This week’s Friday Favorites features either a “blast from the past”, or an ancient history lesson, depending on how old you are!

Here are the original customer loyalty cards.

S&H Green Stamps were given to customers by grocery stores and gas stations to encourage repeat business. They were collected, pasted in books, and could eventually be traded for a wide selection of merchandise, depending on how many stamps you were redeeming. Families enthusiastically poured over glossy catalogs in search of the perfect prize. Once a selection was made, it could easily be retrieved at a local redemption center.

An automatic washer!
OK, semi-automatic. I can remember my mother having to feed each article of clothing through that scary-looking wringer. We had heard tales of women who had caught their hands in it! The clothes were pretty well wrung out after the laborious process, but it was definitely a slosh-y mess while it was going on. Next stop, the clothesline – nobody had a dryer.

It’s a wonder that we have any teeth!

This is a paper chain made with gum wrappers – LOTS of gum wrappers. Kids had a ball making these. It was a challenge to see who could make the longest chain! Some of us also made belts, purses, and even hats! Of course this was before sugar-free gum. We were blissfully unaware that future dentists would be cringing at the thought of kids chewing as much gum as possible in a race to lengthen their paper chains. It sure was fun to make them, though. 🙂

A little out of season, but my favorite of the bunch!

There was nothing more magical than to lounge on the floor in the semi-darkness, and watch the revolving color wheel as it cast a rainbow of colors on the sparkling silver tree!
Talk about high tech!! lol

Happy Spring, Everyone! 🙂

See you Monday with the new questions!