History Main / KidsPreferBoxes

-->''"You dumb babies! [[StopHavingFunGuys Stop having fun!]] It's just a stupid '''box!'''"''\\
--'''Angelica Pickles''', ''{{Rugrats}}''

* An episode of ''{{Jimmy Two-Shoes}}'' has beezy bribe Heloise with a box of gold. She takes it, [[WorthlessYellow then dumps out the contents]] to play in the box.

* An episode of {{Caillou}} has his parents buy him a computer he can play on, he ends up liking the box it came in better.

* You can order a [[ChristmasStory Leg Lamp]] that comes in a shipping crate just like in the movie. Not exactly with the trope, but the crate makes the lamp all the more cool.

[[AC: MythsAndLegends]]
* There's a Buddhist parable in ChineseMythology about a shopkeeper that tried to sell a valuable pearl by putting it inside a pretty box. Unfortunately the person that bought it was only interested in buying the box and left the pearl. This of course makes this Trope OlderThanDirt.

** This could be the very box that becomes his transmogrifier, time machine, cloning machine, etc.

** Same thing with cats and string.

* ''TheNightmareBeforeChristmas'' plays with this trope, as Jack is obsessed with the concept of a "present" (particularly in ''KingdomHearts2''), but doesn't understand that the present is what's INSIDE the pretty wrapped box with the bow.

* ''TheNightmareBeforeChristmas'' plays with this trope, as Jack is obsessed with the concept of a "present" (particularly in ''KingdomHearts2''), but doesn't understand that the present is what's INSIDE the pretty wrapped box with the bow.

** *cough* [[ItsBeenDone Simpsons Did It]] *cough*

* RaccoonsPreferBubbleWrap: Sandra from ''SandraAndWoo'' gives her pet raccoon Woo a [[http://www.sandraandwoo.com/2009/10/15/0103-the-new-toy/ cardboard full of bubble wrap]] as a gift.

-->'''Triple H''': (stares at Shawn incredulously before looking back at the camera and picking up the box) ''"Well, it is a nice box."''

** In the first one, the babies never actually saw the toy. Tommy's dad spent the entire episode trying to simply build the damn thing. Eventually, he decides (as a toy inventor) to give up on the toy and market a line of cardboard boxes, after seeing how much fun the babies are having with it. Angelica, of course, doesn't get why the babies ''are'' having so much fun with it and tries to ruin their fun. When she rips the box to pieces, the babies pause for a few moments, and then just pick up the various bits of cardboard and play with those, leading to Angelica, completely fed up, shouting the quote at the top of the page.
** In the second, Stu is struggling to invent a flying toy and is upshown by a lavish commercial. In a rage, he throws his half-finished invention at the TV, destroying it. He then tries to look for the TV's box to return it under warranty, but the only box he can find is just barely too small. While he searches for another box, the babies cut a hole in the bottom and pretend they're on their own shows as the others watch.

* The ''{{Rugrats}}'' episode "The Box" revolves around this idea, as does "Kid TV." In the first one, the babies never actually saw the toy. Tommy's dad spent the entire episode trying to simply build the damn thing. Eventually, he decides (as a toy inventor) to give up on the toy and market a line of cardboard boxes, after seeing how much fun the babies are having with it. Angelica, of course, doesn't get why the babies ''are'' having so much fun with it and tries to ruin their fun. When she rips the box to pieces, the babies pause for a few moments, and then just pick up the various bits of cardboard and play with those, leading to Angelica, completely fed up, shouting the quote at the top of the page.

* The ''{{Rugrats}}'' episode "The Box" revolves around this idea, as does "Kid TV".
** The first one simply involved the fact that the babies never actually saw the toy. Tommy's dad spent the entire episode trying to simply build the damn thing. Eventually he decides (as a toy inventor) to give up on the toy market a line of cardboard boxes, after seeing how much fun the babies are having with it.
** Angelica, of course, doesn't get why the babies are having so much fun with it and tries to ruin their fun. When she rips the box to pieces, the babies pause for a few moments, and then just pick up the various bits of cardboard and play with those, leading to Angelica, completely fed up, shouting the quote at the top of the page.

** The first one simply involved the fact that the babies never actually saw the toy. Tommy's dad spent the entire episode trying to simply build the damn thing.

* A story arc in ''CalvinAndHobbes'' had Calvin sending away for a motorized propeller beanie. When it finally arrives, he's disappointed that it doesn't let him fly around town as he had imagined, and kicks it away in frustration. Fortunately, it came in a cool cardboard box, and he and Hobbes begin to make plans for the fun they'll have with it.
** Calvin is an undisputed master of the cardboard box, as he can create a [[TimeTravel time machine]], a [[SendInTheClones cloning machine]], and even a [[ShapeShifting transmogrifier]] which he converted into a convenient gun form.

* In an extra, if you look closely, you can see Sunny in MetalGearSolid4 playing with a cardboard box. No surprise since she is raised by her Uncle Snake.