Open That Orange (easy peasy!)

Intro: I do not work for or make money from Tupperware, Amazon, or Target.

Family Lore

I grew up in Orlando, Florida… where I live today. We had an orange and grapefruit tree in the backyard, so eating citrus was a daily thing. As you know, peeling anything but tangerines or Cuties can be a challenging task, especially when you have smaller hands.

Tupperware Parties

Mom used to go to Tupperware parties, something of the past now since Amazon and Target are now selling the amazing storage containers (and more) in their stores.

The hostess of the Tupperware party received a Hostess gift and one of the coveted items was an orange peeler, especially in Florida. Mom was given a yellow one that we cherished in our kitchen.

One.

She only got one in all the years of hosting Tupperware parties.

It was kept in the silverware drawer and stood out easily because of its bright yellow color. If the orange peeler wasn’t in the drawer, an all-out hunt was on for the device until it was found. If we had missed school to look for it, I would not have been at all surprised.

Moving Out

When I left home, I was most distraught over leaving the orange peeler. Not my room. Not my parents. Not even the dog. It was the orange peeler.

I keened as I drove away from the beloved yellow kitchen tool. There really was no way to get another and I missed it every day of my teen, young adult, adult, and now older adult life.

(You think I am kidding? Uh, no.)

Tupperware Joined Amazon in June 2022

…and then Target this month (October 2022).

When it dawned on me a couple of weeks ago to look for the orange peeler on Amazon, I wept when I found the tool, in bulk, no less. I knew I had to get them for the kids as well as myself.

I ordered the ten-pack of orange peelers ($11.93 for ten… the least expensive item Tupperware has ever sold!) and waited the few days for them to arrive.

They Arrived!

When they got here, I pulled the package of ten out of the Amazon bag, rocking, held them to my heart, disbelieving I actually had an orange peeler in my possession again.

One would think sending them to my kidlets might have been difficult, if not trauma-inducing, but I giddily packed five for my daughter Meghann’s whole family, then four for Aimee’s family, even the 4-month old baby. How could I not send one to my youngest grandbaby?

Tristan travels the world, so I need to ask him if he has room for this small stick in his luggage and will get him his own if he says yes.

Kids’ Orange Peelers Arrive in Their Mailboxes

I had a niggling feeling the kids wouldn’t know what the orange peelers were and would be asking once they arrived. I was correct.

Meghann was the first to ask what the heck I sent.

I told her, then explained how to use it and she was ecstatic having just endured, and was still recovering from, an Opening an Orange accident under a fingernail. She told me how each person has opened their citrus, from teeth to the injury-inducing fingernail method, and was happy to have an alternative.

I had her open an orange while I was on the phone and she loved it!

The kids, too, were excited. The youngest could now open her oranges without the help of an older person.

20 Minutes Later

It wasn’t twenty minutes before I got a text from Aimee asking what I’d sent and then guessed, “Orange peelers?”

DingDingDing! Aimee got it right. She said her oldest daughter will love it so she doesn’t get juice squirting in her eyes anymore.

Orange (and yellow) Memories

Both girls had vague memories of the yellow orange peeler, so it had to have been when visiting my dad. I have no idea what happened to it and who inherited it. For all I know, he was buried with it. I wouldn’t put it past him.

Outro: When you get your own orange peeler, as you peel that first piece of citrus, send me a thanks through the Universe. I will catch all of them and hug them tightly. 

Have fun peeling!