Model unfairly removed from Christmas contest

MakerWorld
1

I’m looking for advice and opinions after my gift box / puzzle tube was removed from the Christmas competition “due to its irrelevance to the contest theme.”
This is despite the fact it was trending well and was top 6 in total downloads and likes out of nearly 6,000 entries.

The model: Puzzle Tube for gifting cash
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I feel this is unfair, clearly this is a Christmas model, it’s for gifting money and obviously has a Christmas gift vibe with a ribbon on top - a theme you will see throughout this contest.

The contest theme/rules state:

functional gifts with a twist of creativity

I don’t see how my model is not exactly that: a gift, it’s functional, it’s creative.

:x: Please avoid:

  • Generic items without functional or structural innovation for the context. For example, a regular storage box.
  • Models detached from the core contest theme. For example, a purely mechanical gadget that has nothing to do with holidays or festive use cases.

Again, my model is not generic, it’s functional, innovative and far from a regular storage box. It’s entire purpose is gifting at Christmas - both the contents locked inside the puzzle and the puzzle itself.

If I had to point to a reason for removal somewhere, my example images are not particularly classic Christmas colours, but ultimately the user can print in whatever colours they wish.

Users seem to agree this is a Christmas themed model.
Here’s a selection of comments and 5 star reviews (over 150 reviews now)

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Furthermore, last year I released another simple puzzle on the same idea. This shows the downloads for the past 12 months of last years model, all the growth in the last 1 month is organic, it was not promoted or added to a Christmas contest, people have just been searching for and printing my gift box puzzle tube for Christmas.

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I don’t understand why this was removed, there are plenty of other gift boxes and puzzles in the contests, many rehashed boring ideas we see time and time again, while my model is innovative and unique. Coincidentally a few hours before it was removed a user left FOUR angry comments about a small (0.5g!) part breaking and wasting their filament. Related? possibly.

What do you guys think, should my model be in the Christmas contest?
Has anyone had success in getting a model re-instated into a contest after being removed unfairly?

4 Likes
2

The contest entries are now more thoroughly vetted when alerted by a report.

While your model can contain a gift (of cash), it does not look like a Christmas only present container.

Had you of included some festive element (not filament colours), you may still be in the contest, although given it is a storage container rather than Christmas related directly, it could go either way.

Your model clearly fails on this rule:

For example, a regular storage box or cable holder with no Christmas relevance.

You should also pay attention to the focus of the contest:

Here are some directions you might explore:

1. Holiday Scenes: Miniature setups, like Christmas villages and snow-covered houses that bring Christmas cheer to every desk or home. Warm lights and cozy stories may light your inspiration.

2. Festive Decorations: Reindeers, snowflake, star toppers, modular ornaments and bells, or even Santa’s sleigh in your style.

3. Christmas Companions: Fireplace, merry-go-round, ferris wheels, or functional gifts with a twist of creativity. Characters like Santa Claus, snowman, elves, gingerbread man and nutcracker can be added.

4. Themed Color Palette: Classic Christmas colors can be employed in your design, and innovative endeavor is encouraged.

When entering contests now, you should read the directions (what you should do) and the notes/warnings (what you should not do.

9 Likes
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It has a bow? Is that not enough?

We need something more like this…

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Although in this contest, it seems like everything would have been fine if they made it into an ornament.

But using the idea from taking that one down, this one should be taken down as well

A Christmas contest is a bad idea anyways

4 Likes
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Such contest themes are dumb, zero focus, almost 6k entries so far and 11 days left to enter.

3 Likes
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I agree on the whole, it’s not a massively Christmassy looking model, but functionally it is. Because what is Christmas about these days if it’s not about giving gifts?

If my model can be used throughout the year** then surely so can any other gift box/gift card box etc so should they not be included in the contest as someone might print it for a birthday?
** Although my graph shows that last years model is only really popular during Christmas period with minimal prints for other occasions during the year

How about these models, all have similar themes with the ribbon on top and most are for giving gifts (ok mine doesn’t have ribbons down the sides, but that would look silly on a long tube imo)

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BTW, I’m not saying any of these should not be in the contest.

