Box Openings - why do we have them?

some people in PF(PVC figure) & GK hobby do the box openning thing as well. personally, i dont get it & have never done it.-w-~

 

Have you created a box opening video or taken pictures as you opened the box?
--If yes, why did you do it?
To show off a new doll X3 And to show dolls that I've bought that haven't really been seen on the forums.
--If not, why not?
Sometimes I'll take pictures but never upload them here. Usually it's because I put the doll together and they did not have clothes (I would like for my boys to be decent for the camera ^^" ) or because the doll was just a head (And, no offense, but heads are kinda boring by themselves XD")

Why do you think we do it?
c: To spread the joy of doll ownership and to give future owners a taste of what they could expect.

 

Its an exciting moment in time that most people will never experience again. Unless someone gets two or more of the same doll. For me, all my box openings are one of a kind- I will never get a second doll of the same kind- unless it's a sleeping head of a version I already love... but then I wouldn't do an opening for just a head.

 

I've done box opening with my two dolls and I enjoyed! I was so excited! So long waiting for the doll and finally she was at home. I couldn't wait to see her face! And I think it's useful for other people to see photographs of dolls diferent from the official website.

 

1) Have you created a box opening video or taken pictures as you opened the box?

--If yes, why did you do it?
I have taken pictures a few times only because it seemed to be expected and I thought I would give it a try.

--If not, why not?
But I probably won't do it again because I find it boring and I don't have the patience to wait that much longer to see my doll and whatever else I've ordered.
Also, I don't look at other people's box openings because, again, they're boring to me and so many of the dolls arrive without face-up, wig or eyes, so there is not much to see.

2) Why do you think we do it?
Not sure why it started but now it's become a ritual way to announce a new doll.

 

1) Have you created a box opening video or taken pictures as you opened the box?

I did when Anje arrived. I took the approach of Shinta rescuing the new arrival from the box. Next time he better avoid touching private parts Anyway, Anje will be helping

I made a box opening shoot because I like making photostories and this is always a great occasion.

2) Why do you think we do it?

I'm not sure. It's fun to do though and fun to see boxopenings put online. Our dolls are quite special to us and a box opening shoot I guess is the equivalent to making the first pictures of your newborn child.

 

Well I have never made a video but I have takens LOTS of pictures because I love box openings! Every doll is unique and a treasure in its own special way - just like the proud new owner(s)! It's wonderful to share all that happiness and excitement after such a long wait and I'll bet the doll companies think that too! That's one of the reasons DofA is such a great place to be! I'm off to the Forums now to find more happiness!

 

1) Have you created a box opening video or taken pictures as you opened the box?
I've posted pictures, but never a video. Out of the four dolls I currently have, two of them had box openings.

--If yes, why did you do it?
For my first doll, there was only one other person on the forum who had this doll, so part of it was to show pictures. I was also really excited about my first doll, and had made a few friends in the waiting room, so I had a least a small group who was interested. I was also excited about my second doll, and posted the pictures because I thought this was something I'd do with every doll.

--If not, why not?
When I got my third doll, I wasn't even sure if I'd be able to keep her. She was a good price for being a "like new" limited Volks girl (so I jumped on that), but realistically she would have to go if I didn't do well enough in my classes. I also didn't want to come off as showing off either, since that's what box openings tend to do (rather than the more artistic photos in the Gallery).

I didn't make a box opening for my fourth doll because it was dark when I opened the box, and I don't like using the flash. The novelty of a box opening sort of wore off. However, I would post box openings for dolls that come from more unpopular companies, or if it's a doll that is popular/many people would want to see pictures.

2) Why do you think we do it?
I think it's primarily to show off the dolls and the excitement. There are nice side effects to this; after all, seeing exactly how a company packages these expensive dolls is definitely something that I want to see before ordering from them. Also, seeing incomplete dolls helps, especially with the blank heads and bodies.

