Memories and Old Spoons

When I was a little girl... That's the way grandmoms start their stories, so I will begin.

When I was a little girl... maybe 10 years old, Kellogg's offered for sale "signature" teaspoons. Spoons looking like famous people, and each cost maybe 10 cents, maybe 25 cents--I don't remember, plus several boxtops. I "sent away" for one--Mickey Mouse. It was shiny, silver plated; I ate my cereal (Kellogg's of course) with Mickey. And I've had it maybe 75 years.

Somewhere along the line Edgar Bergen introduced his Charlie McCarthy puppet. And there were two spoons. I knew who Charlie was.

When my children came along, Kellogg's offered for sale (by that time I'm sure they were 25 cents), and when they emptied enough boxes of cereal we had Huckleberry Hound and Yogi Bear spoons. There were four children but they could take turns and it was a fun novelty for mealtimes. That would be maybe 50 years of fun. They didn't know Charlie McCarthy but they enjoyed eating with him.

When the grandsons came along they spent nights with Grandmom and each boy could still pick his favorite for breakfast and other meals. That would be 25 years that four spoons hung on the spoonrack.

Now three generations are grown, each one still looking longingly at the old shiny spoons. Each one has told Grandmom quietly that he would really like the spoons when I'm ready to give them up. Memories are important, you know, and we all have 'em.

So now Grandmom is 85, and thought it would be fun to share. There's EBay you know, and Computer Literate Aunt started. More than 10 characters, and in a month we amassed heirloom spoons of Huck and Yogi enough for everybody to have each. And extras of Mary Poppins--mother of the four boys told me how that was her favorite growing-up movie. Campbell's Soup Kid shines nicely. There's Dennis the Menace and Pinocchio that Great Grandsons will get to read about and know. One of the Dionne Quints not familiar to many of us hangs there too.

Four generations. Memories of children and in-laws, more than 10 persons.