An Octopus

An octopus might make for a badass pet, but you can do one better by preserving the ocean ecosystems that support those strange creatures. Adopt a sea creature in your friend's name with Oceana, and you can still give a physical gift: a stuffed animal or an octopus-shaped cookie cutter. (Just imagine the Christmas cookies you can make with that!) The money goes to support ocean conservation efforts and costs. $35 at oceana.org.

Also See:
> 9 Facts About Ocean Conservation
> 12 Bizarre Sea Creatures
> The 13 Most Endangered Sea Creatures