It's funny to think back to a time when something as simple as a Dixie Cup was such a big part of your day, or even life. My sister and I shared a cup dispenser in our bathroom when we were little kids in the 70's, and I sure loved that thing. When we ran out I had to report to my mom, because it was my duty to keep it stocked. The trip to the store was like an adventure too, because there were so many different kinds of disposable cups to choose from. Some even had jokes and cartoons on them, and as we will see later in October-- even magic tricks! But the ones I have here in today's post are the ones I remember the most. Nothing fancy, just a variety of simple waxy colors, each with a white band pattern (are they music notes, leaves, feathers?), and boy, did cold water sure taste great in it! And the packaging was so correct, because yes, as the wonderfully cute, cartoon box art demonstrated, you could do a lot of other fun stuff with the cups too! I remember drawing perfectly round, planetary circles with both ends of the cup for my endless battles in outer space illustrations. And also using a cup as a basket to blowdart spitballs into from a hollowed out plastic Bic pen. Who else has some fun, 5 ounce memories to share?
As mentioned, I'll have more Dixie Cup magic in October, so stick around...
6 comments:
I never thought of using a dixie cup as a piggy bank, a shrimp cup or a mold for a popsicle.
The only memories I have of Dixie Cups was using them for drinks, water or soda, or holding snacks.
I'm looking forward to more Dixie Cup fun.
Had one of those dispensers, too! I don't think I ever got anything but just regular pattern like designs. I certainly never got jokes!
That shrimp suggestion is so weird -- all the other ones are very kid related -- ice pops, piggy banks, hats, etc. And right out of nowhere, something that'd you see at a Hugh Hefner party!
Again: Great advertising art.
I might quibble with a Dixie Cup's ability to function as a cookie cutter. I really don't think it would hold up through even average dough, let alone Play-Doh. (Course, Play-Doh came in its own cookie-cutter....)
It's sure nice to see classic Dixie Cups colors and patterns. I was just thinking about the pleasures of waxed paper cups recently, but in more of a "crushed-ice fountain drinks at the Skateland concession stand" kind of a way. They were all so... normal sized.
I guess I never had the cup dispenser in the bathroom when I was a kid, but my Grandparents had one. It was one generation older than these, though: White paper cones. Maybe they hadn't invented the idea of placing your cup on the back of the sink yet in grandpa times. Those would have made a terrible shrimp cup for sure, but were perfect for summer snow cones.
I also associate wax cups with concession stand drinks at the drive-in in the 70’s. I remember the first time I ever had a taste of Dr. Pepper was at the drive-in
The whole subject of seventies concession stands is really a Proustian thwack to the nostalgia. The cement floors, the bubbling Julius machine, the flyblown and sun-faded boxes of candy. Fruit pies in wax paper? Check. Jar of pickles? Maybe.
Did I tell you this already? The Starlight Drive-In in Durham, NC, had a concession stand that was a gun store by day. May have even had a shooting ranch in that sizeable parking lot. At night the guns were still right there, in an unlit display case guarded by the biggest German Shepherd I'd ever seen. I'm sure that dog had a skull as big as a horse's.
We have talked about the drive-in on many occasions, but I'm not remembering any stories about a gun guardin' German shepherd though! Incredible! lol
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