 

I've never thought of box openings as a way of "showing off"- I'm sure there are people who do it for that reason, but it's never been one of my reasons. I photograph box openings to record my excitement, because whenever I get a new doll, I'm very, very excited! XD If I'm ever feeling kind of "meh" about one of my dolls, I can go back and look at their box opening and remember how happy I was to get it. Sometimes it makes me excited about them again. But I also post the photos online to share that excitement with others. When I look at someone else's box opening, especially for a doll I really like or want, I actually feel excited just from looking at the pictures. The new owner's happiness is contagious.

I think a lot of people who do box openings have held back when it comes to dolls that are very rare or sought after, which I think is a shame. There are some very limited dolls that you can hardly find any box openings for, and I believe it's because those people are afraid of seeming like they're showing off. While there will be people who take it the wrong way and just seethe with jealousy, I still wish those owners would share :[ I only have one doll that's rare and desirable, and made a point to post the box opening here. I like to think that seeing my excitement over it would motivate some other person who wants that doll, and they wouldn't give up looking for their own.

Well, I kind of went off on a tangent, but those are my experiences. Basically, box openings are a way to share the love. XD

 

I like box openings a lot, they're fun to watch because it's a way to share the excitement and to let the community meet with the newest doll in your family. A lot of the things people already posted, really.

But there are a lot of box-openings that turn into photostories where the older dolls in the dollfamily unpack the doll and the unboxing is all about the old doll rather than the new one. It's nice to see dolls welcome each other into the family, but for me personally I wouldn't have any other dolls around because it's my first meeting with a doll and a crucial moment in bonding, and the "old" doll would distract me from giving the doll my full attention. For me the ultimate box opening is all about the new doll, and of course a bonus shot with the new doll in the family is a crucial one too... as long as the new doll gets the attention it deserves

 

I can't believe I'm going to be the first one to mention this but here we go. I had the same question when I got into the hobby ("what? it's a box. There's bubble wrap. Whee.")

I vaguely remember reading this somewhere, but I really may be mis-remembering what I read. At any rate, I thought the "Box Opening Ceremony" was kind of an outgrowth of the elaborate "birth ceremony" that Volks has for their dolls. I've never seen one and I don't remember what they're called, but I do know they involve a great deal of ceremony and solemnity, and this is why you get a "birth certificate" with the doll.

It would make sense that the hobby, which more or less evolved from Volks to encompass this huge realm of people and companies we have now, would create *something* that gave that same sense of "welcome to my world" that the birth ceremony has. And for those of us who will never be there in person, what do we have -- voila, the box as it arrives from the grips of the customs offices and/or postal service.

Sure, the doll is being unearthed from a probably-grubby exterior box and not brought into a room full of angels and so forth, but the effect can be the same, if you want it to be.

(I *also* think it's a heck of an idea for insurance purposes, as it happens.)

 

I wondered the same thing when I first joined! I actually opened my first doll rather quickly, and threw her box away...now it kinda feels like I committed a horrible sin

It's fun for those of us who have to save for months and months to have something to ogle while we wait, and I especially enjoy perusing box openings of dolls I'm considering or am actively saving for so I can get a sneak peek at what it'll be like when mine finally arrives!

 

Like a few others have said, I've done it for dolls that, at the time they arrived, didn't have many other owner photos in the galleries. When my Chase arrived earlier this summer, I don't think there was another Realskin Chase box opening/gallery thread anywhere ('cause I'd been looking, obsessively!!), so it also served as a place for those still waiting on him/considering him in future, to ask questions. Seeing as sculpts can look very different in person to the promo pics, I always find it invaluable to see as many pictures as possible, especially with a new-ish sculpt. And since the gallery threads are usually a bit more artistically posed/shot, the box openings might be the only source of unedited, unobstructed pics unless someone specifically requests them.

The ones I've done have been for "finished" dolls, though. That is, they had all their stuff (wigs, eyes, clothes) waiting for them, so they were pretty much complete right out of the box. My next boy is coming blank, so there won't be any box opening there. There are plenty of other owner pics of him around too, so I don't feel as compelled to do a box opening shoot. Which is just as well, I'm not usually that patient! *laughs* I will take some pics for posterity, probably, and some for reference in case someone asks about him one day, but no actual posts till he's finished.

