12 kitschy, gimmicky gifts people actually use and love
Give a gift that brings a smile to their face but will also get used. Win win.

From remote page turners to tortilla blankets, these gifts are crowd pleasers
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Have you ever gotten a gimmicky gadget that you thought for sure you'd use but ends up sitting in a drawer or cabinet for years until you finally decide to ditch it? Or how about the opposite? Have you ever gotten a gag gift that turned out to be something truly useful and beloved?
Giving someone a funny present can be hit or miss, but when you manage to strike the balance between grin-inducing and practical, you've got a winning gift on your hands.
A person in the Grown and Flown parenting group on Facebook asked what dumb, gimmicky gifts parents had given their teens and young adults that they actually use and love. The responses started pouring in, and soon a treasure trove of fun gift ideas that might actually be worth it was created.
Here are 12 of the most hearted items people shared, and the best thing is most of them are under $20.
Check these out:
1. Motion-activated toilet bowl night light
No more accidental misses in the middle of the night.
Nobody wants to turn on a light in the bathroom when they stumble to the toilet in the middle of the night, and the plug-in night lights don't always light up the toilet enough to help with aim. Problem solved.
Find the motion-activated toilet bowl light on Amazon.
2. BlueTooth Sleep Mask Headphones
Fall asleep to music or audiobooks in comfort without disturbing anyone.
If you've ever tried to sleep on your side with earbuds in or headphones on, you'll immediately see the usefulness of this. But it's also great for working out in the cold if you use it as a headband/ear warmer instead of a sleep mask.
Find the BlueTooth Sleep Mask Headphones on Amazon.
3. Croc Headlights
Light up nighttime walks with these babies.
Love them or hate them, Crocs have made a comeback with all kinds of accessories to decorate them. These headlights might come in handy during a power outage or just if you're looking for a little extra safety when walking in the dark.
Find Croc headlights on Amazon here.
4. That Shirt Folder Thingy
No excuses for messy drawers.
This simple device creates a perfectly folded shirt in just a few seconds. It's fun to use and makes you feel like a laundry superstar. And since it lies flat, it can easily be tucked under a bed or behind a dresser or bookcase when not in use.
Find the shirt folder on Amazon.
5. Battery-operated Handheld Milk Frother
Who needs steam to make a latte?
With 4.5 stars out of over 200,000 reviews, you can't go wrong with this kitchen gadget. Frothy foam feels like a luxurious treat atop a coffee or hot cocoa, and this frother makes it quick and simple without taking up a bunch of space on the counter.
Find the milk frother with stand on Amazon.
6. Giant Tortilla Blanket
This looks exactly like a burrito, but it's actually a huge, fluffy blanket.
Turn yourself or your loved ones into a fluffy burrito with this 71-inch tortilla blanket. I know it looks strange. But 4.8 stars out of 65,000 reviews on Amazon and rave reviews by the Grown and Flown folks are solid testimonies. Apparently, it's very soft and cozy.
Find the tortilla blanket on Amazon here.
7. Blue IKEA Bag Rain Hat
The iconic blue IKEA bag taken to the next level.
IKEA's big blue bags are famous for their cheap, durable, weatherproof usefulness for moving lots of stuff—particularly among college students. This kitschy rain hat is no less weatherproof and useful in addition to being a conversation piece. People love it.
Find the IKEA rain hat on Amazon.
8. Remote Kindle Page Turner
Turn the page without having to pull your hand out of the blanket.
If your first thought is "Why does it need to be easier to turn the page on a Kindle when it's just a click," you're not alone. But the mom who shared this said her daughter loves it because she likes to read in bed with her arms all cozied up under a blanket. This allows her to turn the page without exposing her hands. Works with iPads and other tablets as well.
Find the Kindle remote page turner.
9. Electric Fly Swatters
Zap those flies.
Last year we had an out-of-the-blue fly problem that required the big guns. These are the big guns. So much more effective than a traditional fly swatter.
Find the electronic fly swatter 2-pack on Amazon.
10. GripStic Reusable Bag Clips
So much better—and neater—than traditional chip clips.
People rave about these things. One reviewer wrote, "ABSOLUTELY keeps food fresher for longer! Worth every penny!" and another said they work even better than Ziploc bags. With 10,000 reviews and 4.8 stars, it's a surefire hit.
Find the GripStic bag sealers on Amazon here.
11. Pet Hair Remover
It's like a supercharged, highly effective lint roller.
I can personally vouch for this one since I bought one myself. This thing gets hair that the vacuum misses. Super helpful for getting cat and dog hair off of furniture lickety split, and getting the hair out of it is really easy.
Find the pet hair remover on Amazon.
12. The Clapper
Those of us in a certain age will immediately start singing, "CLAP ON (clap clap) CLAP OFF (clap clap)…"
It's a classic. Clap on! Clap off! It's like the OG smart device, only without the concerns about corporations spying on our conversations. Convenient and simple. Can't go wrong.
Find The Clapper on Amazon here.
Hope that helped with your holiday lists and white elephant gift exchanges!
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."
This article originally appeared in May.