time of unwrapping who 'get' the joke!
For many grown ups, the chance to re-live their youth is something to be treasured, so why not capitalise on how immature they really are at heart? Anyone with a sweet tooth will not be able to resist a gift of a retro sweet hamper, or you can always go for the option of giving people toys. If you go for this option your gift is sure to stand out amongst the other more 'sensible' presents, especially if you can find a version of a toy that the person loved in their youth (or perhaps always wanted but never received?). In much the same way other gifts can play on a sense of nostalgia and get a giggle. For the childhood art enthusiast, how about a make your own morph?
Of course, one option remains when buying Unusual gifts for that hard to buy for person. If time and time again they have insisted that they want 'nothing' to be bought for them, well, how about giving them Nothing? Beautifully packaged, 'Nothing' is clearly labelled as such and perhaps is bound to get the biggest laugh of them all. If you get a big enough laugh, then stories of your gift will be told for years to come and that way you will know that your gift has gone down in history.
Related article:
Unusual Gifts