Cheeky gift guide
Funny Gifts for People Who Love Rude Jokes and Adult Humour
Every friendship group has one: the person who laughs loudest at the joke everyone else pretends not to find funny. Buying for them is a treat, as long as you pitch it right. Here is how to choose cheeky T-shirts, sarcastic mugs and bolder slogans, with a rudeness scale to match the gift to the person (and the room).
In this guide
Buying for a wind-up merchant?
Cheeky, sweary and properly offensive designs, all our own and printed to order in the UK. Shipping normally takes 3-5 days.
5% off your first order with code GO5
There is a particular kind of person who opens a present, reads the slogan, snorts with laughter and then quickly hides it before their nan sees. That reaction is the whole point of a rude gift. It says you know exactly what makes them laugh, which is a lot more personal than another scented candle.
The catch is that rude humour is personal too. One person’s favourite slogan is another person’s awkward silence over Sunday lunch. A good cheeky gift fits three things: the recipient’s sense of humour, the place they will use it and the people who will see it. Get those right and you can be as cheeky as you like.
Quick answer
The best rude gifts match the joke to the person. For someone who likes a wink rather than a shock, choose clean-worded cheek such as Me Sarcastic Never or Go Duck Yourself. Save strong swearing and properly offensive slogans for close friends who already talk that way, and keep anything explicit away from work, family events and kids.
What makes a good rude gift?
A good rude gift is funny first and rude second. The double meaning or the swear word should be the punchline, not the whole joke. Slogans built on wordplay tend to last longer than ones that just shout, because the reader gets a little moment of working it out, and so does everyone reading over their shoulder.
Three things to think about before you buy:
- Their humour, not yours. Buy for the jokes they tell, not the ones you wish they told. If they say “bloody” and then apologise, a T-shirt full of four-letter words is really a present for you.
- Where it will live. A T-shirt goes out in public. A mug ends up on an office desk or on the kitchen worktop when the in-laws call round. The more public the item, the more careful the joke needs to be.
- Who else will see it. Picture them wearing or using it in front of their boss, their mum and their kids. If any of those makes you wince, pick a milder design or make it strictly a night-out shirt.
How rude is too rude? A rudeness scale
It depends on the person and the room. To make it simpler, here are the five kinds of humour you will find across our shop, from a cheeky grin to a sharp intake of breath. Find the level your recipient already jokes at, then buy at that level or one below.
| Level | What it looks like | Good for | Safe to wear or use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Cheeky | Sarcasm and attitude with no swearing, like Me Sarcastic Never | Colleagues, in-laws, anyone with a dry wit | Almost anywhere |
| 2. Innuendo | Double meanings that sound innocent until they don’t, like the Blow Me, I’m Hot mug | Friends, partners, a lively office Secret Santa | Most places, with a straight face |
| 3. Mild swearing | Near misses like Go Duck Yourself and the words your nan uses when she stubs her toe | Friends and family who swear a bit | Casual settings, not formal ones |
| 4. Strong swearing | Full four-letter words, front and centre | Close friends who use swearing as punctuation | Nights out and at home, never at work |
| 5. Properly offensive | The C-word and slogans designed to shock | Your best mate, only if they would say it themselves | Adults-only company |
Tip: if in doubt, drop a level. A slightly tame gift still gets a laugh. A gift that is too rude for the recipient gets a polite smile and a permanent spot at the back of the wardrobe.
Which cheeky T-shirts work for most people?
Wordplay where the words themselves stay clean is the sweet spot. It can survive a barbecue or a trip to the shops, but the meaning is cheeky enough to make strangers do a double take. That is level two on the scale, and it suits most friends with a sense of humour.
Need the opposite? Our guide to clean funny T-shirts has puns and gentle sarcasm with no swearing.
For the competitive one: My Pen Is Bigger Than Yours
Technically it is about stationery. Nobody will believe that for a second. This pen tee is made for the friend who turns every game of darts, pub quiz or barbecue into a contest, and the wording is mild enough to wear in daylight.
Body humour moves up a level
Once the joke is about anatomy, it is level three, even when the wording dodges actual swearing. The meaning is unmistakable, so treat these as night-out or at-home shirts for adults who laugh at themselves, not something for the family barbecue.
For the angler with adult mates: Fishing Is Like Boobs
Anglers spend hours on a cold riverbank talking about the one that got away. Fishing Is Like Boobs finishes the comparison with a punchline that is firmly level three, so it suits a fishing pal with a thick skin and a crowd who share the joke, not the family fishing trip.
