A Few Impersonal Gifts That Are Actually Awesome

By Sally Burnette on December 19, 2012

We all have those people who we don’t particularly care about but who we still have to buy gifts for: coworkers, acquaintances, weird fourth cousins, neighbors, etc. But instead of just buying a bunch of those dumb “gourmet” gift baskets, crap from Bath & Body Works, or those terrible Visa giftcards (PLEASE just give money), here are a few things you can give:

1. Buckyballs

(photo by Flickr user vitroid)

These are those magnetic balls that come in a cube that you can play with and make into shapes and stuff. They might seem lame, but they supply hours of fun and are a sweet desk toy. But hurry and order them! A bunch of idiot kids ate some, and their irresponsible parents complained, so production has stopped. Once they’re gone, they’re gone!

2. This candle made out of an orange peel

(photo from Etsy shop LessCandles)

Candles are classic I-don’t-really-like-you-but-I-have-to-get-you-something gifts, but what if I told you that there are some made out of orange peels? Well, there are, and they’re cheap. Not only that, but they’re handmade, which means that it’ll look like you spent a lot of time piddling around some hippie artisan market paying way too much for them. So you look cool giving them out, and you don’t have to do anything except pay some Lithuanian girl online to do the work for you. This shop also has some other sweet candles such as these made in a snail shell.

3. Birchbox/Birchbox Man

(photo from Birchbox’s website)

Birchbox is this thing that sends you a bunch of little samples in a box each month. It’s $10 a month for women and $20 a month for men (men get cooler stuff), but you can only gift it in 3, 6, or 12 month increments. Basically, the women’s one is makeup, perfume, and hair products. The men’s also has grooming products, but they get other stuff like wallets, watches, whisky rocks, or underwear. It’s a unique gift (waaaay cooler than a giftcard), because you don’t actually have to pick what they get, and you look young and hip with this fancy box thing.

4. Cord organizers

(photo from organize.com)

Getting superfluous electronics is a holiday staple. So, why not give something to help your acquaintances organize their hoard of cables that is slowly taking over their desks/bedsides? They’re cheap and super useful.

5. This semen cookbook