I wonder if it's also an extension of the various doll Waiting Rooms? In particular with limiteds, or dolls that've taken a while to ship, you see a lot of the "I'll post a box opening as soon as XYZ doll arrives, so you guys can see how it looks in reality" posts, which is reassuring to fellow waitees, and informative to potential owners.

 

I did box openings at first but stopped and didn't do it for my last two dolls which I ended up selling...hmmm....


I love looking at box opening pictures mostly because I have found it to be a good place to see nude pictures of sculpts I am interested in and also hear an owners first impressions, how well they are packed ect ect ect

I think I would do box openings in the future if I was getting a less common sculpt or getting a doll for a less common company because that is usually why I look through there.

 

My ex once commented on how short our box opening threads can be compared to some of the ones done by people who are obsessed with their cellphones. Which, I must admit, confused the heck out of me. Like hour long box opening and fist use videos of a cellphone? I've read several page long reviews in less time!

And I also really like box openings as a chance to see sculpts as they are in person instead of promo shots, and all that. Plus its just a bit of enjoyable sillyness.

 

I don't know if anyone mentioned... but it's also the moment when the doll's character first starts to appear. I felt that about my Dollzone Mo when he first emerged. He's just as cocky now as he was when I opened the box and propped him up on a couch cushion. He looked pleased with himself... and had a touch of arrogance. That influenced his later personality. The same is true for my other dolls. I find that especially true if their elastics make them kick or turn their heads. You know then how difficult they are going to be.

I actually haven't photographed my past couple of openings. I'm not sure why. I think I want to wait for their clothes and stuff.

 

I've never done a box opening because I'm still waiting for my first doll to arrive. Sadly, because I'll be in school, he's being delivered to my house, where my parents will open the package to make sure he isn't damaged. I'm very disappointed that I won't be able to do a box opening for my first BJD, but it's still more important for him to be intact.

I think the reason why I want to do a box opening is the excitement. Buying a BJD is a big decision, and it takes a lot of research to find the perfect doll. After all the work spent on picking out the one that you absolutely must have, the waiting then makes everything more intense. After all, you know that in a month the doll you felt was superior to all others will be arriving.

Box openings are a way to vent and share excitement, to show off your new darling. It's also likely that it's the first time you've seen the sculpt in person, not as a photo online. It's a big moment, the climax of at least a month of waiting.

 

Curled up naked & surrounded by shoes? Arrivals be damned-- I have a feeling that's exactly how I'm going to LEAVE this world.


(ETA: And I want a hilarious box-closing photoshow at my funeral. )

 

It's a huge investment for a lot of us, be it financial or emotional. That builds up a lot of tension, excitement, stress -- the box opening is sort of like Christmas morning, just on a random day after what invariably seems like too long a Christmas Eve sitting up in bed, waiting until the sun comes up.

I don't do them now, but I did for my first dolls. (Admittedly, I might do more of them if I knew where my camera was, but that's doubtful. ) It felt more important then, somehow.

I have a feeling it may have been 'bigger' when dolls were considerably harder to get. It seems that in days earlier on in the hobby (before my time), it was substantially harder and more involved to get any doll at all -- and the sort of celebratory box opening we see for rare and sought-after limited editions was more the feel for absolutely any doll, which makes a lot of sense to me, anyway.

Also, the shoes thing... that... totally didn't happen when I had to clean out a storage closet recently. Oh no. It certainly didn't. You can't prove it did. *cough*

 

I do box openings, and occasionally I poke through the openings of others. I do it because most often, there are people I've been waiting with, talking to, and whining with about the wait for the doll, and when I get it, they're as excited as I am and want to see them. So, I set up for the box-opening photos, and usually do them in a sort of photo-story form, including all the other dolls as spectators.

I don't do the cat-in-box shots, but usually I can coerce my chihuahua into having a sniff at the new doll box before I start putting wigs and eyes on. XD

Plus it drags it out and makes me even happier that people are waiting to see if what I got was as thrilling as the wait for the item itself!