So is the box always much more fun than the toy that came in it?

[SilentMute]

I was reminded of this exasperation of parents when I opened an Xmas present for my cat today [it is often customary in my house to open at least one present on Xmas Eve and the rest on Xmas--opening presents being rather tiring and all ]. It is very hard to shop for a cat. I finally decided on a toy that promised to be fun, educational, and indulge catnip cravings. It was hard to get out of the package. Cat walked away when he realized it wasn't food. It was hard to assemble. Then mom and I played with it, trying to interest the cat. He looked at us like we were crazy. In the end, the box was more appealing to him. (*sigh*)

But I have to admit, even though I often liked what came in the boxes--boxes are fun. You know what is even better, though? BUBBLE WRAP! Squeezing bubble wrap always makes me happy! Sometimes I think I would like breast implants--er, not put inside me, mind you...just to play with. I figured if I liked bubble wrap, I would like squeezing those. Of course, bubble wrap is cheaper.

[MystyrMystyry]

Huh?

I must say that the larger boxes of washing machines and fridges (why didn't I just say whitegoods?) were an amazing toy. I always wanted a treehouse but we didn't have a tree large enough to accomodate it (so they explained - though here was more than enough space for the cubbyhouse that never materialised).

An empty box provided a fort, a castle, a pirate ship, a panzer tank, a submarine, a spaceship, a haunted house, a whole gammut of secret places that couldn't realisticly be gone to but they were real enough to me then as they are now

Good thread

[kiki1982]

Haha, I seem to recognise that cat in mine!

We have never bought toys, because people advised us that they don't like them anyway. They will be just as chuffed with a bag, a box, shoes (yes, the laces and the fact that there is a part which they can't see), handbags to sit in, big boxes to sit in, blankets which they can crawl under etc. Still, my parents once bought them a ball with a paw on top that stuck out so it balanced. Great thing, one of the cats liked it until she started to really play with it and then it quickly broke... I mean, literally 5 minutes. Then, a few years later, they bought them a wind-up mouse. All great, but my cats did not take it serious. Firstly because it doesn't smell like one, secondly beause it is too big and thirdly because it goes around the floor in different directions unlike a real one... Even the little kittens we had didn't like it... They were frightened...

I don't know whether the box in which it comes is actually better than the thing itself, I think it depends on the contents of the packaging . Surely if the package had contained food, the contents would have been ore interesting than the packaging?

[faithosaurus]

I depends. I do love boxes though They're prefect when I don't have anything to put other presents for family and friends in. I have a whole collection in a cabinet in my room, haha.

[qimissung]

Silent, my cat went insane for the Christmas ribbon. We had to hide the gifts; later we indulged her by dangling a ribbon over her-a great game for us all.

Yes, large boxes were the best toys.

[Emil Miller]

My cat Milly is a great one for boxes as well as paper or plastic bags and shows no concern for their contents.

When it comes to bubble wrap and breast implants it really is no contest. Implants would appear to be much more tactile than bubblewrap although there is no substitute for the real thing, but faute de mieux...

[Helga]

I think the boxes are more fun, they can be used in various ways, maybe even more than the toy. I remember as a kid that if anybody bought shoes I needed to get the box. When it comes to my son it is definetly the box he keeps all the boxes from his lego and he got a ben 10 figure and a yoda for Christmas and he went through the trash when he figured I had thrown the boxes away!

[Delta40]

when we were kids, we would take a cardboard box apart and lay it flat at the top of the stairs, hold on tight to each other and - whee! down we'd go.

I think boxes for sure..

[SilentMute]

@MystyrMystyry--thanks!

It is interesting, though, that sometimes the best toys aren't the ones advertised on TV. My grandfather would take me to the dump, and I often picked out broken toys. I played for hours with my uncle's GI Joe heads. Then I remembered one year I saved up my money to buy a She-ra Princess of Power castle play set. I got it. Had no idea what to do with it afterwards. Never played with it--even though I was a big fan of the show. I always wondered why I could imagine so many adventures with my uncles physically disabled GI Joe's, and yet I could not figure out how to play with my She-ra dolls with all their fancy accessories. They even had more than a head--hands, feet, arms, legs...a torso!

And I remember the fun I had with big boxes too. Of course, that got spoiled for me after I got into trouble with the neighbor for corrupting his kid. It is totally unfair, because it wasn't my idea. I was pretending I was an astronaut, and the cardboard box--with circular peepholes--was my rocket ship going to other planets. Then his daughter came over with a more worldly neighborhood child, who had been roaming the streets since she was a toddler, and they thought another game would be fun to play--not being interested in space travel. This game involved someone going into the box and taking off their clothes while the others looked through a peephole. The neighbor saw what we were doing because the worldly child opened the door after I had undressed.

