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16 Unique & Quirky Gifts for 2022

Posted: December 05, 2022
16 Unique & Quirky Gifts for 2022

The 16 unique & quirky gifts are not one of a kind, but they're still unique in their ability to delight, excite, and stand out from the pile of gifts your favorite nephew will receive from all his other relatives, or that your crush will receive from all her other suitors.

And they're not quirky as in, "Hmmm, let me find a nice way to say, 'That's weird and somewhat disturbing, I don't want it,' but quirky as in, "Awww, sweet! I didn't know they made a Banana Phone or a custom stuffed replica of my sheepadoodle before now, but boy am I glad they do, and boy am I glad you gave me one!"

So, yeah. When I say these are 16 unique & quirky gifts for 2022, I mean it only in the best of ways. Enjoy.

Note: Unique & quirky gift prices are marked as they were at printing on December 5, 2022. Prices, and availability, are subject to change.

Screaming Aztec Death Whistle

Screaming Aztec Death Whistle

How have I never heard of a Screaming Aztec Death Whistle? In all my efforts to exact revenge on my ex-girlfriend, Karen, in all my attempts to prank my friend Cornelius, in all my ploys to convince my mother-in-law our condo complex is haunted and they should really stay in a hotel or Airbnb instead, how have I never heard of a Screaming Aztec Death Whistle?!

Welp, as they say, better late than never.

$36.95 ➠ Amazon

T-Rex Candy Dish & Valet Tray

T-Rex Candy Dish & Valet Tray

You can use the T-Rex Candy Dish & Valet Tray to hold your keys, coins, jewelry, or small pieces of EDC, but what the little dino really wants to keep contained and organized for you is a bag of M&Ms or Skittles. Some Starburst would do too, but then he'd have to eat the paper to get to the...uh, nevermind. Scratch that.

This adorable baby T-Rex is a dish. A tray. A holder and protector of your valuables and most delicious sweet treats. He definitely will not try to eat them. Nope. No Cretaceous way.

$44.98 to $49.98 ➠ Amazon

Sleepy Sleeves Wearable Arm Pillow

Sleepy Sleeves Wearable Arm Pillow
Sleepy Sleeves Wearable Arm Pillow

I don't wear my heart on my sleeve, I wear my nap on my sleeve. The Sleepy Sleeves Wearable Arm Pillow is an alternative to neck pillows and giant ostrich heads for travelers and tuckered-out workers eager to grab some shut-eye on whatever surface lies beneath them. An oblong memory foam cushion sewn into a slip-on cotton sleeve, the Sleepy Sleeves brings portable, discreet (call it Sneaky Sleeves at work!) comfort to your sleepy time pursuits.

$29 ➠ Amazon

Banana Phone

Banana Phone
Banana Phone

A wise person once said, "There are two types of phones in this world - boring phones, and Banana Phone!" No wait, scratch that. A bananas person once said, There are two types of phones in this world - boring phones, and Banana Phone!"

Technically, the Banana Phone serves a purpose: it's a wireless handset you can connect to your iPhone or Android smartphone, and use to talk to your mama, or perhaps the customer service center at Dole. But given you can already use your actual phone as a handset, or connect Bluetooth earphones to it and talk both wirelessly and hands-free, the Banana Phone's true purpose is a silly gag gift, or maybe top prize at this year's white elephant gift exchange.

$39.99 ➠ Amazon

Robot Lamp Candle & Wax Melts Warmer

Robot Lamp Candle & Wax Melts Warmer

Now I don't know how many people out there who are into candles and wax melts and aromatherapy are also into robots, but if that's your demographic, my dudes and ladies, have I got a Robot Lamp Candle & Wax Melts Warmer for you.

The lil' resin robot has a GU10 light bulb face and an adjustable neck you can point over your favorite candle or bowl of wax melts to get the aromas a-wafting. No open flames or resultant black smoke required, so in addition to being a much cuter option than burning, the Robot Lamp is a much safer option that diffuses scents instead.

$106.99 ➠ Amazon

Human Face Baseball Hat

Human Face Baseball Hat
Human Face Baseball Hat

This Human Face Baseball Hat is ready to play ball...with anyone who thinks they can look it in the eye without shuddering. Yeeks. Every time I glance at Sabri Tunca's handmade creep fest, I have to shake it off like a nervous dog. Who'd have thought 100% natural merino wool felt could be so disarming?

$168 ➠ Etsy

Love in Bloom Porcelain Heart Vase

Love in Bloom Porcelain Heart Vase
Love in Bloom Porcelain Heart Vase

A classic from Seletti, the Love in Bloom Porcelain Heart Vase goes full-on anatomical in its efforts to help you show how much you care. The vase turns arteries and veins of the heart into individual bud vases, allowing unique bouquet arrangements to take shape inside and even more uniquely-shaped container.

$97 ➠ Amazon

Mushroom Disco Ball

Mushroom Disco Ball

Ah, mushrooms and disco balls, together at last. Really, though, it makes sense. I just watched a documentary on mushrooms - Fantastic Fungi - discussing the growing evidence that mushrooms can cure all illnesses, replenish burnt forests, remediate oil spills, and probably even turn brown eyes blue. And we already know disco balls can cure all bad moods, replenish low party energy, remediate boring decor, and definitely set dull eyes a-sparkling. So with their forces joined, I expect them to do nothing less than conquer the world.