1 Like
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Agree on this too, there’s no real focus for the contest, therefore surely whatever rises to the top of those 6k entries is what people want to print and associate with Christmas. I don’t see any 67, coasters or low effort models at the top of the total downloads/likes list, but I did see my model and tons of comments/reviews suggesting it is a Christmas model.

7

Same thing with the Halloween contests.

I understand wanting to be festive, but it does not contribute anything meaningful.

In this case, we saw thousands of Christmas models weeks before the contest even started. I started to see them in October.

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a man in a purple suit with a bow tie has a meme on his face that says wasn 't me honest

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Those models are a little different.

In my opinion, they look purpose made for christmas, while yours looks like a puzzle box with a bow on it.

I am not sure if I would have removed it, but it is definitely a stretch. The standards are so low for that contest in the first place.

3 Likes
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The elf on the shelf props around my house beg to differ

1 Like
11

I look at these and think Christmas present.

It took a while for me to even notice there was a bow option for yours.

I don’t think the thin and tall cylinder helped you as it is not a traditional present box (emphasis on the cuboid shape).

Your design has been done many times before and as such appears generic.

The image examples are also generic, but far more traditional present boxes. The photos and colours helped in those to make a clear differentiation between the container and the bow.

It is possible, that could have been the needle that broke the camel’s back.

You could use your basic model, use a snowman, Christmas tree, sant or similar as the outer shell and enter the contest again, lean into the contest theme rather than hope your entry being near the edge would get through.

You have skills, use them.

3 Likes
12

I agree with others that it reads more puzzle box than Christmas gift. Obviously its subjective and a cylinder vs a cube present probably feels unjust when you made the thing. Personally though, I’d rather contest moderation remove a few entries that straddle the line of the theme then leave in a sea of irrelevancy.

If you did want to hammer home the theme I think it would be cool to see a candy cane version of your box. Just a thought.

1 Like
13

If I looked at your model any other time of the year or in other context, nothing about it would suggest Christmas. Therefore you cannot claim it’s a “Christmas model”. Just because you can put gifts in it and people give gifts at Christmas, that doesn’t mean it qualifies. That’s two degrees of separation from Christmas and by that logic anything could qualify. Lemme get random MakerWorld model:

Here we go, Candy/Sweets coaster

People eat candy at Christmas, ergo it’s a Christmas model…

See, nonsense

2 Likes
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The bow isn’t part of the model though its something you added on after, model it in to the container and you would have a more valid point

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You didn’t get the satire

look at the rest of the comment

1 Like
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“I can’t define xmas but I know it when I see it” LOL
in ohmage to the porn statement.

It is a problem trying to classify. It is an opinion. Because it is not one person, and an ambiguous subject, it is a blurry line defining.

How would you define what fits and what doesn’t? would a door stop that could be given as a gift fit also?

I also had a puzzle box removed, that I designed as a gift box. Not complaining that it was removed. Only saying that I felt slighted, but I understand the removal.

1 Like
17

It certainly could. Anything can potentaily be a gift/stocking stuffer to someone. Any container can be a gift box (very creative ones that don’t look like Christmas boxes at all :slight_smile: ) , in addtion to the fact that the container can be a gift in itself.

That’s the right way to look at it. Instead of applausing when a rule is applied to others and protesting when it applies to ourselves, we should look at the big picture and support the effort to clean out the big mess that contest entries have become.

2 Likes
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It wasn’t something added on after, it’s always been part of the puzzle’s design and is required to unlock another part of the puzzle, which is required for another part of the puzzle etc - the same with my previous model.
This design started with the inner part to hold a rolled up note, the rest of the model was built up around it in layers like an onion. Ultimately that is what dictated the shape of the model.

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I agree, my model doesn’t scream Christmas, that’s fair.
I still believe it’s a functional gift that people will print during the Christmas season though - we’ll find out next year I guess.

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Last year’s Christmas model did exceptionally well for you.

We all have that one model that does really well and we try to recreate that lightning in the bottle.

1 Like