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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to hate those plastic ties that hold EVERY toy in it's box?

35 replies

chocbutton · 27/12/2008 19:52

i can't stand opening any more of these - why are there so many on every toy that is in a box? They are driving me mad

There, got that off my chest....hope you all had a lovely christmas!

OP posts:
ComeOVeneer · 27/12/2008 19:54

I agree, some of ds's gifts even had screws we had to undo to get them out!

balismum · 27/12/2008 19:54

YANBU !!

ilovelovemydog · 27/12/2008 19:54

and my dog got one stuck in his mouth

Do all the toy manufacturers get together and think this up?

littletownofmeglethem · 27/12/2008 19:54

YANBU. DP was cursing them on xmas day, i refused to get involved with them as my patience is long gone due to sleep deprevation.

ChasingSquirrels · 27/12/2008 19:56

and the screws (oh, someone already mentioned that).
They are to stop things being pinched from boxes in shops, but drives me mad.

TwoCuteFestiveFairys · 27/12/2008 19:57

YANBU - I have cut my bloody hand to shreads because of these feckin things

ceciliaaherne · 27/12/2008 19:59

I have no nails left either

Frizbe · 27/12/2008 19:59

they are a pita for parents, but as a retailer too, they're a godsend when you get those orrible oiks in your shop who try to empty the boxes!

randomxmas · 27/12/2008 20:00

yanbu - I undid all of these & wrapped the pressie without the packing. Took ages but pleased to have done this before xmas day.

blueshoes · 27/12/2008 20:02

How do toy manufacturers put these toys into their packaging? It looks too complicated to be automated. Do they have armies of elves twisting these ties into place?

FestiveFairyFay · 27/12/2008 20:04

YANBU they reduced me to a gibbering wreck on christmas day. DS got some farm animals, each leg of which was individually cable tied into the box.

cornsilk · 27/12/2008 20:04

We had none of these this year - made me almost glad that both my ds's were computer game addicts.

GivePeasAChance · 27/12/2008 20:05

They are the greatest barrier to peace in our times

hairycaterpillar · 27/12/2008 20:06

YANBU dreadful thngs that drive me mad...why do they need so many surely one would do the job.

Frizbe · 27/12/2008 20:06

blueshoes I hate to say this, but I do believe quite a lot of chinese people end up doing this crabby job.

TheCrackFox · 27/12/2008 20:09

YANBU, I would vote for any political party that promised to ban them. I just do not have the patience for them.

Early Learning Centre seem to be the worst culprit for them.

SH27 · 27/12/2008 20:10

YANBU!! I hate them too and when you have a 2 year old DS freaking out whilst you are battling with them it's a nightmare.

We even had a couple of toys which were screwed into the boxes and required a screwdriver to get them out!! Ridiculous.

blueshoes · 27/12/2008 20:11

frizbe

MavYourselfAMerryLittleXmas · 27/12/2008 20:12

We also thought ahead and undid all toys before wrapping.. they are much easier to deal with when you don´t have a small child trying to grab the damn thing out of your hands as you do it!

BouncingTinsel · 27/12/2008 20:23

I agree total PITA, have to make sure you find them all and dispose of them in case the lo manages to get hold of them!
Absolutely ridiculous IMO!

llareggub · 27/12/2008 20:25

But how I wish I was the manufacturer of said items. I'd be a very wealthy woman...

pantomimEDAMe · 27/12/2008 20:27

they are VERY irritating but also sad. Because we don't actually make toys in this country any more - the ties are there to keep the product intact during its long journey on a container ship from China.

notevenamousie · 27/12/2008 20:28

Cut/ loosen them before you wrap the toys (still in their boxes though. I found this tip on here last year and life is much improved by it!

prettybutterfly · 27/12/2008 20:36

Same here randomxmas and it was worth the time. I did mention it hopefully to a few Grannies, but they couldn't be arsed.

Yanbu, OP.

Original poster
chocbutton · 27/12/2008 20:46

glad to know it isn't just me that has a mad irrational hatred of them. It is DS's birthday today so we have double the pain - literally!
I did take them off the ones that we bought him, but he got so many other things that were tied up I resorted to using the plastic pliers that came with his new work bench - these did not help BTW

OP posts:
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