Monday, February 21, 2011

Tupperware: A growing addiction.

I have a growing addiction.  At least THIS addiction is one with use...I can not get enough Tupperware.

"Tupperware is the name of a home products line that includes preparation, storage, containment, and serving products for the kitchen and home, which were first introduced to the public in 1946." from Wikidedia

I have wanted to be a Tupperware lady for as long as I can remember.  When I was young, I just thought of it as a reason to be the center of attention at a party...I could stand up, all the ladies would listen to ME talking about BURPING and it would be OK.  How cool is that?
 Well, I never became a Tupperware lady and I think those days are over...I know they are still "out there" but it just isn't the same...ya know? 

My momma used to go to Tupperware parties and she and my aunts always had a growing supply of sippie cups, tumblers, and strainers in the popular, of the day, colors.  My mom's color was avocado green.  Ha...now that is a color that is dominating my kitchen "re do" plans.

photo from tuperdiva.com
Tupperware was a part of my child hood.  We ate spaghetti-os out of Tupperware bowls and in the off chance that we had leftovers, we could keep them fresh with the "locked in freshness"

We drank Kool-aid from the pastel tumblers and were WARNED within an inch of our lives not to put them on the bottom basket of the dishwasher.  Momma had her special Dr. Pepper glass and we were NOT to use it...but we always did.

There were even Tupperware toys...and we had them. 







from tupperdiva.com
The thing is, going to a Tupperware party is a social event and when everyone are ordering things, you do not want to be the odd lady out.  You gotta keep up with the "Jones" and buy the Harvest Gold canisters.

"Tupperware is still sold mostly through a party plan, with rewards for hosts. A Tupperware party is run by a Tupperware consultant for a host who invites friends and neighbors into his or her home to see the product line. Tupperware hosts are rewarded with free products based on the level of sales made at their party. Parties also take place in workplaces, schools, and other community groups.





photo from tupperdiva.com
Tupperware created a means for the housewife to maintain her obligations in the domestic sphere of the household while creating an independence from the home in a sociable atmosphere. The Tupperware Party allowed for women of the 1950s to work and enjoy the benefits of earning an income without completely taking away the independence granted to women during the Second World War when women first began entering the labor market, all the while keeping their focus in the domestic domain. The "Party" model builds on characteristics generally developed by being a housewife (e.g. party planning, hosting a party, sociable relations with friends and neighbors) and created an alternative choice for women who either needed or wanted to work. The reciprocity that emerges at the “parties” which are traditionally composed of friends and family members of the hostess create a nurturing atmosphere without a direct sales feeling. Studies show that the creation of the “Tupperware party” is a gendered construct aimed at appeasing the general ethos of the domestic arrangements of the era where men were the sole earners and it was the women's responsibility to manage the housework. Earl Tupper invented the plastic for Tupperware in 1938, however the product only worked with the emergence of the sale through presentation in a party setting. This reflects in the empowerment it gave women in a setting of gossip and game playing the ability to sell and create a role for individuals outside of the domestic realm. It has been argued that the repercussions of the Tupperware boom in American households and the American economy are the elevation of the status of women in the labor market along with status within the home and facilitating their entrance into the labor market in further years." from Wikipedia


 Here are some more from my collection.  I am always on the look out for Tupperware and find the best deals at Estate Sales.  Most of the time they are very well kept, if not, I pass and wait for the next one to come along.

This is a great piece to keep deviled eggs in while transporting to a pot luck.  Also great for transporting hard boiled eggs and decorated eggs for Easter egg hunts.
I especially love the Tupperware molds.  They are great for Jello mold recipes or deviled crab molds.  Some come with interchangable tops to mold in a decoration.  So cute!!!!

mine was actually being used so I borrowed this pic from a sale on etsy.com
Tupperware has been passed over in some homes for the cheaper Gladware and Rubbermaid.  You can buy both at any superstore or market...but with them, you get what you pay for.  I can bet that you will not see Gladware show up at Estate Sales in 20, 30, 50 plus years....!!!!

You can find out more about Tupperware by visiting the Wikipedia links through-out this post or go to Tupperware.com

I can not wait to take my Tupperware along to all my Spring and Summer pic-nics, pot luck parties and beach bashes.

Tiffany
this post is linked to Collect Share

3 comments:

  1. I sold Tupperware in my 20s...it was a way to make a little extra $$, plus I was able to amass a considerable collection myself :) It's still going strong 20 years later. My cousin is a rep now!

    My mom hardly had any...maybe a set of bowls and some canisters. She was fine with sending us to school with food in a used sour cream container. Soooo embarrassing.

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  2. Oh no!!!! Lunch in a butter dish was not uncommon for us...Tupperware was a precious thing...the kids were not trusted to take it to school. LOL. You know, I STILL save butter dishes, etc. I got that from my Greatma...she saved everything.

    Thanks for reading.

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  3. I like Tupperware too. I have mostly picnic items, like cake, pie and cupcake carriers. I just found a cold cuts keeper with egg trays in pearlized white with a yellow lid. I love the old pictures you found.

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