Pet Rock: The Original by Gary Dahl

Gary Dahl created the Pet Rock in 1975, and the 1970s gag is back: the original Pet Rock, now owned by Rosebud Entertainment, about 2 inches long and sold in its own personal travel crate.

The pitch is the punchline. A Pet Rock never needs to be fed, walked, bathed or groomed, and it will never run away. It also comes pre-trained to sit and stay, which it does very well. The crate is a little cardboard carrier, so the unwrapping feels like bringing home a new pet, and the rock sitting inside makes the room laugh before anyone reads the box.

It makes a strong white elephant pick because it works at any age. Older relatives remember the original fad, younger ones just enjoy the absurdity, and it ends up on a desk or a bookshelf as a low-effort office mascot. It also suits a friend whose landlord bans pets, or a kid who keeps asking for a dog.

The catch: you’re paying gift money for a 2-inch rock, and that’s the entire product. If the person opening it doesn’t enjoy a deadpan joke, there’s nothing else in the box to win them over, so pick your swap crowd accordingly.