# What the hell is up with Chia pets? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 28, 2002, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-up-with-chia-pets/139344 "2002-11-28T14:59:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2002, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-up-with-chia-pets/139344/1 "2002-11-28T14:59:13Z")
Every year, the annoying as hell “Ch-Ch-Chia Pets!” commercials run. This year we have the fabulously whimsical Chia Scooby and Chia Shaggy. Who gives these things as gifts? Are they considered gag gifts? Who actually writes these things on their Christmas wish lists? And who are these people that keep buying them and keeping Ch-Ch-Chia Pets in business? ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2002, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-up-with-chia-pets/139344/2 "2002-11-28T16:31:30Z")
The commercials are actually coded instructions for the alien secret operatives who have infiltrated our government, churches, schools, and mall photographers. ---
**Author:** ![dragongirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@dragongirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dragongirl)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2002, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-up-with-chia-pets/139344/3 "2002-11-28T19:00:58Z")
I have been on the recieving end. My son thought it made a good Christmas gift for Mom. ---
**Author:** ![agroof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@agroof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/agroof)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2002, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-up-with-chia-pets/139344/4 "2002-11-28T19:39:31Z")
It’s the Chia Head that frightens me the most. The prospect of growing a vicarious afro is rather disconcerting. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2002, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-up-with-chia-pets/139344/5 "2002-11-28T22:36:26Z")
I still say Kia needs to parody them in their ads! ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2002, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-up-with-chia-pets/139344/6 "2002-11-29T02:35:25Z")
My mom bought a chia head for her father-in-law. Since he was bald she had taken off all of the seeds from the top of his head. Funny thing was he never noticed. I don’t know if any parody could match SNL’s. ---
**Author:** ![Tamex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Tamex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamex)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2002, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-up-with-chia-pets/139344/7 "2002-11-29T06:51:54Z")
I’ve wondered that, myself. IMO, they’re a bit too expensive to be a gag gift, and a bit too cheap and useless to be a real gift. ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2002, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-up-with-chia-pets/139344/8 "2002-11-29T08:07:18Z")
[Chia FAQ](http://www.jeiusa.com/cgi-bin/webc.exe/faq.html?sid=8n33PU0X0L@G8Rq-41102378115.4e). I wish I had enough light for their herb garden. Fresh herbs would be nice. ---
**Author:** ![Inky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7feea3/32.png) [@Inky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inky_1)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2002, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-up-with-chia-pets/139344/9 "2002-11-29T09:02:24Z")
Chia’s are what I classify as “Dammit, I’m Obligated to Get You a Fucking Gift, Here’s a Gift!” (which, for the remainder of my thread, I will refer to as a “DIOGYAFGHAG”). The thing about Chia’s is that they’re _sorta’_ frivolous and goofy enough to be a [kitsch](http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?va=kitsch) gift. _Sorta’_ cool enough to be a cool gift. And above all, neutral enough for when you have the misfortune to have become the Secret Santa to that mousy little secretary in the office who seems: - To be allergic to everything (killing the jam sampler). - To already have an umbrella. - To only drink “Red Zinger” tea out of her kitty cat mug (thus nullifying the gourmet coffee/mug set). - To be nobody worthy of chancing anything even vaguely risqué (ie. Fireman calander). - Needy to the point where too personal a gift might seem like a pass to a desperate person (Flowers, pretty plants, too pretty a picture frame). What’s the solution? Cha, cha, cha, CHIA! Or Sea-Monkeys… ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2002, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-up-with-chia-pets/139344/10 "2002-11-29T10:28:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tuckerfan \* > \*\*I still say Kia needs to parody them in their ads! \*\* 😃