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Surfing the shops for weird, wacky gifts
December 16, 1997
Visit fridgedoor.com for a Gramps Zipped Lip magnet
Web posted at: 12:47 p.m. EST (1747 GMT)From CNN Interactive Associate Producer Jenna Milly
(CNN) -- Do you feel it's not worth the hassle of fighting the holiday crowds at the mall just to get your Uncle Eddy a dozen rubber eyeballs or your Aunt Betty an Elvis mousepad?
Well, in this high-tech age you don't have to leave your house to shop for those gifts, or for a flying lizard or even a glow-in-the-dark skeleton hand.
This holiday season, take yourself online and reap the benefits of quiet, convenient gift giving. Find something unique for your friends and family, something strange and unusual, something you can't find in a mall.
Marvelous mounds of useful magnets
A growing phenomenon in American pop culture is the love for refrigerator magnets. The online shopping super store Fridgedoor.com caters to goofy kitchen-decorating madness, and offers "secure server" transactions.
Boasted as the Web's biggest magnet store, Fridgedoor.com has products that feature everything from wacky animal situations to Betty Boop, Princess Diana or the Kennedys. Some selections offer function as well as magnetism, doubling as picture frames and notepads. When shopping for the more esoteric magnet lover, look at a category designated "Freaks!," which features comical tributes to Albert Einstein and the Mona Lisa.
Archie McPhee: Infamous novelty store
Unless you want to travel to Seattle just to buy a punching nun and a dozen rubber eyeballs, surfing Mcphee.com will end your quest for the most outrageous novelty gifts online. It has lawn flamingos and nerd essentials, not to mention a multitude of brash objects that include magic eight balls and voodoo dolls.
If your a thrifty shopper and want more for your money, most of their gifts are also functional -- like alarm clocks, lights and lunch boxes. But don't get so hung up on practicality that you overlook the huggable and lovable "Nunzilla" -- a cross between a nun and Godzilla -- for an interesting stocking stuffer. Use a secure server here, too.
Unearthly delights -- UFO madness on the Web
Move over rubber chickens and plastic spiders, the really strange and unique gifts can be bought from Parallel Universe. This site features UFO and Area 51 apparel, jewelry and books. While shopping in this paranormal emporium, you can even buy post cards of military aircraft. It's up to you to pick them out from the other flying objects.
Surf Parallel Universe for intergalactic holiday gifts
Parallel Universe doesn't offer the "secure server" buying method, but has convenient ordering by phone or mail. Creepy alien background music accompanies each shopping page -- sure to spark anyone's intergalactic buying energy.
Go off the deep end looking for hot sauce
With the bitter cold weather approaching, help your relatives keep warm with some hot sauces from Offthedeepend.com. With over 70 concoctions to choose from, they sell a variety of flavors with names like "Capital Punishment," "Mad Dog Inferno" and the "Endorphin Rush."
The easy-to-download list gives the buyer ingredients, prices, sizes and stock numbers. Orders can be submitted by e-mail, toll-free number or fax. Some flavors come with a "heat warning" and encourage any questions you may have as to the potency of your selection.
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