How to ruin Christmas using only a 360 box and some clothes
by Griffin McElroy 
{ Mar 2nd 2008 at 12:30PM }
We hesitate to post the soul-crushing video you see above -- it may put a damper on your whole day. You see, many of us have fond holiday memories of tearing through sheets of glossy paper and ribbons to reveal the greatest present a kid can receive -- a new gaming console. To see one family pervert those cherished memories by presenting young Jonathan with an Xbox 360 box filled with clothes just brings us irrevocably down, in a manner that only "Beaches" used to be capable of.
Those sweethearts at Engadget are attempting to contact Jonathan and his rapscallion parents to hook the kid up with a real 360 -- hopefully, they'll send Jonathan's folks a little something too. Perhaps a wrapped-up, car-shaped pile of parenting books left in their driveway would fit the bill.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Neebs @ Mar 2nd 2008 12:32PM
To do that is fine...
But to sit there laughing about it is wrong.
James @ Mar 2nd 2008 12:49PM
Can nobody read the video' description?
He was asking for it.
I would've at least gave him the 360 afterwards and tell him he's bad so next time he wouldn't sneak a peak.
Brian Jarrett @ Mar 2nd 2008 7:28PM
Yeah I totally agree. Atleast redeem yourselves by having the 360 in another box. Such mean parents.
FidliousWong (Oatmeal Defense Force) @ Mar 2nd 2008 1:05PM
According to the description, he did get the game system.... this was punishment for sneaking a look at his gift.
flYY @ Mar 2nd 2008 1:31PM
Don't believe the description until he posts his supposed "second video" where the kid actually gets it.
Also, engadget says they got in contact with the family, who alleges they did not actually get a 360 (because Engadget is about to give them one for free).
FidliousWong (Oatmeal Defense Force) @ Mar 2nd 2008 2:04PM
Well, let me ask you something, flYY.
If a website said "Hey, did you give him that 360? If not, we'll give him one?" wouldn't you say you didn't, just for a free 360?
flYY @ Mar 2nd 2008 2:35PM
I get that Fidlious, I'm trying to say it makes me think even worse of the family.
First they get some cruel laughs at the expense of their son, but assure everyone it ended up alright, without any proof.
Then, they say it did not end up alright, just to try and get a free 360, admitting that really did break that kid's heart.
Also, I hate oatmeal.
Neebs @ Mar 2nd 2008 2:49PM
new and exciting spamchain.
Vidikron (FU) @ Mar 2nd 2008 4:24PM
@FidliousWong
But wouldn't you also claim the kid got his 360 in the end if you were going to upload a video like this just so you could avoid this kind of backlash? The guy claimed he would upload the second video of him getting the 360, but apparently never did.
hvnlysoldr @ Mar 3rd 2008 1:13AM
I imagine how horrible if this had happened to the N64 kid.
Did somebody say spam chain?
Tom @ Mar 3rd 2008 5:53AM
@Vidikron (FU)
both point you and wong made are valid.
saying the kid got the console to safe face and say to engadget or other gaming community that the kid didnt get one for freebies. if the second video show up, we might know the truth.
George @ Apr 5th 2008 5:50PM
It's fine if someone can't afford a gift. But to present him with an empty box and taunt him about it is just plain messed up. This is how psychos are born my friends.
jorojoserojas @ Mar 2nd 2008 12:34PM
Wow.
Platinum_Skeet @ Mar 2nd 2008 1:35PM
He ended up getting the 360... He just tried to sneak a look at the beginning so they went through the day without one. Look at the video description...
SGT Grumbles @ Mar 2nd 2008 1:57PM
That still doesn't justify them laughing at him, recording it, and then putting it online.
Platinum_Skeet @ Mar 2nd 2008 5:22PM
Yeah it does because then it's a joke. If they didn't then there would be no right but he got the 360 in the end.
Baineblade @ Mar 2nd 2008 8:15PM
Really, do you have the proof of that Platinum_skeet? Are you really going to take the word of that family after filming the kid for over 3 minutes and laughing?! I certainly ain't
Platinum_Skeet @ Mar 2nd 2008 11:50PM
Aye if he happened to didn't he'll get one soon Microsoft and all the blogging community knows about this kid. His families not going to turn down free stuff...
Fernando Rocker @ Mar 2nd 2008 12:36PM
=(
Hyams @ Mar 2nd 2008 12:36PM
Worst parents evah.
Fernando Rocker @ Mar 2nd 2008 12:37PM
Something like that happened to me when I was like 15... in my birthday, they give me some clothes inside a videocamera box...
It sucks.
Victor @ Mar 2nd 2008 12:54PM
It kinda happenned to me in 1997 in my birthday, when I expected to get a N64 and just got some clothes. Though when I went to my room to lie down on my bed and cry, I discovered my pillow was harder than usual, and there was a Nintendo 64 under it. I remember playing Star Fox 64 the whole day, it was awesome :D
And not to stray too much from topic, Jonathan's parents should be fucking slapped in the face. Those sadistic bastards even make sure they get a close-up of the boy's face. That was just wrong.
RoboJoel @ Mar 2nd 2008 1:19PM
Happened to me for my 9th birthday... Got a ShoeBox, right size and everything.