For the cocktail lover, I Need A Stiff Cocktail looks like a drinks order until you notice the gap in the middle of that last word, which is doing a lot of work. It is innuendo rather than swearing, but the printed word is big and bold, so keep it for parties and nights out.
Ready to order
Shop cheeky gifts for adults
Sarcastic, cheeky and innuendo-packed designs for people who like a laugh. Every one is printed to order in the UK.
-
Me Sarcastic Never – Unisex Jersey Short Sleeve Tee
Price range: £21.98 through £31.03Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
My Pen is bigger than yours – Unisex Jersey Short Sleeve Tee
Price range: £21.98 through £31.03Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Go Duck Yourself – Unisex Jersey Short Sleeve T-shirt
Price range: £17.02 through £26.07Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
If my mouth doesn’t say it my face will – Two-Tone Coffee Mugs, 11oz
£8.23Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Kindness is Free. My Patience Isn’t. Funny Work Ceramic Coffee Cups, 11oz, 15oz
£9.90Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Breathe In. Breathe Out. Don’t Swear Out Loud. Funny Work Ceramic Coffee Cups, 11oz, 15oz
£9.90Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Caution I Have No Filter – Unisex Jersey Short Sleeve T-shirt
Price range: £17.02 through £26.07Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
I Have Neither The Time Or The Crayons To Explain This To You – Unisex Jersey Short Sleeve T-shirt
Price range: £17.02 through £26.07Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Got a joke only your mate gets?
Every FunnyTshirt design is our own, dreamed up in Antrim. If you have a custom design idea, send it over and we usually reply within one working day.
Printed to order in the UK
Are sarcastic mugs a safer rude gift?
Some are, some definitely are not. A mug is used every day and seen by everyone who walks past the kettle, so it is worth reading the whole slogan, not just the product name. Several of our sarcastic mugs start politely and finish with a sting in the tail. Many designs come in 11oz and 15oz (check each product page).
Desk-friendly sarcasm
For the office, stick to attitude without the bad language. Breathe In. Breathe Out. Don’t Swear Out Loud. is the inner monologue of every colleague on their third deadline, Kindness Is Free. My Patience Isn’t. suits the person everyone is slightly scared of, and If My Mouth Doesn’t Say It, My Face Will is for anyone whose eyebrows give the game away in meetings. Our work mugs are mostly in this gentler style.
Polite name, rude punchline
These look innocent on the order but say a lot more on the mug. I Am Not Rude ends with a cheeky anatomical boast, and I Do Not Need Anger Management ends on a mild swear, so both belong at home or with a friend who will love the twist. One polite-sounding mug goes much further than that, and it sits with the properly sweary gifts below.
Who can handle a properly sweary gift?
Someone who already swears freely, has a thick skin and would rather be laughed with than tiptoed around. Think of the friend whose texts are mostly asterisks, or the sibling who taught your kids their first bad word. For them, a gentle pun can feel like you are holding back.
Mild and very British
Some words are so British they barely count. Bollocks says it all in one word, while Same Sh*t Different Day and Sh*t Show Supervisor suit anyone running a chaotic house, a busy yard or a hectic shift (and fully aware of it). Not one for the office, but grand for the pub.
Full-strength four-letter words
For people who use the F-word as a comma. Attempting To Give A F*** is the shirt for the friend famous for not caring, and Here We F***ing Go Again belongs to anyone who says it every Monday morning. FU-Cough hides the insult inside a fake cough, which is how most of us deliver it anyway.
Properly offensive, but with love
The C-word sits at the top of the scale. Some old friends throw it around almost affectionately, while plenty of people find it the most offensive word there is, so know which camp your recipient is in. In a World Full of C***s, You’re My Favourite is that rare offensive slogan that is secretly a compliment, which makes it a cracking best-mate present. See You Next Tuesday gets there in code, for people who like their rudeness disguised as a goodbye.
A clear warning on one mug: I Have The Patience Of A Saint has a polite name, but the saint it names uses the strongest language on this page, printed in full on the mug. Strictly for a friend who swears like a sailor, never for the office or a family kitchen. Only give any of these to someone who would happily say the words themselves.
When is a rude gift a bad idea?
When the joke is likely to embarrass the recipient in front of people they cannot laugh with. A rude present is a private joke between the two of you. It turns sour when it puts them on the spot.
