As the school year begins for the little ones, I find myself feeling like a bit of a failure. Here’s why…
This is my son’s lunch sack. It’s slick, zippered, and compartmentalized, complete with a built in freezer pack and non-crushable sandwich container. It’s grey and looks like every other lunch sack his fellow classmates are bringing to school. Where’s the fun in that?
When we were doing the annual back to school shopping, this was the lunch bag my son chose. I can’t really blame him–it’s kind of like the Aston Martin of lunch sacks, but I kept looking longingly at all the brightly-colored, shiny plastic, Mario and Lego-themed bags further down the aisle.
Of course, when I was a kid, your lunchbox made a statement–it separated the boys from the girls–and the poorly chosen lunch box could haunt you for the entire year. I remember having a Super Friends lunch box, which was awesome, but inexplicably, it had purple trim around all the sides. I was fearful of that purple, but the super heroes emblazoned on all the surfaces trumped that fear and when I unveiled it on the first day of school, all was good in the world.
I have a small collection of lunch boxes hanging above the door of my cave. One of these days, I’ll get my hands on lunch boxes for the Planet of the Apes, King Kong, and a 1966 Batman, but for now, I’m happy with the selection that greets me every time I pass through those doors.
Tuesday was my son’s first day of school, and when I asked him how his day went, we ended up talking about his lunch time. His eyes lit up as he started talking about this new kid who had a lunch bag plastered with Skylanders, and the two of them spent the rest of their time in the cafeteria talking about their favorite Skylanders characters and levels.
I wonder if Toys R Us still has any of those lunch bags left over.
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This week, the League was asked to write about going back to school. If you enjoyed this post, check out some of my fellow bloggers for their take on the subject: Michael May, Paxton Holley, Jason Gross, and Hobgoblin238. Check ’em out and all the others!
Hobgoblin238 says
THAT is a lunchbox? Looks like it could also double as a regular backpack. James Bond indeed.
Brian says
It is pretty slick. I want one for myself. 😉
kngfu says
My lunchboxes (Marvel super heroes, Scooby-Doo, the Incredible Hulk) could double as a deadly weapon back when I was in school. My brother had an ADAM 12 and an EMERGENCY back then too.
Brian says
Now that Incredible Hulk lunchbox was a good one!
jboypacman says
Is that a Fall Guy lunch box i see? Too cool! I always wanted this Marvel Super Heroes one that my friend had it was just so awesome.
Shawn Smith-Ford says
I was in an antique store, and came across the snoopy lunchbox I used to have. it was yellow, shaped like snoopy’s doghouse, and would be considered a lethal weapon on any school playgrouond or lunchroom nowadays. sobering thought, huh?
Brian says
The playground has always been a battlefield–might as well be prepared. 😉
Brian says
It is the Fall Guy, but I have to admit that it will be the first to go once I track down one of those three holy grails I mentioned.
Memoriesoftoymorrow says
My son has Thomas the Train one just like that all zippered and perfect but I gotta let him have the “new fangled” stuff…….I may buy the Oscar Goldman Briefcase and the Tardis lunchboxes that BIF BANG POW is putting out…no thermos though.
Mike Gutierrez says
I never owned a lunchbox. We didn’t have a lot of money growing up so my mom brown bagged my lunch. I remember being obsessed with lunchboxes as a kid. I’ve always wanted to collect them, but didn’t want to start another collection. I do have a few I’m keeping my eye out for and if I see then at a good price, I’m snatching them up.
John (Batcave Toy Room) says
I had the Super Friends lunch box too. Wish I still had it. I do have my Superman: The Version however. I would like a 1966 Batman, which Jordan just found one on Toy Hunter. I’d like to get a hold of the Star Wars version as well.