The older I get, the more I see that Christmas is truly for children. The most fun I had was watching my kids open their presents and play with them for hours. It’s amazing to think I was once that young and excited about Christmas and all of the unabashed greed of getting more and more presents. The grandparents are visiting – more presents!!
However, I was struck with a painful thought – I hate plastic packaging!
This plastic packaging has to be one of the most inaccessible, user-unfriendly things I have ever had the misfortune to deal with. It’s irritating at most during the year, when you have to open the occasional product. But on Christmas day you are forced to open multiple packages of this industrial-strength, maximum-security, bomb-force, indestructible molded plastic.
My wife is afraid for my life as I have injured myself on more than one occasion using a boxcutter to attempt opening one of these hardened kryptonite containers, only to slice one of my fingers. On one occasion, I wasn’t injured by the choice of tool, but merely by the plastic itself as it easily sliced through my fingers. I have considered escalating this warfare with other options, such as a blowtorch, table saw, or some industrial-type cutting tool. Scissors are at best a potential option, however I have destroyed many a pair (injuring myself in the process) by attempting to liberate said product. I’ve been cut, punctured, sliced and gouged, all in the name of consumer packaging.
What do we as the modern consumer have to do to access a product we purchased yet are unable to use? Should we ask the store to disarm this dangerous packaging, similar to calling out the bomb squad? I can’t believe that in this day and age of environmentally-friendly issues and products, we have to have every electronic device, light bulb, toy car, MP3 player, baby doll, baby doll accessory, etc. encased in this hardened plastic tomb.
Open at your own risk! Where do you even start to complain about this?
Hey Matt! You know it is the bad people that ruin it for the rest of us. I had contacted the maker of said atomic proof plastic brats girl container to ask if they could lighten up on the hardened plastic container and the 100 MPH twist ties.
The reply I got was “…for every 10 dollars spent on heavy duty containers, we save 1,000’s in loss prevention”
I guess if adults can not get the toys out so there kids can play with them; then the theives can not extract them fast enough to steal them
ttyl - Glad I ran into your blog. I will stayed tuned in.
Jason
Comment by SEharness — January 3, 2006 @ 6:17 pm
Hi Matt, I just got your link from cre8pc’s forum and wandered around and found this funny post. I never saw or heard anyone express how I feel about plastic packaging until now. I couldn’t have added more adjectives to your exasperation. I broke a pair of scissors last week trying to open the thing. My husband cut himself a few weeks ago. I always feel that I could end up in the hospital requiring stitches from the sharp edges I create because it’s too difficult to cut all the way through, so I try with all my strength to rip the darn army strength plastic. Your post is the funny truth about something incredibly frustrating and illogical. Take care. Risa
Comment by Risa Borsykowsky — January 29, 2006 @ 11:12 pm