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White elephant parties are a popular Christmas tradition where guests exchange often-gag or humorously bad gifts. 'Chia Pet' is a novelty product, an animal-shaped terra-cotta figurine that sprouts chia seeds, which has become a staple gag gift in the white elephant tradition.
The search for 'funny white elephant gifts' hit an all-time high as the holiday party season peaked in December, with 'Chia Pet' trending as a prime example of a popular, humorous, and nostalgic gag gift people were searching for ideas for their exchanges.
The goal of white elephant gift-givers is a balance of being funny and slightly practical or nostalgic. The Chia Pet is viewed as the perfect 'bad' gift—widely recognized, inexpensive, and slightly absurd—which hits the necessary criteria for an exchange with a humor-first focus.