Boxing Day is famous for shopping deals, massive queues, and people unboxing gifts they either love… or immediately hide. While some unwrap gadgets, clothes, or long-awaited electronics, others are shocked with gifts that are confusing, hilarious, or downright strange. From bizarre family pranks to misguided presents that have no business being wrapped, here are some of the weirdest gifts people have ever unboxed during Boxing Day.
1. A Frozen Chicken Wrapped Like a Luxury Gift
One family shocked their son by handing him a beautifully wrapped box with ribbons and gold paper. Inside, he found a single frozen chicken. No note. No explanation. The parent later admitted they thought it would be “funny to give him something useful for once.” The boy didn’t laugh — but dinner that night was sorted.
2. A Life-Size Cardboard Cutout of Nicolas Cage
A teenager unboxed what looked like a large, flimsy box. Inside was a full-scale cardboard cutout of Nicolas Cage staring straight into his soul. His sister said the gift was meant to “bring character” to his empty room. The best part? The cutout was placed at the foot of his bed later that night, and scared him so badly that he fell off.
3. A Jar Labeled “Fresh Air From Scotland”
Someone’s uncle, who lived abroad, sent them a mysterious glass jar with a professional-looking label: “Authentic Fresh Air from the Highlands.” It was sealed tight, carefully wrapped, and completely empty. The uncle insisted it was “premium” and “rare.” The recipient kept it on a shelf as a conversation piece, even though nobody could confirm whether the air was actually Scottish.
4. A Rock with Googled Instructions on “How to Care for a Pet Rock”
A woman unboxed a shoebox only to find a medium-sized rock sitting inside with googled care instructions printed on A4 paper. The gift-giver claimed the rock was “low maintenance” and “great for emotional support.” They even drew a small face on it with a permanent marker. The recipient kept it, named it Gerald, and brought it to work the next day.
5. A Pack of Unopened 90s Toilet Paper as a “Collector’s Item”
One man received a dusty plastic-wrapped bundle of toilet paper dating back to the early 90s. His cousin believed it would “increase in value someday,” especially after seeing the price of collectibles skyrocket online. The packaging had outdated branding and slogans that made the entire family laugh. Whether it’s valuable is still unknown, but it’s definitely vintage.
6. A Personalized Calendar Featuring Only the Giver’s Face
A woman gifted her boyfriend a customized calendar. Sweet, right? Except each page featured only her face — no scenic backgrounds, no quotes, no variation. Just her smiling, smirking, or staring blankly into the camera. It was intended as a joke, but ended up being the strangest decoration in his apartment for an entire year.
7. A Bag of Used Wine Corks from Someone Who Didn’t Drink Wine
A teenager unboxed a paper bag filled with dozens of wine corks that clearly had bite marks and stains. The gift-giver insisted she “collected them over the years,” even though she famously didn’t drink. When asked where they came from, she said, “I know people.” Nobody asked further questions. The corks were eventually used for a school art project, making them the most mysteriously practical gift ever.
8. A Pair of Shoes Re-Gifted So Many Times the Box Had Seven Names Crossed Out
Someone unwrapped a shoe box with multiple layers of old tape and crossed-out handwriting. The shoes inside were brand-new but extremely unfashionable. Based on the crossed-out names, the pair had been re-gifted at least seven times over several Christmas seasons. The recipient decided to keep the tradition alive and passed them on the following year.
9. A Giant Bag of Uncooked Rice “Because It’s Good for You”
One family member received a 20kg sack of uncooked rice wrapped with festive paper that kept tearing under the weight. The grandmother insisted it was a “practical gift,” claiming rice “never goes out of style.” The recipient wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry, but the family ate rice for months, so it definitely didn’t go to waste.
10. A Certificate Naming the Recipient as Owner of a Star… With a Suspiciously Cheap Printout
Many people gift star-naming certificates, but one Boxing Day unboxing revealed a certificate clearly printed from a free website. The name of the star was misspelled, the coordinates were made up, and the ‘official seal’ was just a clipart image of a rocket. The giver defended themselves by saying, “It’s the thought that counts, and also the website was down when I tried the real one.”
11. A Mysterious Key with No Explanation or Lock
A man opened a tiny velvet box expecting jewelry. Instead, he found a single old-fashioned brass key. No note. No context. No lock to match it. The gift-giver refused to explain, saying only that “one day it will make sense.” Years later, the recipient still has the key — and absolutely no clues about what it opens. The mystery became a family story: the Boxing Day key that leads nowhere.
12. A 50-Pack of Random Hotel Soaps Collected Over Decades
A father gave his adult daughter a massive box filled with hotel soaps he’d collected from the 80s to the early 2000s. Some were wrapped, others weren’t. Some were scented, others were practically bricks. He explained he “wanted the collection to stay in the family.” The daughter kept a few for nostalgia but donated most — except the ones so old they’d fossilized.
13. A Singing Fish Wall Plaque That Activates on Its Own
Someone unboxed an old-school singing fish that plays country music. Funny, right? Except that the batteries were supposedly removed, yet the fish randomly activated at night. It startled the entire house for weeks. The recipient eventually put it in storage, where it still occasionally lets out a static-filled hum — with no batteries inside.