Of course, that neighbor already thought I was a little pervert because my Barbie dolls would have naked pool parties. Again--not my fault! I had ten Barbies, two Ken dolls, and one bathing suit. They can't go swimming in their bridal gowns or regular clothes, now can they?

[MystyrMystyry]

@MystyrMystyry--thanks!


And I remember the fun I had with big boxes too. Of course, that got spoiled for me after I got into trouble with the neighbor for corrupting his kid. It is totally unfair, because it wasn't my idea. I was pretending I was an astronaut, and the cardboard box--with circular peepholes--was my rocket ship going to other planets. Then his daughter came over with a more worldly neighborhood child, who had been roaming the streets since she was a toddler, and they thought another game would be fun to play--not being interested in space travel. This game involved someone going into the box and taking off their clothes while the others looked through a peephole. The neighbor saw what we were doing because the worldly child opened the door after I had undressed.

Of course, that neighbor already thought I was a little pervert because my Barbie dolls would have naked pool parties. Again--not my fault! I had ten Barbies, two Ken dolls, and one bathing suit. They can't go swimming in their bridal gowns or regular clothes, now can they?

Possibly too much information, but thanks for, ah, sharing (A problem shared is a problem doubled I hear). You should perhaps compile your misadventures into a collection of short stories (not for short people though )

[motherhubbard]

My kids keep all things trash They are budding builders and engineers. I have boxes and bottles in surplus! I have to slip around to throw something away. I stuffed this in one stocking today

[kiki1982]

And I remember the fun I had with big boxes too. Of course, that got spoiled for me after I got into trouble with the neighbor for corrupting his kid. It is totally unfair, because it wasn't my idea. I was pretending I was an astronaut, and the cardboard box--with circular peepholes--was my rocket ship going to other planets. Then his daughter came over with a more worldly neighborhood child, who had been roaming the streets since she was a toddler, and they thought another game would be fun to play--not being interested in space travel. This game involved someone going into the box and taking off their clothes while the others looked through a peephole. The neighbor saw what we were doing because the worldly child opened the door after I had undressed.

Of course, that neighbor already thought I was a little pervert because my Barbie dolls would have naked pool parties. Again--not my fault! I had ten Barbies, two Ken dolls, and one bathing suit. They can't go swimming in their bridal gowns or regular clothes, now can they?

Haha, that's scary! How did that kid know the concept of peep-shows? I expect seen it on TV or something... I suppose the nieghbour wasn't all that innocent if his daughter had firstly been playing on the street since she was very little, and secondly knew about peep-shows. I meant, seriously, the stuff he watched then. Funny though how his daughter told on him that way .

Ah, it didn't harm anyone, did it. Although I don't know what I would have thought if my daughter were undressing in a box...

The naked pool party wouldn't have bothered me so much...

Oh, yes, I still have to add that I'm such a pervert as well then... My dolls consequently lay around without clothes on... That is, the ones which were not my favourites (read: all of them inus two and my barbies).

[SilentMute]

@motherhubbard--I have that series. It is great! How to make things out of boxes, bottles, egg crates, popsicle sticks, etc!

@MystyrMystyry--oh, my childhood has inspired me plenty! But I mentioned the Barbies because it is an annoying habit of adults. They will buy a kid several Barbies, but only one outfit...and inevitably this sort gets upset if there are a bunch of naked dolls.

@kiki--yeah, it does make you wonder. In the same breath of complaining about me, the neighbor admitted to my mom that when he was a boy, he and a neighbor's daughter had peed in a closet together. I'm beginning to think that the accusations of people reflect what they often do themselves. It has been my experience that my dolls look a lot happier when they are naked. I don't know if they are exhibitionists, or it is simply that doll clothes are uncomfortable.

[MystyrMystyry]

@silentmute

No, I'm quite sure your dolls are nudists, and feel more comfortable that way provided they are in the company of others of a similar persuasion

I don't think a group of them gets bothered by someone clothed, but one of them naked still wouldn't be comfortable at a party of clothed people

Actually I saw a documentary on nudists (anthropological reasons you must believe me) and do you know what nusists wear to parties?

Clothes!

How perverted!

[soundofmusic]

Oh god, the naked dolls...they always have great big smiles and stare at me when I'm in her room playing video games; actually, though, when it's cold, they don't seem quite as pleased.

Personally, I like the toy...yes, I am materialistic! Of course, that is only since my daughter started buying me gifts. When my parents and first husband bought me gifts, I used to practice in front of a mirror before opening them so that I could look pleased...worse gifts: a beauty salon hair dryer that you had to sit under and blew hot air all over...got really hot; I'm sure the 2 times I used it I got brain damage. Second, the ex gave me a beautiful; but totally see-through night gown and robe with several cigarette burns in it