This doesn’t warrant its own thread, but its killing me… what the hell.
My architect brother’s birthday is this week, and I got him a nice drafting pencil online. I also made a basswood box to put it in, but when the pencil arrived it came in a plastic retail package. Question: Should I gift it as-is, or tear the plastic off and put it in my box?
The plastic looks more legitimate, is unopened, and less likely to get damaged. The box however is easier to wrap and hell I made it.
Depends. Does the pencil fit in the box while it is wrapped in plastic? If so, go that route. But, if you are more traditional like my family, unwrap it and put it into the box. After all, you made it, and (btw) baywood is a nice wood indeed. Good choice. 
EDIT: Damn. Scratch what I said. Stupid me, obviously it won’t fit. Meh, I say undo the package and put it in the box. If the box was done right, it shouldn’t break.
box
Box, but wrap it up nicely so it doesn’t bounce around in the box.
I say that you give him them both together and tell him that when he is not using it to put it into the box. Dont just give him a random pen. The gift is kinda low key anyway. Buy him some shoes or a jacket or something.
In the box. Also, make it look nice inside the box. Wrap a small ribbon around the pencil. Wrap the box nicely. Giving him a gift that is more personalized would mean more to him than handing him something in packaging.
Also, I would suggest using a wood burner to burn his initials into the box.
Yees, jacket and shoes show how well he knows his brother and how he supports his choice of profession.
I prefer something self made over some Nike shit any day.
I think it’s a nice idea. Why don’t you paint something on the box? Like a white background and a grid, or some kind of tower.
Go with the box. Hell, you made it for him, it’s like a present itself. Bet he will appreciate it.
The box, THE BOX
The box looks stylish, so defiantly i advise it. Also, for a pleasant memory, every birthday party member can left his/her sign on it.
Box FTW
neither
people don’t deserve gifts, since I never got any
Box. Plastic casing (especially the kind shown) is a fucking bitch to open. Save the dude the trouble.
I’d use the box
Box
Bonus if you can fit the pen in some foamy or soft casing so it doesn’t bang inside the box when it shakes. Or maybe just some soft cloth thing…
If the pen is already pretty tight in there, then nevermind.
Box might imply “Here’s a pen I found lying around. I put it in this box I made for something else, just so I’d have something to give you.”
I say expand the box’s girth a few cm
Go for the box, bro.
The randomness that Ramirezoid pointed out was my biggest worry. But I’ll probably just use the box then, if not just gift both of them side by side. Thanks for the input.
Founded in 2004, Leakfree.org became one of the first online communities dedicated to Valve’s Source engine development. It is more famously known for the formation of Black Mesa: Source under the 'Leakfree Modification Team' handle in September 2004.
