useless gift ideas

[AylaM]

Thanks for so many good ideas.  I stopped by the store tonight because I'll be busy the next 2 weekends (wedding, then last weekend before finals/final projects) then it is party time.

Ended up getting:

Nifty things that I hope bring some amusement:
A newton's cradle (every desk needs one)
smart mass (color changing silly putty, how cool)
a chinese finger trap (conveniently on the same website as the newton's cradle, otherwise not worth the shipping)
a splat egg ball (same as above)
a slinky (good call)
tiny terrarium with a mimosa pudica seed (loving the dollar store)
astronaut ice cream balls

Things that I got just for a laugh
tiny santa hat hair clips (who knew I could find these at the dollar store?)
3D glasses front the dollar store (see the world in 3D!)

I'm still looking, but I figure I have enough stuff if I don't find anything else.  Everything else will probably be stocking stuffed or cheap stuff.  The newton's cradle was the money thing and everything else was mostly filler.

I figure I'll throw it haphazardly into a box and wrap it and be done.  YAY!

[LazyDaisy]

Chia Pets! We have a family tradition of giving/getting silly As Seen on TV things like Chia Pets, The Clapper, and Snuggies. I have a wonderfully ridiculous garden of Chia that makes me smile every time I go to fill them with water.

[workerbee]

Yes! The As Seen on TV items have always been a big hit at our family 'gag gift' exchange.

Of course, no one has yet topped the expandable fork: http://www.amazon.com/Schylling-EF-Extendable-Fork/dp/B001THAEZE. That one went down in history.

[TootsNYC]

ping pong balls

The Unclutterer has "Unitasker Wednesdays"--the "unitaskers" are an interesting idea.
http://unclutterer.com/

http://unclutterer.com/category/unitasker-wednesday/

[snowfire]

One year my dad bought a nightlight shaped like the leg lamp from "A Christmas Story" for a white elephant.  He told me it was very popular.

DH got one in a company gift exchange a couple of years ago.  He LOVES it, but he's a huge Christmas Story fan.  About time to get it out for the holidays. 

[afbluebelle]

I'm a big fan of the Titanium Spork! https://www.thinkgeek.com/product/8ace/?srp=1

[Sanity Lost]

The local dollar store sells pairs of "fuzzy socks" for $1.  Except they are striped and in neon colors like yellow and green, pink and green, etc.  Nobody in their right mind would want to wear them because they're scratchy due to the little strip of "silver" on the ends of the fringed yarn.  They're also a bit too small for most adults, and a bit too large for most kids.  Perfect useless present.   

  I love those fuzzy socks; I have fairly small feet and they fit perfectly. The more lurid the color the better I like them. I actually wear them over my stockings in the office, because my feet get cold and then they hurt. My 10 year old son swipes them from me when he thinks he can get away with it.

But then I've always said I couldn't find my right mind with a map and a compass

[Dazi]

The local dollar store sells pairs of "fuzzy socks" for $1.  Except they are striped and in neon colors like yellow and green, pink and green, etc.  Nobody in their right mind would want to wear them because they're scratchy due to the little strip of "silver" on the ends of the fringed yarn.  They're also a bit too small for most adults, and a bit too large for most kids.  Perfect useless present.   

  I love those fuzzy socks; I have fairly small feet and they fit perfectly. The more lurid the color the better I like them. I actually wear them over my stockings in the office, because my feet get cold and then they hurt. My 10 year old son swipes them from me when he thinks he can get away with it.

But then I've always said I couldn't find my right mind with a map and a compass

Same here.  I love the Dollar Store fuzzy socks.  The more crazy looking the better.    They fit me perfectly...most adult socks are too big and kids just a tad small.  I usually wear a 6 1/2- 7 US sizes which isn't that small, but I still have issues with most adult socks being too big either around the toe or the heel ends up at my ankle.

[sevenday]

I'd like to qualify that they do fit SOME people (obviously) but just not anyone in this house.  I bought two pairs, mind you. One as a gag gift for my father, who insisted there was NOTHING, No-Thing, that he wanted for Christmas, and finally said "socks" when I wouldn't let him give up.  So, he gets glittery pink and yellow striped socks.  The other pair I snipped, sewed up, and stuffed with yarn ends and catnip, and intend to give them out to family/friends' cats.  So my previous label of useless was perhaps erroneous.

[BarensMom]

For several years, my sister gave me what I called a "boingy boingy" Christmas tree.  It is a strip of circular metal formed into the shape of a tree and they're awful.  Every year, I would take one of these things to every holiday party to enter into the White Elephant or Yankee Swap, where they would become the hit of the party.  People were stomping all over themselves to steal this stupid tree.  One year, it was won by someone who proceeded to wear it on his head for the rest of the party.

[Dr Momz]

The best gift I ever saw at a white elephant exchange was a pair of fur lined handcuffs!

[zyrs]

For several years, my sister gave me what I called a "boingy boingy" Christmas tree.  It is a strip of circular metal formed into the shape of a tree and they're awful.  Every year, I would take one of these things to every holiday party to enter into the White Elephant or Yankee Swap, where they would become the hit of the party.  People were stomping all over themselves to steal this stupid tree.  One year, it was won by someone who proceeded to wear it on his head for the rest of the party.

Do you know where she ordered it from?  This sounds like something I might be able to use.

[Seven Ate Nine]

ping pong balls

The Unclutterer has "Unitasker Wednesdays"--the "unitaskers" are an interesting idea.
http://unclutterer.com/

http://unclutterer.com/category/unitasker-wednesday/

I just wasted an hour checking those out.  thanks! 

[Thipu1]

Spurred on by the 'Why People Keep Things' thread, I did a little digging around in the back room and found something that would be perfect as a gag gift for a friend. 

She's in her 30s and loves to knit and crochet.  What I found was a 1968 issue of a needlework and crafts magazine.  She will have great fun looking at the grotesque clothes and reading the ads. 

Does anyone still do huck weaving? 

[darling]

Squirrel Underpants!

http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=25981036&cm_mmc=SEM-_-Google-_-PLA-_-25981036