‘New fear unlocked’: Woman issues warning for people who store their ornaments in cardboard boxes

When you pack away your Christmas ornaments and put them into storage, you use cardboard boxes, right? In fact, you probably do this without thinking, taking for granted that it's a safe and sanitary way to store your ornaments. But if this viral TikTok is anything to go by, you couldn't be more wrong.

In the clip, which has amassed 443,800 views, Em (@empease7) began by showing viewers a pale blue ornament.

"All right, when I got my ornaments out of storage today, I noticed that a bunch had this weird rattle sound," she narrated. "And as somebody whose interest is constantly being piqued by red flags, I had to know what was inside."

She then proceeded to hit the bauble hard enough to break it, and floods of mysterious black bugs emerged from the fragments of the ornament. In the video description, she issued a PSA: "If you stored ornaments in a cardboard box, give them a good shake outside before decorating inside."

While Em identified the critters as ants, commenters weren't so sure. Several users claimed they were termites, while others identified them as earwigs or flying ants.

But beyond this identification, it was clear that users were terrified. "That was so much worse than I thought," one wrote.

"New fear unlocked," another added.

Meanwhile, a third said, "I had an actual visceral reaction."

"Please say sike," a fourth commented. "I just decorated my tree with ornaments that have been in a cardboard box in my garage."

Em didn't immediately respond to the Daily Dot's request for comment via TikTok comment.

@empease7 PSA: If you stored ornaments in a cardboard box, give them a good shake outside before decorating inside. #christmas #ornaments #nightmarebeforechristmas #ants #ornamentsmash #fyp ♬ We Wish You a Merry Christmas (Glockenspiel Version) - Musik Bayi ID

Do cardboard boxes attract bugs?

According to Prohealth Pest Control, there are a number of reasons why cardboard boxes attract bugs. One reason is that most cardboard is made of the plant-based material cellulose. This material, in turn, is appetizing to bugs as food.

Another is cardboard's tendency to absorb and retain moisture from its environment, which, coupled with humidity, can make it the perfect breeding place. Thirdly, cardboard's corrugated design reportedly makes it the perfect hiding place for bugs.

Well, they do say that Christmas is full of surprises.

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