# The Popsicle Stick Controversy **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 5, 2019, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-popsicle-stick-controversy/829019 "2019-02-05T18:21:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2019, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-popsicle-stick-controversy/829019/21 "2019-02-05T23:06:02Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I don’t get why people would be upset. You’re describing it truthfully, and you’re showing pictures. If they like what it looks like, then they’re buying something that the like what it looks like. Yes, you’re using a material that could also be used by kindergartners. Are you using it the same way that kindergartners would? Well, popsicle sticks implies something flimsy and fragile and glued together that will fall apart as soon as you look at it funny. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2019, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-popsicle-stick-controversy/829019/22 "2019-02-05T23:16:36Z")
I make some things from paperclay. I don’t sell them, mostly just gifts. People often ask me " what is this made from?" I always say clay and don’t eat out of it. Popsicle sticks are real wood, so there’s that. & there is a whole art form called ‘hobo art’ or ‘tramp art’ it’s boxes made from match sticks. It’s a highly sought after antique form of Folk art, and very expensive. You’re in good company, I’d say. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2019, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-popsicle-stick-controversy/829019/23 "2019-02-05T23:32:33Z")
A thousand years ago we saw a movie with Hayley Mills, and she said, “I made a bird cage out of popsicle sticks.” I wanted to do the same thing SO SO bad. My friends and I collected dozens of popsicle sticks just picking them off the streets, but no idea in the world how to actually make a bird cage out of popsicle sticks. I regret that more than anything in my childhood. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2019, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-popsicle-stick-controversy/829019/24 "2019-02-05T23:56:24Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > A thousand years ago we saw a movie with Hayley Mills, and she said, “I made a bird cage out of popsicle sticks.” I wanted to do the same thing SO SO bad. My friends and I collected dozens of popsicle sticks just picking them off the streets, but no idea in the world how to actually make a bird cage out of popsicle sticks. I regret that more than anything in my childhood. Now I’m envisioning you (never mind that I don’t know what you look like) on your deathbed, breathing out your last word: “birdcage.” ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-popsicle-stick-controversy/829019/25 "2019-02-06T00:03:24Z")
You could go make the birdcage right now. Craft sticks are chesp. A big ol’ bottle of white glue and that’s all you need. I’ll expect pictures of the birdcage in about a month.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-popsicle-stick-controversy/829019/26 "2019-02-06T00:16:57Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > What gets me is that saying it is a birch box or a wooden box is not misleading. It is a birch box. It is a wooden box. It \*\*is \*\*misleading. And you already know that. If it wasn’t misleading, you wouldn’t even need to ask the question in the first place. Trying to find how not to say what it’s really made of shows that you know people may not buy it if they actually knew what it was. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-popsicle-stick-controversy/829019/27 "2019-02-06T01:35:10Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > It \*\*is \*\*misleading. And you already know that. If it wasn’t misleading, you wouldn’t even need to ask the question in the first place. Trying to find how not to say what it’s really made of shows that you know people may not buy it if they actually knew what it was. See, I do not think calling it a birch box is misleading. I do think that calling it a Popsicle box adds connotatiosa that do not apply to this particular box. I can also see why someone would be angry if they later found out the birch was in craft stick form when the box was made. Which is why they the box is not for sale. As for size-- Of course the dimensions will be in the description. I don’t expect people to imagine how big the box is. There is also a lighter and a rubber band behind the box. That should clue people. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-popsicle-stick-controversy/829019/28 "2019-02-06T01:43:23Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Now I’m envisioning you (never mind that I don’t know what you look like) on your deathbed, breathing out your last word: “birdcage.” Thank you. I have spent a lifetime of service to others, have survived abuse, neglect, physical and mental torture, and have not only survived it, thrived and made something (bird-cageless) of my life. But I am pleased to think you picture me, with my admittedly slight list of accomplishments, going to my grave lusting after that fucking popsicle birdcage. I was not put here on earth for nothing! I have provided you some small entertainment. Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-popsicle-stick-controversy/829019/29 "2019-02-06T01:46:30Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > You could go make the birdcage right now. Craft sticks are chesp. A big ol’ bottle of white glue and that’s all you need. I’ll expect pictures of the birdcage in about a month.🙂 I probably still have the original popsicle sticks in a crate in my mom’s garage… Thanks now to the internet, I could now build me a fabulous aviary by Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-popsicle-stick-controversy/829019/30 "2019-02-06T01:59:30Z")
