Category Archives: Gag Gift Catalogs

Gag gift catalogs make shopping for unusual gifts for birthdays and parties fun and easy.

Oriental Trading Company

Oriental Trading Co. 35,000 Fun Products

Harry Watanabe founded the Oriental Trading as a gift shop in Omaha , Nebraska in 1932 and grew it to a chain of 17 shops selling wholesale value-priced novelty & gift items.

When imports from Japan were restricted during WWII, the company shrank. Watanabe bought a factory that made kewpie dolls and other ceramic items. He used this to keep building his gift item business.

In 1954 Watanabe resumed importing and started the catalog, becoming a major supplier to the carnival trade in the United States in the fifties.

In the 1970s and ’80s the Oriental Trading Company catalog expanded and the company’s direct marketing efforts were tested and refined.

In 1977, the founder’s son, Terrance Watanabe, shifted focus from carnivals to supplying party goods for schools, churches, as well as retailers, and individuals. In 2000, Terrance sold his entire stake in the company and resigned.

Although the company has had some trying times in recent decades, it is now a part of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies and has been acquiring other toy brands.

The company still specializes in party supplies, toys, craft supplies, school supplies and other novelty and gift products. Oriental Trading is also a sort of umbrella company for a host of other catalogs that offer birthday supplies, “DIY décor”, and “wow-worthy” ideas for fun.

Today Oriental Trading Company is “recognized as one of the Top 50 Internet Retailers and one of the Top 50 Catalog Companies”

Oriental Trading Official website

Oriental Trading Store on America’s Top Online Retailer

Things You Never Knew Existed Catalog

Things You Never Knew Existed

The Johnson Smith Company, officially founded in 1914, is one of America’s oldest catalog companies.

The Johnson Smith catalog was known for years as the “Things You Never Knew Existed” catalog and specialized in unique gifts and gag gifts.

UPDATE: The Johnson Smith Company closed in December 2019.

UPDATE: The Johnson Smith Company brands which included The Things You Never Knew Existed Catalog, The Lighter Side Catalog, and Betty’s Attic Catalog were acquired by Winston Brands in 2020 who were “excited to keep the Johnson Smith Company brands moving forward and blending them into” their current family of Collections Etc. Here’s a link to the Things You Never Knew Existed section of the Collections, Etc. website.

Bonus Unique Gift Catalogs mentioned in this Article:

The Lighter Side & Betty’s Attic (now combined? at Collections, Etc.)

Collections, Etc. (a Great Gift Catalogs post)
The Lighter Side (a Great Gift Catalogs post)

Spencer Gifts Catalog

The Spencer Gifts store opened in the Cherry Hill Mall in Cherry Hill, NJ in 1963, but the company actually started life as Spencer Gifts Catalog.

Spencer’s is well-known, (or should we say notorious?), for it’s wide variety of offbeat products. Rock music, Goth, techno, heavy metal and other music paraphernalia and posters abound. Spencer’s has a plethora of pop culture playthings for your shopping pleasure. And now, a friendly warning: Use care when shopping here. Spencer’s is not for everyone. Many items found at Spencer’s could be considered “for mature audiences”.

Shop for the coolest party gear here. Spencer’s has blacklights, fog machines, lights shows and more. The Spencer’s Catalog also offers up an amazing array of funny t-shirts sure to make you laugh. In addition, they also have a personalized t-shirt program called the “Design-A-Tee Studio”. Find belt buckles, footwear, wallets, keychains, and body jewelry here also.

Spencer’s Gifts offers some of the hippest, strangest and most unique gifts around. If you have a hard-to-buy-for young adult, chances are you can find something to satisfy them in the Spencer’s catalog. Check out Spencer’s awesome collection of swag by clicking the links below. Or find more pop culture gift ideas here

Spencer’s Catalog is included in this list of the top 5 catalogs for finding unique gift ideas. Check it out!

Spencer’s Gift Catalog

Spencer’s Store on Amazon

The Lighter Side Catalog

The Lighter Side is a division of The Johnson Smith Company, one of America’s oldest catalogs companies. In 1905, Alfred Johnson Smith, started selling his novelties and practical jokes in Australia. The company was officially founded in the U.S.A. in 1914, when Mr. Smith shipped his first package from Chicago. Today, the Johnson Smith catalog is known as “Things You Never Knew Existed.”

The Lighter Side catalog was added in 1979 and is a unique collection of over 500 lighthearted gifts of “wit and whimsy, merriment and mirth,” The Lighter Side is famous for its collection of licensed and nostalgic collectible merchandise.

UPDATE: In 2020 The Johnson Smith Company brands were acquired by Winston Brands. Johnson Smith Catalog brands included The Things You Never Knew Existed Catalog, The Lighter Side Catalog, and Betty’s Attic Catalog. Winston brands indicated that they are “moving forward and blending them into” their current family of Collections Etc.” Here’s a link to The Lighter Side & Betty’s Attic collections, (now combined?), at Collections, Etc.

Bonus Unusual Gift Catalog Link:

The Things You Never Knew Existed section of the Collections, Etc. website

Bonus Additional Shopping Source:

Collections, Etc. Store at Amazon.

This catalog is also featured on our top 5 list for unique gift ideas. You may find other great catalogs there that you can’t live without!