If you’re anything like me, you’ve definitely been stuck in traffic with someone while riding in their car and heard them exclaim, “Jeez, I wish I could heat up a slice of pizza right now or toast a bagel at this very specific moment in time!” There’s also a chance that you’re going to a gift exchange, and you want to bring along something that will get people laughing or wondering if they shouldn’t invite you next year. Whatever the case may be, I’m here with the only gift-giving guide you’ll need this year, featuring a variety of weird, perhaps useless/pointless, and unusual car accessories that you can give to family and friends. And just because I like to be helpful, I’ll even toss in a few that are actually kind of cool and that someone would want (you can save those for yourself, I won’t tell). Let’s dig in!
A Portable Oven
Remember that scenario I mentioned a few moments ago about wanting to heat up some pizza or a bagel while on the road? Well, this is the solution to that timeless quandary. With a portable oven, someone can (not at all safely) cook while on the go, even roasting a pheasant or tackling other important cooking tasks. These ovens can include connectors to plug into a vehicle’s lighter connection, but I’ll add that this is a bit pricey for a gag gift, so keep that in mind.
Footprint (or Other Shape) Gas Pedal
Nothing says sophistication and elegance quite like an aftermarket gas pedal installed into a vehicle, particularly one in a silly or strange shape. A footprint-shaped gas pedal is a classic way to go, and people will either love it or hate it, which is all you can ask for. The foot seems to be the most common shape, though I’ve seen some shaped like a shoe, and I’m sure if you’re resourceful enough, you’ll discover more out there or have one custom-made for a gift that’s truly from the heart.
Fuzzy Dice (or Other Rearview Mirror Decor)
I could’ve done an entire list of gifts designed to hang from a rearview mirror, but I chose to consolidate them instead. Fuzzy dice are a classic choice (preferably pink, but you do you), though I’m also a big fan of small metal dice as an old-school Star Wars reference. These days, you can find all sorts of different things, from air fresheners to adorable duckies and other critters waiting to adorn one’s rearview mirror. This is an inexpensive option, and you can get as heartfelt or dumb with it as you want. I won’t judge.
Dipping Sauce Holder
I saw this and started laughing and thinking, “That’s so dumb,” but I was about halfway through this sentence when I realized I love it and need it. These are tiny holders sold in pairs that mount to your A/C vent, with room to hold a tiny cup of dipping sauce from a fast food place. Utterly superfluous and truly unnecessary, they nevertheless seem to work well and are the perfect solution when that lust for chicken nuggets hits, and you need a spot for your BBQ sauce.
Custom Lighter Plug Cover
Far less useful and instead just fun and silly, there is a wide range of plug covers for vehicle lighters available to add a custom touch to a car. They’re perfect for a simple, inexpensive gift. Common ones I’ve seen include an “Eject” button or one that indicates it will fire missiles or other projectiles. They’re a fun novelty and available in a variety of styles.
Portable Bluetooth Record Player
You’ll have to decide for yourself whether this is weird, pointless, or amazing. Portable record players are just that, portable devices that play vinyl records and work well in a variety of situations. I don’t know how good they sound, but they can include Bluetooth functionality for easy use with your car’s sound system. If you know a vinyl fiend or want to call someone out as a hipster, this seems like a good pick.
Excessive Interior LED Lighting Kits
Again, it’s up to you whether this is a fun gift or an obnoxious one, but you can get all kinds of lighting kits for vehicles these days. In particular, interior LED lighting can be added to a vehicle to let someone customize things to a truly outrageous degree. Some of these kits can be pricey, but some decent ones are inexpensive and could make a great gift in the right situation.
Gear Shift Hoodie Cover
Under the category of “completely unnecessary,” gear shift covers are available, allowing for more customization in someone’s ride. My personal pick for a “why even get me this?” option is a gear shift cover that looks like a small hoodie, complete with a hood and little pull strings. You can choose from various colors to take things to the next level with your bizarre and unexpected new gifting lifestyle.
Hand Gesture Exterior Lighting with Remote
File this under the category of “Could make people laugh; could get you shot by the side of the road.” It’s a small hand-shaped light that can be attached to the exterior of a vehicle, like the rear window. It lights up like a hand and has several options for signaling a wave, putting up an “I love you” in sign language, or providing a more rude and potentially offensive finger gesture. The right person would certainly get a kick out of it, but I wouldn’t put it on my car or risk drawing the ire of some angry stranger on the road.
Emergency Car Escape Tool
My final pick is not just weird or unusual but one that I think is quite practical and could save a person’s life. An emergency car escape tool is a small item that’s easy to keep in a glove compartment or center console up front. It includes a built-in blade to cut through a seatbelt and a window hammer that can smash through a window if needed. This is designed to help someone in a situation where their vehicle has overturned or gone off the road into some water, and they’re trapped. These items are inexpensive and a neat choice for a gift exchange or a family member who likes tools.
You Can Always Find a Worse Gift
Honestly, I could keep going and start listing off more items like strange exterior LED lighting kits or a portable toaster that you can use (in case you find the oven to be overkill as a gift). If you’re looking for real, interesting gift ideas, then you might consider something like a dashboard camera, portable head-up display projector, or even a cover for a vehicle’s push-button start system (there are lots of them out there in different styles and designs). But if you’re looking for a gag gift or something really weird, I’ve only touched the surface, and you can find plenty of other strange and terrible things. You might want to check road safety laws in your area before going with anything too bizarre and extravagant, including lighting. Please remember that nothing says, “I love you,” like a portable, car-mounted flamethrower.