So, I saw your post on FB and thought that you should probably say it’s made of popsicle sticks, or craft sticks, whatever. And anyway, how much would anyone be willing to pay for such a tiny box? No offense intended. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-popsicle-stick-controversy/829019/31 "2019-02-06T02:17:01Z")
Do you really want someone to leave an unflattering review saying “This was made of POPSICLE STICKS!” Better to call them white birch craft sticks. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-popsicle-stick-controversy/829019/32 "2019-02-06T02:23:39Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > So, I saw your post on FB and thought that you should probably say it’s made of popsicle sticks, or craft sticks, whatever. > > And anyway, how much would anyone be willing to pay for such a tiny box? No offense intended. Are we friends? If we are, sorry I don’t remember your real name. If we are not, send a request! ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-popsicle-stick-controversy/829019/33 "2019-02-06T02:44:05Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Are we friends? If we are, sorry I don’t remember your real name. If we are not, send a request! Resolved, for those wondering. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-popsicle-stick-controversy/829019/34 "2019-02-06T03:05:10Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Do you really want someone to leave an unflattering review saying “This was made of POPSICLE STICKS!” Better to call them white birch craft sticks. See, that would not be unflattering. It would be the truth. This is what I’m trying to get at, where my curiosity and objection lies. Someone buying it would not get it and think “OMG, this is made of Popsicle sticks!!!” They would receive exactly what they saw and ordered and that would be that. However, I know if the customer somehow found out that it was made with Popsicle sticks (not hard to do, it’s not like I’ve kept it a secret on all of my social media), they would be upset. I spent two days working on the darn thing. I like it and don’t want the OMG POPSICLE STICKS!!! stigma right off the bat. BTW, how much do you think I would be selling it for? I get the feeling some people think I’m trying to hike up the price. I wouldn’t price this tiny box over 8 bucks. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-popsicle-stick-controversy/829019/35 "2019-02-06T03:11:53Z")
It’s very pretty. The staining and the lack of perspective make it look quite a bit more substantial than it actually is. It looks weighty and old. You did a great job. But I’m in the “I would feel cheated” camp. As you say, there’s a negative connotation to popsicle sticks. It doesn’t matter how technically accurate you are or how cleverly you word it, you can reasonably expect that anybody buying this box might be miffed if they didn’t know \*exactly \*what they were buying. “Seller said these were made of white birch craft sticks. I didn’t know that was the same thing as popsicle sticks.” Maybe that makes the buyer a big dummy, but they’re still the customer and the one leaving feedback. Best to be super duper upfront. On preview: Knowing that it’s made from popsicle sticks, I’d probably pay eight bucks for that box if it feels as sturdy as it looks. ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-popsicle-stick-controversy/829019/36 "2019-02-06T06:33:49Z")
Wearing my Solomonic wisdom hat [MAWA] I can summarise the posts to date as about 50% damned if you do and the remainder damned if you don’t. Therefore the only true and wise and honorable course is to threaten to smash it with a hammer or set fire to it. Whichever clique’s cries of horror are louder and more sincere sounding are clearly most invested and should be listened to. There, now that’s sorted for you, its back to enduring peace in the Middle East … ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-popsicle-stick-controversy/829019/37 "2019-02-06T06:45:16Z")
Noooooo! Don’t break it. Give it as a gift at least. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-popsicle-stick-controversy/829019/38 "2019-02-06T09:24:06Z")
“Birch mini planks.” How’s that? I think it’s a very charming box. It looks like mini planks. Don’t call them Popsicle sticks. Technically, even if they’re the same thing as Popsicle sticks, they aren’t unless you saved the actual sticks from old popsicles. Right? They’re mini planks. Like Carpenter Barbie would use. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-popsicle-stick-controversy/829019/39 "2019-02-06T09:54:20Z")
I think you should make the next one out of the actual sticks from popsicles you or others have consumed. You can then say that the box is made from recycled birch. ---
**Author:** ![yendis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ed8c4c/32.png) [@yendis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yendis)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-popsicle-stick-controversy/829019/40 "2019-02-06T10:13:21Z")
Would everyone who says they would feel cheated to find it is made out of popsicle sticks still feel the same way if instead **Biggirl** took a big hunk of birch and had it cut up by a machine into little plank sized pieces? Because that is exactly what is happening here except the planks weren’t specifically cut for this project. Call them craft sticks and be prepared for morons to moron. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-popsicle-stick-controversy/829019.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-popsicle-stick-controversy/829019.md?page=3)