Supportive gift with an emphasis on FUNNY

October 22, 2024 8:03 AM

So my brother's family has been going through a whole lot of "just one damn thing after another" luck this year - my niece and nephew both went through heavy stuff, then the parents, then another one of the kids. My sister-in-law is the latest target. Seeking a good token gift that wouldn't be schmaltzy, but rather would be funny.

My SIL has had some concerning - but with a good prognosis - health news. I wanted to send her a token something as a show of support. But I don't want the message to be the usual "you are a brave warrior and you will endure and get through this" kind of Very Serious Heartfelt stuff; I wanted to be more of a "wtf, this SUCKS and I am mad at the world on your behalf" kind of thing. Think like a funny book.

Anyone have any recommendations?

posted by EmpressCallipygos to Human Relations (24 answers total)

Depending on their sense of humor, a Cthulhu Plush with a note saying "I found the problem!" may work.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 8:12 AM on October 22, 2024 [2 favorites]

Not exactly a token gift at $97, but this set of "The Complete Calvin & Hobbes" is the best gift I ever got from anybody. And it's funny. I read it whenever times get tough and it's a great picker-upper.
posted by bluesky78987 at 8:20 AM on October 22, 2024 [8 favorites]

A coffee table book pairing dog breeds with wines.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 8:25 AM on October 22, 2024 [2 favorites]

The Mincing Mockingbird's Guide to Troubled Birds, with sticky notes or written directions to page numbers of the most relevant bird insights. Could also throw in some of the magnets as well; a few that might be appropriate: Flaming Hot Snacks, Orwellian Nightmare, and Meditate.
posted by brook horse at 8:34 AM on October 22, 2024 [2 favorites]

I'd gift a really big kitchen knife with the note "for stabbing"
posted by advicepig at 8:35 AM on October 22, 2024 [4 favorites]

Depending on the food and leisure preferences of each recipient, something like a nice box of dessert type thing, a board game or craft kit, whatever is going to give them a few min of fun respite. And then tailored to their type of humor, a fake RX label for each, like “take 1-3x daily to counteract the symptoms of… some bullshit / vengeful gods / cruel irony…”
posted by seemoorglass at 8:42 AM on October 22, 2024

The foul-mouthed alternative to Mincing Mockingbird is Effin' Birds, so pick whichever one better fits their vibe.
posted by spamloaf at 8:55 AM on October 22, 2024 [1 favorite]

God does play dice [set of 6]
posted by BobTheScientist at 8:56 AM on October 22, 2024

There are numerous products (t-shirts, mugs, signs, etc) with "Illegitimati Non Carborundum" (which sort of translates to "Don't let the bastards grind you down"). Here is a refrigerator magnet Link
posted by statusquoante at 9:17 AM on October 22, 2024

I don’t have ideas for full-on gag gifts, but in similar situations I have sent a big box of chocolate (I like Tcho) with a note endorsing the idea of “eat your feelings, chocolate generates endorphins” and it’s been well received.
posted by samthemander at 9:20 AM on October 22, 2024 [3 favorites]

A gift card to one of those places where you throw axes or smash stuff.
posted by Archipelago at 9:27 AM on October 22, 2024 [2 favorites]

I often give snack box subscriptions as a gift (fun surprise, consumable so it's no-clutter, and easy to regift if they don't want items). I often use this company. You get a whole box of stuff so it's fun for the family to dig in together, and it's not too pricey to get several deliveries so the gift keeps giving.

Caveat - I don't recommend them if the family has any food allergies, since the snacks are made in other countries, so the ingredient labelling - or even the ingredient names - may not translate well or be included on all labels. So there could be trace amounts of allergens like nuts, sesame, dairy, or even seafood ingredients in a lot of savoury snacks. But for people who don't have food restrictions, these boxes have been a hit and they're fairly affordable!
posted by nouvelle-personne at 9:42 AM on October 22, 2024

Response by poster: A general thanks, since a lot of these are available and in-stock at a bookstore I was going to hit up after work - I will likely just go there and pick and choose. But keep it comin'!
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:44 AM on October 22, 2024

Best answer: This checkbox notepad. I die laughing each time. You can fill out a new one each time something goes wrong.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 9:47 AM on October 22, 2024 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: This checkbox notepad.

The site says they don't make it any more, but that's exactly the vibe I'm after - flagging it for illustrative purposes!
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:55 AM on October 22, 2024

The stupid, funny card game Mr. Toast, in a box with some snacks (and drinks?).

Possibly also a Rumpl blanket, with a note explaining that no one person gets to hog the comfy blanket for Nap Times, but that everyone needs it from time to time.
posted by wenestvedt at 10:59 AM on October 22, 2024

I gave my kid a version of this shirt when he was having a tough time.

It says, "The horror are never ending, yet I remain silly."

It's fairly GenZ/Alpha in look, but it's been widely ripped off, so you could probably find a version that isn't quite as loud, from a visual sense.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 11:16 AM on October 22, 2024 [1 favorite]

One of those checkbox notepads is on ebay
posted by Nickel at 11:28 AM on October 22, 2024 [1 favorite]

Know your audience, but depending on her sense of humor / absurdism / grit, Sisyphus gear like this or this or this might express the mood you're going for.
posted by foursentences at 12:53 PM on October 22, 2024

Response by poster: One of those checkbox notepads is on ebay

Not saying this to call you out, but you've reminded me that I forgot to mention a salient point: I'm looking for something I can conceivably pick up in a brick-and-mortar shop tonight, as opposed to something mail-ordered.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:56 PM on October 22, 2024

Response by poster: So I found something - I got a couple of smaller checkbox notepads, one of which was marketed as being "an adult way to have a temper tantrum" and that seemed to hit the right note. Then I had the idea to hit up a candy store in the city tomorrow that has a whole lot of different flavored KitKats - and I'll buy an assortment of them, adding the note that "your whole family deserves a BREAK already".

Sorted. Thank you!
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:40 PM on October 22, 2024 [11 favorites]

For others looking, the adult temper tantrum, might be this product from the same company as that wonderful feel better checkbox.
posted by metahawk at 9:48 PM on October 22, 2024

This book of tiny pep talks isn't out until next month but could be exactly what you're looking for then! It's very funny, covers a range of situations (mostly mundane, granted, rather than emergencies, but mundane stuff can feel harder than usual in an ongoing emergency), and there's a fill-in-the-blank pep talk at the back to write your own if your particular needs aren't covered.
posted by babelfish at 8:15 AM on October 23, 2024

Any hardware store would have a good barn shovel. For when life drops a lot of shit in your path.
posted by dr. boludo at 9:51 AM on October 23, 2024