Suggestions for a Silly but Useful Gift

December 4, 2014 6:58 AM

I'm looking for ideas for a gift for my cousin, specifically a gift that is silly or absurd but still useful. For the last several years, my cousin and I have exchanged absurd gifts, with varying levels of usefulness. However, she recently moved into a small apartment with her boyfriend, so there is now less room for things that are just absurd. Upper limit is about $50, with some flexibility.

My cousin is a 30 year old woman living in a large city. She is a bit of a foodie - she likes to cook and also is constantly trying new restaurants and cuisines. She likes football, particularly college football, and her alma mater. She's fit, but doesn't spend a lot of time talking about working out. I'm not sure she has a particular drink of choice. She has an absurdist sense of humor with a ribald streak. Thanks for any suggestion

posted by Caz721 to Shopping (12 answers total)

Ebay is absolutely loaded with absurd retro salt and pepper shakers. I offer these merely as an example.
posted by JanetLand at 7:14 AM on December 4, 2014

Bungee Cord "Hanging Pot Rack".
posted by Buttons Bellbottom at 7:15 AM on December 4, 2014

Best answer: Don't know if you can get it outside Germany: singing Egg:
You boil it with your real eggs and it sings a song when the eggs are done.
posted by Omnomnom at 7:42 AM on December 4, 2014 [5 favorites]

Best answer: For "silly but useful", Fred & Friends comes to mind. All sorts of silly (& occasionally clever) household & kitchen items.
posted by jeffjon at 7:52 AM on December 4, 2014 [1 favorite]

Weird socks. My mother keeps sending my goofy socks so apparently there are suppliers of silly socks in adult sizes out there.
posted by Jacqueline at 8:07 AM on December 4, 2014 [1 favorite]

There are tons of fun kitchenware things from Fred as noted above. I have these Matroyshka doll cup measures and they are surprisingly useful (there are also matchign measuring spoons, tupperware, and kitchen timer).

Anthropologie has nice kitchen things as well. I'm kind of in love with this sugar and creamer set myself.

Amazon searching "cookie jar" brought this up as the 2nd result, so you might have some luck there too. Try searching teapots as well, if she drinks tea - lots of fun ones out there & you could get some tea on the side.
posted by maryr at 8:40 AM on December 4, 2014

PS: Oh my god, there are so many goofy socks out there. Target for cheap, Sock It To Me (via Amazon or wherever) for nice.
posted by maryr at 8:42 AM on December 4, 2014 [1 favorite]

suction cup toothbrush holders come in all sorts of silly iterations. Also very useful with limited counter space or for people who prefer to brush in the shower.
posted by bilabial at 10:06 AM on December 4, 2014

Lee Valley Tools is a catalog supplier of woodworking tools that also has a large selection of small, useful, unusual kitchen tools. Nothing truly novelty or humorous, but some are a little goofy; I have a egg-shaped chunk of plastic that changes color when boiled along with eggs to indicate the level of doneness called the Eggsact Eggtimer.
posted by Juliet Banana at 10:39 AM on December 4, 2014 [1 favorite]

Best answer: This ring holder was at my sister-in-law's place over Thanksgiving and it got stuck in my head for some reason. If she wears rings, it's nice to have a pre-set spot in the kitchen, and, c'mon, porcupine.
posted by tchemgrrl at 11:54 AM on December 4, 2014

Best answer: Archie McPhee is the epitome of weird, silly and absurd, (and sometimes useful) things.
posted by patheral at 3:10 PM on December 4, 2014

I got a 64 piece box of liqueur-filled chocolates. It's absurd, because how many liqueur-filled chocolates does one person need, but also useful, as I have been piecing it out at work as bribes.
posted by anaelith at 8:52 AM on December 6, 2014