- Workplaces. Stick to level one or two. A desk-friendly sarcastic mug is fine; a sweary T-shirt unwrapped in an open-plan office can lead to an awkward chat for both of you. Our guide to funny Secret Santa gifts for work covers office-safe picks.
- Family events. Opening a properly rude present at Christmas dinner in front of granny is a very different experience from opening it in the pub. If gifts get opened in front of everyone, hand the cheeky one over privately.
- Kids around. Children read T-shirts, especially the ones they are not supposed to. If the recipient has young kids, or works with them, choose a design they could explain at the school gate.
- New relationships. A new partner, a new boss or a friend of a friend has not earned level five yet. Start cheeky and work your way up.
Not sure where the line is? Our guide on how to choose a funny gift without offending anyone walks through it step by step.
Before you wrap it
- Would they tell this joke themselves?
- Could they use or wear it in front of their mum?
- Will they open it in front of kids, colleagues or relatives?
- Is the joke about them, or about a group of people? (Pick the first.)
- Have you read the whole slogan on the product page, not just the name?
- Have you checked the size guide and the colours available for that design?
What kind of rude humour should you avoid?
Rude is fine. Cruel is not. The best adult humour is about things we all share: bodies, booze, bad language and everyday chaos. It stops being funny when the target is someone’s race, religion, disability, sexuality or gender identity, or when it makes light of real harm. Those jokes punch down, and they say more about the person giving the gift than the person getting it.
Personal digs need the same care. A joke about someone’s weight, hair loss or love life only works if they make that joke about themselves first. If you are not sure, aim it at their attitude instead. Nobody has ever been truly upset at being called sarcastic.
A cheeky card line finishes the job. A few that match the tone without going too far:
- Saw this and thought of you. Not sure what that says about either of us.
- Happy birthday. I was going to get you something classy, but I know you.
- Please do not wear this to your nan’s.
- Another year older, still no filter.
- This gift has been approved by absolutely nobody.
Need more inspiration? Our list of funny gifts for men who have everything sorts ideas by personality, and our guide to funny gift ideas for best friends is packed with inside-joke presents. If the perfect rude slogan does not exist yet, have a look at our funny personalised T-shirt ideas and send us your idea.
Rude gift FAQs
Are rude gifts OK for Secret Santa?
Only if you know the office well. Most workplaces suit level one or two on our scale: desk-friendly sarcastic mugs and gentle innuendo. The person you draw could open it in front of the whole team, so keep strong swearing for friends outside work. If your office is famous for its filthy sense of humour, check with the organiser rather than guessing.
Do you have rude gifts for women as well as men?
Yes. Our T-shirts are a classic unisex fit, and most slogans work for anyone with the right sense of humour. Caution I Have No Filter suits anyone famous for saying what everyone else is thinking, and our desk-friendly sarcastic mugs suit anyone with a sharp tongue. Planning a hen weekend? Browse our Hen Do collection too.
Can I get a rude slogan printed that is not in your shop?
You can ask. We design all our own T-shirts, so if you have a custom design idea, send it over through our contact page or email orders@funnytshirt.co.uk. We usually reply within one working day and will let you know what is possible.
Can I buy a rude gift for my partner?
Partners are often the easiest people to buy cheeky gifts for, because you already know exactly where their line is. Innuendo usually lands well, and a mug they use every morning keeps the joke going. The main thing to think about is where it gets opened: if presents are swapped in front of family or the kids, give the rude one privately and something tamer in public.
Can I return a rude T-shirt if they do not find it funny?
Because every item is printed on demand, we cannot accept returns for a change of mind, so it pays to use the rudeness scale before you buy. If an item arrives damaged, defective, wrong, or does not match the size chart, report it within 14 days with a photo. Our refunds and returns policy has the full details.
Keep reading
More ideas from the FunnyTshirt blog.
Funny Gift Guides30 Funny Gift Ideas for Men Who Have EverythingStuck on what to buy the man who already owns everything? Here are 30 funny gift ideas sorted…Read the guide
Funny Gift Guides25 Funny Gift Ideas for Your Best Friend That Aren’t Boring25 funny gift ideas for your best friend, from inside-joke T-shirts and matching tees to sarcastic mugs, plus…Read the guide
Funny Gift GuidesFunny Personalised T-Shirt Ideas for Birthdays, Parties and GroupsFunny personalised T-shirt ideas for birthdays, stag and hen dos, holidays and work events, with slogan examples and…Read the guideFound their kind of rude?
Every design is our own and printed to order in the UK. Use code GO5 at checkout for 5% off your first order.
