Sales of ouiji boards up by 300%

Coopaloop · 01-12-2014 10:13AM #1

So the ever reliable daily mail had a story today saying the sale of ouiji boards is up by 300%. I've always been curious about them but not so much that I would ever use one, way to scared to do that.

Does anyone have any experience with them? Something about them has always screamed don't go near them, or are they just a board game?

Bigus · 01-12-2014 10:15AM

300% could mean they sold 3 instead of 1 over a certain period .

seamus · 01-12-2014 10:17AM

Of course it's just a board game.

There was a rumour that they're banned in Ireland, but I don't think that's actually possible.

What's more likely is that the church in the 80's strongarmed toy retailers into not selling it, and so it's just never been available here. I imagine Smyths would make quite a killing if they started selling it now.

Realt Dearg Sec · 01-12-2014 10:17AM

Coopaloop wrote: »

So the ever reliable daily mail had a story today saying the sale of ouiji boards is up by 300%. I've always been curious about them but not so much that I would ever use one, way to scared to do that.

Does anyone have any experience with them? Something about them has always screamed don't go near them, or are they just a board game?

Aren't they made by Waddingtons or someone? I wouldn't worry about it. Although I have afriend whose neighbour's cousin once used one and his head exploded when he talked to his dead wife even though he'd never been married.

Mr Freeze · 01-12-2014 10:17AM

Even though I don't believe in ghosts, I don't think I would go near a Ouigi board.

All those priests coming into school giving us talks about all the bad things in life, well don't use ouiji boards is the only thing I remember from those things.

They had 2 people in once who claimed they had been possessed in past.

I don't think schools would get away with that craic these days.

Sheep Lover · 01-12-2014 10:17AM

seamus wrote: »

Of course it's just a board game.

A game of Scrabble has more chance of summoning the dead

Realt Dearg Sec · 01-12-2014 10:18AM

Mr Freeze wrote: »

If though I don't believe in ghosts, I don't think I would go near a Ouigi board.

All those priests coming into school giving us talks about all the bad things in life, well don't use ouiji boards is the only thing I remember from those things.

They had 2 people in once who claimed they had been possessed in past.

I don't think schools would get away with that craic these days.

Ha yeah we were given the same warnings. Such ****e talk.

kylith · 01-12-2014 10:21AM

Coopaloop wrote: »

So the ever reliable daily mail had a story today saying the sale of ouiji boards is up by 300%. I've always been curious about them but not so much that I would ever use one, way to scared to do that.

Does anyone have any experience with them? Something about them has always screamed don't go near them, or are they just a board game?

Let me put it this way - They were developed by Milton Bradley, the board game company.

They work via the ideomotor effect - basically you move it without realising that you're moving it. This is the same effect that makes dowsing rods move. Penn and Teller do a very good debunking of Ouija boards.

conorhal · 01-12-2014 10:29AM

seamus wrote: »

Of course it's just a board game.

There was a rumour that they're banned in Ireland, but I don't think that's actually possible.

What's more likely is that the church in the 80's strongarmed toy retailers into not selling it, and so it's just never been available here. I imagine Smyths would make quite a killing if they started selling it now.

TBH ouiji boards have no place in smyths, toyshops generally don't tend to have an occult section and I can't see parents being that enthuastic about trying to summon the devil or talk to granny from beyound the grave with the kids after a game of Hungry, Hungry Hippos.....

NoCrackHaving · 01-12-2014 10:36AM

FFS, they're board games made by Hasbro, as in the toy manufacturer.

It was invented by a guy called Ellijah Bond in 19th century as basically a grown up s toy. It wasn't until a mumbo-jumbo 'talk to your dead relative' spiritualist began using them in the 1920's to fleece gullible idiots out of their money that it took on the 'evil'/Satanic overtones.

Frankly, ouiji boards have no place anywhere but not for religious or occult reasons but to stop idiots having their pockets picked by retailers.

jaykay74 · 01-12-2014 10:39AM

They should have seen it coming

Calibos · 01-12-2014 10:43AM

I despair that some of you people are allowed vote

seamus · 01-12-2014 10:44AM

conorhal wrote: »

TBH ouiji boards have no place in smyths, toyshops generally don't tend to have an occult section and I can't see parents being that enthuastic about trying to summon the devil or talk to granny from beyound the grave with the kids after a game of Hungry, Hungry Hippos.....

How many parents do you think sit down with their children and play a nice family game of GTA 5 where they beat up hookers and go around torturing and murdering people?
Yeah, Smyths sell that too.

Ridiculous comment tbh. A Ouija board is a game and nothing more.

GabbyJay · 01-12-2014 10:44AM

hate to be pedantic but... "ouija".

GabbyJay · 01-12-2014 10:46AM

hate to be pedantic but... "Ouija" (a instead of i).

furiousox · 01-12-2014 10:46AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAD0XLytC0w

nozzferrahhtoo · 01-12-2014 10:56AM

Coopaloop wrote: »

So the ever reliable daily mail had a story today saying the sale of ouiji boards is up by 300%. I've always been curious about them but not so much that I would ever use one, way to scared to do that.

