Make 'Em Laugh, Not Cry: Funny 30th Birthday Gag Gifts

Thirty isn't really old...but it's fun to pretend it is! My mother used to say, "I've reached the age of 30. Now I've lived a full life." Well, maybe in the Middle Ages that was true. But thirty is no longer middle age.

And actually they'll probably be feeling either a sense of 1) accomplishment or 2) dread. While the age is not exactly ancient, it's got a long tradition behind it of "crossing a threshold."

That's why I think a joke gift that makes 'em laugh rather than sob is the best way to break the ice. I have to admit I always resort to humor in awkward situations. (I married a man who's exactly the same. When I found out my mom had a terminal illness, he cracked jokes about it. I love him.)

Anyway, thirty really IS something to celebrate, not mourn. In some cases I've selected these novelties according to gender, because I find myself thinking some are better for female-type persons and others are better for male-type persons. You can ignore my generalizations if they don't apply.

Also, these are, on the whole, clean, good-natured gags. If you're looking for dark or raunchy stuff, you might want to look elsewhere. The suggestions here are aimed equally for a coworker and acquaintance as for a family member, girlfriend/boyfriend, husband/wife, best friend...you get the idea.

Books, When All Else Fails

Books are the best gift, gag or not.  Period. They feel personal but not too personal. They don't take up too much room, a real concern for the over-gifted and under-spaced. If the book is not to the recipient's taste, he or she can quietly regift it without any fuss. And of course, they solve the eternal problem - what do you get someone you don't know well, just that they're turning thirty? These funny books are just the ticket.

The Book of Ages 30 is a witty, lighthearted volume of cute age-themed trivia and an optimistic look at case studies of people who've been regular Joes and Janes, then gone on to do great things after thirty.

30 Things to Do When You Turn 30 is a compilation of essays by famous, interesting, and successful people who've been there, done that - from sports players to business executives to celebrities - told with humor, savvy and wisdom.

For females and female-identifiers, there's 29 and Counting : A Chick's Guide to Turning 30, a sassy, wise, and trendy take on the reality of what's happening.  The book has mixed reviews - some people found it invigorating, while others found it depressing, so use the Look Inside feature if in doubt.

Those were the popular, mainstream choices. My last recommendation for a book is far out of the mainstream. Are you familiar with the Web comic strip, XKCD? Popular with the geeky crowd, the young crowd, and the Internet intelligentsia, this is a hilarious online comic strip for those who "get it."

The author, Randall Munroe, has a few books out, including XKCD Volume 0, a printing of hundreds of his comic strips. Warning: the language is definitely adult. Not what I'd call explicit or raunchy, but curses are definitely used, so if that bothers you, stay away.

However, there's his more mainstream humorous new book, Thing Explainer, which uses simplified language to explain difficult concepts in an entertaining way.  Its publishing date is November 2015, so if you hit this before then, don't order this if the birthday is, like, sooner.  That would be bad.

Retro

Listen, I'm hearing you, but thirty is not too young for retro. These days, I swear twenty is not too young for retro. Definitely, 30-year-olds can feel plenty nostalgic.

So there are three things that combine retro, parties, and celebration: food, clothes, and music.

For the budget-conscious gifter, here's a gaming-themed gift.

Other ideas: For a woman...do you remember stirrup leggings? Not talking about skinny jeans or tights - just those skin-tight leggings that were popular that also had stirrups on them, some of them in psychadelic patterns and colors.  They flourished in the 90s and are now all but gone from the market. How's that for a gag clothing gift? To make sure she gets the gag, glue photos of 90s women wearing stirrup leggings to the gift wrap or tape them to the leggings, themselves.

29 Forever Gag

This 29-forever tee shirt is a totally safe one, nice, and traditional.

Hope these ideas work for you. Happy gifting!