The Lunchbox Heyday!

The 1970's was the heyday for the American lunchbox. An era of lunchbox exceptionalism. A time when a kid didn't merely HAVE a lunchbox to transport food. Nay, nay! That would be too simple. A lunchbox was a symbol of adolescent individuality and a commitment to personal freedom. A lunchbox spoke volumes about who you were as an 8-year-old. The right lunch box could either make or break the 3rd grade. That's a lot of PRESSURE on a kid!

Photo from The Lunchbox Museum in Columbus, GA

It was a time when you wouldn't even think about showing up to school with your lunch in a brown paper bag. For if you did, there would be BIG TROUBLE. Some boy
named Scooter with a Dukes of Hazzard lunchbox, his girlfriend Jennifer with her Charlie's Angels lunchbox and their giant friend Vinny with his The Fonz lunchbox would crack you over the head with their Six Million Dollar Man, Kiss, and Kong Phooey Thermoses.

Photo from The Lunchbox Museum in Columbus, GA

My lunch box was Star Wars. I remember it well. I loved Star Wars. THE ORIGINAL! None of the sequal movies could compare in my opinion. I collected all 12 of the original action figures. My brother and I even had blow-up light-sabres that we would hit each other with. Yes, I can still make a Wookie sound:/ So, what sort of a "statement" is an 8-year-old in 1977 making with a Star Wars lunchbox. Hmmm? It said that I liked action. That I sought out adventure. That I was a young boy, like Luke Skywalker that could achieve anything in life, even though I was from a humble beginning. That perhaps I could some day, if I drank all of my Tang, ate my Wheaties every morning like decathalon champ Bruce Jenner (aka Kim Kardashian's dad), and spent the 10 cents to get the secrets of how to look like Atlas and not get sand kicked in my face, that I could get the girl and save the world from turning to the DARK side. OR who knows, maybe It was just the only lunchbox they had left at Woolworth's.

The inspiration for this blog came from The Lunchbox Museum in Columbus GA.

Watch the video and see if you remember being a part of the lunchbox heyday. Adults: Which one did you have? Which one do you wish you had? What does it say about you? Kids: Do you or did you have a lunchbox? Or if all this is before your time, which lunchbox would have picked if you went to school with us in the Groovy 70's?

Have a great week everyone!

"E"