There comes a point in every gift-buying journey where you think: do I go practical… or do I go properly daft? And if you're anything like us at Find Me a Gift, you already know the answer. Practical gets opened politely, placed on a shelf, and rarely spoken of again. But funny novelty gifts? They get remembered. They get replayed. They get talked about in the group chat six months later when someone inevitably sprains something playing with it.

So how do you choose a novelty gift that's not just a throwaway laugh, but something genuinely brilliant? The kind of present that causes actual tears (of joy, not from the Chinese Pagoda Brain Teaser rage)? Here's your unofficial, unqualified, highly entertaining guide to picking gifts that will go down in legend, not just down the back of the sofa.

 

1. Go Retro or Go Home

There's something beautifully unifying about a plug-and-play game console. Whether your recipient is a 40-something nostalgic for pixelated racing games or a Gen Z-er trying to understand how on earth we used to play Pong on purpose, the Plug and Play Retro TV Games hits the perfect note of novelty-meets-joy. It's got over 200 games, a working mini joystick, and zero loading screens. Bliss.

 

2. Choose Gifts That Involve Mild Physical Embarrassment

If you can't laugh at your friends squatting furiously while strapped into a giant belt, are they really friends? The Sumo Squats Game is part fitness, part humiliation, and 100% guaranteed to have the entire room in stitches. Watching Uncle Dave try to squat while shouting "I AM THE SUMO KING" is the stuff of Christmas legend.

 

3. Encourage Chaos in Small Spaces

Not everyone has room for a ping-pong table, but that's where the World's Smallest Table Tennis steps in with tiny paddles and maximum entertainment. Set it up on any desk, kitchen table, or ironing board (don't ask), and prepare for the kind of long pauses where players chase the ball under furniture mid-rally. Bonus: it's the perfect gift for couples who say they "don't argue" but get weirdly intense about bat sports.

 

4. Tap into Their Inner Kid (or Passive-Aggressive Competitor)

If the person you're buying for enjoys logic puzzles, spatial challenges, or just proving they're smarter than their partner, the Memory Maze Challenge Game will do the trick. Simple premise, devilishly hard. It's like Simon Says… if Simon was a sadist with a strobe light and a point to prove.

 

5. Celebrate the Wrinkly Racers in Your Life

Forget your F1s and MotoGPs. The real racing thrill is between a zimmer-wielding granny and a grandad on a scooter. The Racing Granny and Grandad Wind Up Toys are the perfect novelty stocking fillers that delight both toddlers and pensioners - and unite generations in competitive glee. Just try not to bet actual money on it. You'll regret it.

 

6. Gift Adventure Without Leaving the Sofa

If you want to blow someone's mind (without blowing your budget), look no further than the VR Escape Rooms at Meetspace VR. These immersive gaming experiences are part puzzle, part adrenaline, and all utterly bonkers. Whether they're rewinding time in *The Dagger of Time*, escaping a dystopia in *Huxley VR*, or staging a prison break they insist they "could totally do in real life," this is the gift equivalent of a mic drop.

 

7. Choose Something They'll Build, Break, and Brag About

Nothing says "I know you're quietly into engineering" like a metal camper van with 375 pieces. The Camper Van Model Metal Construction Set is equal parts hobby and personality test. Will they follow the instructions to the letter or freestyle into chaos? Either way, it's a gift that says: "I see your inner nerd, and I salute it."

 

8. Lean into the Utterly Pointless (But Brilliant)

You don't need a reason to gift someone the Fun Facts Novelty Tape Measure. No one has ever said "Wow, I wish I had trivia about giraffe tongues while hanging shelves," but now they can. It's quirky, it's weirdly addictive, and it measures things. What more could you want?

 

9. Let Them Flick, Swing, and Finger Their Way to Victory

Set up a mini sporting league in the kitchen with the Finger Swing Ball or go one-on-one in the Finger Curling Game - ideal for those who take finger-based dexterity far too seriously. These are the kinds of gifts that end up sparking tournaments, heated debates, and mild RSI. Lovely.

 

10. Make Them Think… Eventually

Sometimes, the best novelty gifts have a bit of brain behind them. The Chinese Pagoda Brain Teaser is as beautiful as it is baffling. It looks elegant on a shelf and slowly drives its owner mad over several days. A gift that says: "I love you enough to challenge you intellectually, but not enough to give you the answer."

 

Still Not Sure? Go Magnetic or Mug-Based

When in doubt, magnetise them. The Make Your Own Magnetic Sculpture lets you create strange, calming, abstract wonders from thin air and magnetic sorcery. Or, if you're shopping for someone whose love language is golf and caffeine, the Golf Mug is pure genius. You can putt between sips. Yes, it's ridiculous. That's the point.

 

The Final Rule: If It Makes You Laugh, They'll Love It

The best novelty gifts aren't just things - they're experiences in miniature. They're "remember when…?" moments. So, whether you go for something finger-flicky, sumo-squatty, joystick-wiggly or camper-van-constructy, remember this: If it made *you* laugh when you saw it, it's probably perfect.

And if all else fails? Just give them an edible chocolate anus. Because honestly, nothing says "I love you but I also think you're an idiot" more clearly than that.

Explore all our funny, weird and memorable Christmas gifts at Find Me a Gift. Your gift might not be practical. But it will be perfect.