Unfortunately the ShoeBox was filled with Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars :(
Oh, wait...
Fernando Rocker @ Mar 2nd 2008 1:24PM
Nice =p
Speaking of shoes... I hate Puma tennis shoes. =)
LordMinogue @ Mar 2nd 2008 1:51PM
A friend pulled this prank at a circular gifting party last summer. He wrapped a dictionary (the actual gift) in the clothes to give it the appropriate weight.
ThornedVenom (Harley Quinn Defense Force) @ Mar 2nd 2008 7:00PM
It happened to me in reverse:
Got a generic perfume box, inside was an iPhone.
ForcedSterilizationForAll @ Mar 2nd 2008 10:42PM
Boo Fucking woo. You act like you were entitled to the N64, and started to act like a baby when you didn't get one.
"I really wanted a *insert game system here* and didn't get one, I'm going to cry until I get my way!"
People like you should be aborted.
ThornedVenom (Harley Quinn Defense Force) @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:56AM
Woah, looks like SOMEBODY didn't get the chance to experience childhood: it's completely idiotic to blame a child for having expectations when a fortunate hint is dangled in front of one's face.
It's called disappointment: it's when they make you believe that something great is going to happen to you, only to make you fall from very high. Grown-ups can feel that too, and I don't see what is so immoral about it.
It's not about the notion of deserving the best present in the world or not, it's about the humiliation for being taken as a fool in front of everyone.
rivaldi22 @ Mar 2nd 2008 12:38PM
I love video games. I'll also be one of the first to admit that kids (and young adults) don't need them to have fun, and encouraging other hobbies is great and healthy.
But this is fucked up. Seriously fucked up. That kid is going to have pessimism issues later in life.
License to ill @ Mar 2nd 2008 12:43PM
lol theres example A above your post...
CONFUSEDgam3r @ Mar 2nd 2008 1:23PM
Now nothing is wrong about doing that, but filming it is; just like others here are saying.
Fernando Rocker @ Mar 2nd 2008 12:38PM
And how they get the box? Maybe they have the 360 in another place... maybe they just make the joke and the surprised the kid with the real 360.
Fernando Rocker @ Mar 2nd 2008 12:45PM
Video description:
"My mom decides to buy my brother an Xbox 360 for christmas. We leave that night and return the next morning to find he has sneaked a look....just as my mom thought he would, this is the result...and yes he did get the game i will try to post the second video"
I guess I was right =)
Fernando Rocker @ Mar 2nd 2008 12:48PM
Well... now the problem is solved, there's another problem... too bad he get the Arcade version =(
kingofwale @ Mar 2nd 2008 12:54PM
stop by Bestbuy, I can give you about 20 mockup xbox360 boxes
Victor @ Mar 2nd 2008 12:59PM
Update: We've been flooded with email from well-meaning geeks and even Microsoft; just about everyone wants to help us hook up Jonathan. We totally appreciate the sentiment, but we've got this covered. We think we've gotten in touch with his family (who let us know he never got an Xbox, and the whole thing really was a prank on the poor kid); once we know for sure we have the right people we'll post again.
Apparently he never got the 360 :/
meronine @ Mar 2nd 2008 1:01PM
If you read the link, you'd see that the description is a lie and he never did get a 360.
Fernando Rocker @ Mar 2nd 2008 1:02PM
Oh... then it really sucks =(
So, Joystiq, what do you say? A $1 to $10 dollar from every volunteer reader and we buy him some games?
Really.
FidliousWong (Oatmeal Defense Force) @ Mar 2nd 2008 1:21PM
Or they sense ignorant mother fuckers and they are SAYING he never got the 360 because someone is saying they want to give him one.
License to ill @ Mar 2nd 2008 12:39PM
Yeah thats the reaction you want on christmas, thats some cold blooded shit...
Tranando @ Mar 2nd 2008 12:40PM
I'd prefer a box of clothes personally. Xbox is continual disappointment, each time you pack it into a coffin for another 6 week holiday at the repair shop.
Hyams @ Mar 2nd 2008 12:49PM
Oh give it a rest.
ark_keeper @ Mar 2nd 2008 12:41PM
At least the media will have proof of the cause when he goes on a killing spree.
Chameleon @ Mar 2nd 2008 12:50PM
off topic ... love that avatar ....
Captain Skyhawk @ Mar 2nd 2008 11:05PM
Hitler got a bicycle shaped package of Matzah dough for Christmas one year...rest was history
vazel @ Mar 2nd 2008 12:42PM
having that as a joke is a little messed up to begin with but to sit there and laugh about it and have a camera zooming in on him to catch is reaction is sadistic.
Cidan @ Mar 2nd 2008 12:42PM
Look at the Youtube video comment by the person who submitted it, folks. They DID get him a 360; this was his punishment for peeking at his presents early. Afterwards, he was given his 360.
Yeesh.
vazel @ Mar 2nd 2008 12:44PM
Oh well fuckballs that'll teach us for not getting the entire story.
Baineblade @ Mar 2nd 2008 8:21PM
....you're very ignorant aren't you Cidan...
Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Mar 3rd 2008 1:20PM
Why is cidan the ignorant one, when everybody else just assumes they're lying.
You're still making an assumption, either way.