To stick this gift in the freezer

[Creativebee]

I'm really here for the traffic, so not really an AIBU.
DS (who lives away) has had a Christmas gift parceled for his sister. He's asked me to wrap it as they don't do wrapping and I've just opened it to find its a 4ft teddy bear, which is bigger than DD.

Firstly I don't know whether to laugh or cry because I know DS, and this is more a prank on me than a gift for his sister.
Secondly, it's got stickers all over the packaging that it's from China and I'm really panicky about things like this because of bugs and mites etc (we're just getting over a carpet beetle infestation).

It's currently in vacuum packed packaging and I'm thinking if I stick it in the freezer overnight it might kill anything that might be lurking in it.

Will overnight be enough or will it need to be in the freezer longer?

Do I get DS an equally space hoarding gift for his birthday to repay him for his kind gesture?

If it’s vacuum packed and sealed it will be fine in the freezer. I think they usually say 4 hours to kill nasty things, so 24hrs should more than do the job.

Aren't most things we buy made in Asia? Do you generally freeze them?

You put things that are made in China in the freezer?

Too weird to contemplate really

Why are bugs and mites more likely to come from China than anything you might buy in the UK?

No you don't need to freeze it. Very very odd.

Would you fit a 4ft teddy in the freezer??

Oh it’s not just China, it’s anything that’s been in a warehouse that gets me paranoid. The fact this is from China makes me think that it’s been in a warehouse longer than what most might be. . I know it’s a freaky thing but the carpet beetle thing has really got me paranoid.

How big is your freezer?

I think bed bugs need freezing for 4 days to die.

On escape to the chateau they were told to put some old taxidermy (boak) in the freezer for a week I think?

Not sure there's much danger forma brand new toy, most stuff is made in China anyway isn't it? Although I accept you can't be sure where/how it's made with stuff from places like Wish. or Xmas cards from Tesco apparently

KnightandDay it’s vacuum packed so yeah I can just about manage it.

How big is your freezer???!!! - with enough empty space for a 4ft teddy bear at this time of year?
That would accommodate a spare dead body, if you happened to want to stash one.

Seriously - that much spare freezer space is hardly eco-friendly.

Definitely vacuumed packed MNetters, I am not currently struggling to fit a 4ft bear in my upright fridge freezer. Although the images have given me the giggles.

Oh it’s not just China, it’s anything that’s been in a warehouse that gets me paranoid.

So basically everything you buy?

I've never heard about packages from China containing bugs?! Please explain.

My BIL is from China, best make some room in my freezer.

What do you buy that hasn't been in a warehouse at some point in its life?

Jumpi I can’t stop laughing, I admit I’m weird But it’s like some sort of phobia.

At least 24 hrs. You learn something new everyday

6) Freezer Time

How long you store the insects in the freezer depends if you’re using the freezer to kill them or not. If it’s just storage however long you need. If you’re using it to euthanize the insects, at least 24 hours. Some insects are freeze tolerant and will wake up. Some of the bigger and heartier grasshoppers/moths you’ll probably want to leave in there for a few days.
I personally use the freezer to euthanize the insects. It seems to me, the most humane way to go about the process. Since they’re exothermic, their metabolism and everything slows down until they just go to sleep

Never thought about bugs from China before ! I have a dead mouse behind my fridge, I need to heave the fridge out to get at it, its been there for four days,

Ahhh so I’m not the only person who does it then. That’s a relief.

How do you fit a 4ft teddy bear in your freezer 2 days before Christmas Day...?

But is it not close to freezing in the hold of a plane? The only things I've known to survive that is bed bugs

My BIL is from China, best make some room in my freezer.

HAHAHAHAHA

RuggerHug so bed bugs would survive regardless? There’s no way of washing the bear 🤦‍♀️

I doubt I could even fit a polly pocket in our freezer at the moment due to Christmas and brexit planning