$16.48 to $29.48 ➠ Amazon

Crotch Staring Cat with Swappable Crotch Parts

Crotch Staring Cat with Swappable Crotch Parts
Crotch Staring Cat with Swappable Crotch Parts

A Crotch Staring Cat with swappable crotch parts? Being a reluctant, yet attentive, cat owner, I can say this toy from Chinese cartoonist QianLi Ma is not based on real life. At least not in my experience. Now a Crotch Licking Cat with swappable crotch parts, that toy would be one I'd believe.

Lucky Stradley Ceramics

Lucky Stradley Ceramics
Lucky Stradley Ceramics

Lucky Stradley first went viral as a virtuoso of whimsical ceramics in 2014, with one of his runny nose yarn bowls, that one named "Snotty Oliver." Today he continues to hand make OOAK and custom pieces to liven up - and weird out - your home decor, and bring a smile to your - and if you're lucky, a look of horror to your stuck-up Aunt Jan's - face.

$40 to $175 ➠ Etsy

BEEVIVE Bee Revival Keyring

BEEVIVE Bee Revival Keyring
BEEVIVE Bee Revival Keyring

Bee aware, bee kind, and BEEVIVE with your very own Bee Revival Keyring. "Inspired by a spontaneous encounter with a tired bee," these tubular keychain or backpack attachments contain emergency nectar (i.e., ambrosia syrup) that will help perk up any peaked pollinator you pass.

BEEVIVE's Bee Revival Keyrings consist of an aluminum or bamboo outer shell that houses a glass vial filled, and refillable, with bee food. Vials hold about 5 bee-size servings, and when you run out of the included ambrosia syrup, a simple simple syrup, or sugar water, will do as a replacement.

$14 to $30 ➠ Etsy

Avocado Ripeness Ranker

Avocado Ripeness Ranker

At first I was like, "An Avocado Ripeness Ranker? That's dumb." But then I thought about 80% of the products I run on this site, and I was like, "OK, an Avocado Ripeness Ranker. Fair enough." And then the more time I spent looking at and reading about Kyle Courcy's avo-podium, the more charmed I became by it.

A great gift for the athlete in your life, or anyone on the competitive side, or anyone who truly wants to know which of their avocados is ripest with barely a glance, the Avocado Ripeness Ranker organizes 3 of the green-fleshed fruits in Gold, Silver, and Bronze positions. Gold, of course, is your Kitchen's Ripest Avocado, and the one most ready for toast or, if it's really, really ripe, a nice bowl of guacamole.

Yooperlite UV-Fluorescent Stone Designs

Yooperlite UV-Fluorescent Stone Designs
Yooperlite UV-Fluorescent Stone Designs

I'd never seen yooperlite before today, but after just a few seconds of gazing at the UV-fluorescent stones, and the designs Palcamsol Distributing has turned them into, has me going all Fred Flintstone and saying, "Yooper-dooper-doo!"

Under normal conditions, yooperlite is a nice enough looking rock, mottled with black and shades of brown and gray. Palcamsol Distributing has shaped the stones into a variety of objects, including beaded bracelets, wicked skull and dragon sculptures, and even a 6-pound solid yooperlite sphere, ready both to tell the future and take out an intruder. But the real yoopermagic begins when the sun goes down, the LEDs go off, and the black light flickers to life.

$29.99 to $279.99 ➠ Etsy

Blamo Adult Animal Onesies

Blamo Adult Animal Onesies
Blamo Adult Animal Onesies

Blamo Adult Animal Onesies are sewn in tribute to a brimming handful of mythical, jungle, and suburban beasts. The white unicorn suit shown above is a Spencer Hansen design made of 100% cotton knit, accented with side pockets, a shoulder pocket, thumb holes, and, of course, a few magical unicorn features. Horn. Ears. Mane. Tail. And the motorcycle?

So the unicorn can fly.

$241 to $252 ➠ Blamo

Custom Stuffed Pet Replicas

Custom Stuffed Pet Replicas
Custom Stuffed Pet Replicas

Um. Aside from the fact that that cat's sitting politely and perfectly still on a human hand, I can't even tell it's a custom stuffed pet replica, and not just a, like, pet.

A few years ago, we saw Cuddle Clones and their hyper-realistic take on stuffed versions of your dog, cat, or other furry / feathered friend. And they're real good. But I gotta say, I think these custom stuffed pet replicas, available as either just your buddy's head, or as a full body, are even better. Handmade by Qinghua, and sold through her Etsy shop, Brightliftin, these doggos and kitties (and tweety birds!) all look to be dead ringers of their living counterparts.

$99 to $169 ➠ Etsy

Mushroom Trio Grow Kit

Mushroom Trio Grow Kit
Mushroom Trio Grow Kit

Forest Origins guarantees you can grow your own mushrooms with their Mushroom Trio Grow Kit or they'll provide a full refund. Well, Forest Origins, first challenge of 2023 accepted. But you do realize in making this guarantee that I can hardly grow hair on my own head anymore, right?

This 3-piece mushroom farm contains the makings of 3 varieties of organic oyster mushrooms: brown; white; and pink. Forest Origins supplies the "fungal bricks," which contain everything you need to grow your shrooms, minus the water you'll mist them with along the way.

$84.99 ➠ Amazon
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