Saturday, January 29, 2011

Panned

Late last summer, the Jewel started giving out annoying stamps with every grocery purchase so shoppers could buy cookware for a penny -- plus the 9 million stamps required to "buy" a sauce pan.

As I don't cook and I don't need pans, thank you, I routinely told the cashier to keep them, or to give them to the next customer.

At the same time, and without my knowledge, my husband was gleefully stocking up on stamps so he could buy a $500 pan. In the past month, and reluctantly, I handed over the occasional stamp so he could reach his goal. Our neighbors kicked in several (thousand) as well, as did Dennis, our delightful son-in-law (who is a wonderful cook).

Friday was pan day. Husband had enough to get two -- one for Den and one for us.

I was too busy enjoying the inaugural ham and cheese omelette to take a picture, but it was delicious.

If you are of a certain age, you will remember S&H Green Stamps. I think my mother bought a hair dryer in the summer of 1961. It had a plastic hood that poofed up when you turned on the air. In about 60 seconds, the back of your neck burned something fierce and you had to turn it off. And that was okay because the thing was so loud, you couldn't hear the TV.

At least I think the hairdryer was a Green Stamp purchase. Maybe we got a blender.

In any event, do you remember Green Stamps? What did you get? And more importantly, do you still have your "free" treasure? Leave me a comment with what you bought, or if you particpated in/boycotted Jewel's great pot giveaway.

9 comments:

MFM said...

My family acquired S&H green stamps too. I was the official stamp organizer. Can't remember what we got, but can't forget the taste of the glue!

Unknown said...

I soooo remember the S&H green stamps. Oh and the glue taste YUK!!! I seem to remember that being my job to put them in the book. I'm pretty sure my mom got a Very chic olive green electric can opener with her stamps - and no thankfully it is not still around! I got sucked into the Jewel stamp collecting. I opted to collect the half sticker amount and got all but one pan. I'm saving them for the first college child that needs them.

Anonymous said...

Will have to try hard to forgive Naperville Now for throwing and giving away those Jewel stamps. Imagine all of the new pots and pans that could have been mine! I come from a long line of S$H stamp collectors. Must be in the DNA. My parents shopped at the only grocery store in town that gave them away and we would drive by gas stations until we got to one that had stamps. I remember putting them in the books and that taste. I can not remember anything that we ever got from S&H, only the hunt for stamps. Thanks,Jewel,for the memories!Plus that new pan made a great omelette this morning. The secret may be in the pan!!!!!
Charlie JP

Sharon said...

Collected and redeemed tons of green stamps and also Top Value stamps, I loved that stuff. We collected the Jewel stamps and gave Spencer the large fry pan and the grill pan for Christmas. I'm loving that this old stuff is coming back again. I'm all for nostalgia!

Anonymous said...

I would have loved to see the proud look on Charlie's face when he picked up his skillets....

BFL said...

Ahh yes, the "free" give-aways of our youth. I think the steak knives with the plastic (what is it you call the end of the knife you hold?) remain from Green Stamp days. Or are they from some long-shuttered gas station, where a real man not only pumped the gas (and cleaned the windshield) but gave you a knife or a glass or somesuch. Truly the good old days, and not just because of the prices.

Anonymous said...

Sure do remember the old S&H stamps - didn't lick them - used something wet to moisten the backs. Anyway, can't remember anything we got with them. but we saved them religiously. (Sorry we didn't know that Charlie wss saving the Jewel ones, we could have given him the few we did accept!)
Donna C

Johanna said...

I still have the "steak knives" I used to get when I bought Shell gasoline (at 35 cents a gallon). Tell Charlie I'm looking forward to getting a $500 saute pan for Christmas.

Vel said...

I do remember S&H green stamps, I mean barely remember. The best story I remember was about the sister of a friend of mine. While waiting in the gynecologist office, she used the restroom and there wasn't any toilet tissue. Thankfully She found an old tissue at the bottom of her purse. Move to the examining room, in stir ups - doctor starts his exam and says 'giving away green stamps, are you?' apparently, the green stamps were at the bottom of her purse too but the stamps adhered themselves to a moist area! Needless to say she was mortifed, but my friend told this story between tears of laughter. I heard this story over 35 years ago and I still laugh out loud when I think about it.