Does anyone have any experience with them? Something about them has always screamed don't go near them, or are they just a board game?

There are lots of things in life I find time to be scared of. Cardboard and dice are not two of them.

Duggy747 · 01-12-2014 11:23AM

Spooky board brought to you by the crowd who makes Transformers toys who bought the rights from the crowd who made Monopoly!

o1s1n · 01-12-2014 11:29AM

GabbyJay wrote: »

hate to be pedantic but... "Ouija" (a instead of i).

I cringe whenever I hear someone say 'wee-jee board'

idnkph · 01-12-2014 11:43AM

Did one of these at college 20 years ago with 3 girls from my class. It spelt out pregnant a few times.
I went home and slept great but the girls lived in the same house and started hearing noises throughout the night. Next morning one of the girls parents was over and they told them what had happened. Mam freaked out and called the priest in to do all the hocous pocous crap.
within a year the 3 girls were all stuffed. Maybe a coincidence but makes ya think

eviltimeban · 01-12-2014 11:47AM

Toy shops should totally have an occult section.

Realt Dearg Sec · 01-12-2014 11:51AM

idnkph wrote: »

Did one of these at college 20 years ago with 3 girls from my class. It spelt out pregnant a few times.
I went home and slept great but the girls lived in the same house and started hearing noises throughout the night. Next morning one of the girls parents was over and they told them what had happened. Mam freaked out and called the priest in to do all the hocous pocous crap.
within a year the 3 girls were all stuffed. Maybe a coincidence but makes ya think

Stops you thinking more like.

furiousox · 01-12-2014 11:52AM

idnkph wrote: »

Did one of these at college 20 years ago with 3 girls from my class. It spelt out pregnant a few times.
I went home and slept great but the girls lived in the same house and started hearing noises throughout the night. Next morning one of the girls parents was over and they told them what had happened. Mam freaked out and called the priest in to do all the hocous pocous crap.
within a year the 3 girls were all stuffed. Maybe a coincidence but makes ya think

It's a coincidence that a priest called to the house and all 3 girls ended up pregnant?

Insect Overlord · 01-12-2014 11:54AM

Nice little discussion on their origins here: http://99percentinvisible.org/episode/o-u-i-j-a/

I always wanted to try playing with one when I was a teenager, but nobody was happy to join me!

o1s1n · 01-12-2014 11:57AM

idnkph wrote: »

Did one of these at college 20 years ago with 3 girls from my class. It spelt out pregnant a few times.
I went home and slept great but the girls lived in the same house and started hearing noises throughout the night. Next morning one of the girls parents was over and they told them what had happened. Mam freaked out and called the priest in to do all the hocous pocous crap.
within a year the 3 girls were all stuffed. Maybe a coincidence but makes ya think

When you do something 'scary' - all regular noises thereafter are looked upon suspiciously as your senses are a more highly aware due to being on edge.

It is not hard to believe that three girls could be pregnant over the course of a year.

Of course it's a coincidence. Coupled with the idiometer effect and confirmation bias.

sjb25 · 01-12-2014 12:00PM

furiousox wrote: »

It's a coincidence that a priest called to the house and all 3 girls ended up pregnant?

Thanks for the milk up my nose and the cornflakes had been lovely up till now

lol

nozzferrahhtoo · 01-12-2014 12:12PM

idnkph wrote: »

within a year the 3 girls were all stuffed. Maybe a coincidence but makes ya think

Dear god. That they would all not only die.... but in a country that allows human Taxidermy...... is boggling to the mind!

killanena · 01-12-2014 12:14PM

I used one once with a few friends, Nothing happened.. except for some people trying to mess with others. The wood the board is made out of is really smooth and the magnifying glass with the same wood as a farm was really easy to slide along the wood with a tiny bit of force. I noticed I could slide it pretty easily. He had used it before and said he never experienced anything, even on his own but his parents believed it worked. I don't know if they actually believed that or were only saying it to freak us out. We were all about 16-17 at the time.

When I say that a lot of people say "It has to be a real one, the toy ones don't work!"..
What defines a real ouija board? :P + my friend that owed it had it for years, his parents got it in Spain when they lived there before he was born.

I don't believe in anything till its fact but I don't discredit anyone's believes until a point it is proven as a fact to be untrue.

draiochtanois · 01-12-2014 12:17PM

This post has been deleted.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 01-12-2014 12:18PM

killanena wrote: »

What defines a real ouija board? :P + my friend that owed it had it for years, his parents got it in Spain when they lived there before he was born.

I believe it has to be blessed by a priest. Or the horned antichrist, I can never remember which.

Nodin · 01-12-2014 12:19PM

eviltimeban wrote: »

Toy shops should totally have an occult section.

People should have the choice of that "Frozen" thing or the Goat Of Mendes, I reckon.

Sales of ouiji boards up by 300%

Comments