“PfeffErminZ” - PEZ!

Invented in Austria in 1927, PEZ first became available in the U.S. in 1952. PEZ dispensers are small, colorful and bring me smiles! 

I didn’t get interested until I was in my early 20s. I would stash a PEZ dispenser in my purse when I went out and I would love to offer it and say in a silly voice, “PEZ?” What an icebreaker. It was my gig and it always brought a laugh to those around me!

My very first one was Bugs Bunny. It made sense because I had collected everything “rabbit” back before PEZ! (That would be another story.)

The one candy item became many right away, especially when I went to a Looney Tunes store in Chicago very soon after. I was chaperoning our church youth group and they had decided they wanted to go into the store. Toward the front, there was this huge PEZ display of all kinds of characters and, well, I just had to purchase - a bunch! I mean, c’mon, they aren’t that expensive.

Back in the day, I would specifically choose one for an outing. Actually, I still do. I’ll carry the Glow in the Dark Pumpkin PEZ to the Halloween Party. Take the Wonder Woman PEZ to the party I was invited to where I don’t know too many people (for courage).

Before the recent National Academic Advising Association Conference in Orlando, I grabbed Goofy so he could travel with me. He got to see his old digs. 🙂 While there, I bought a special souvenir Mickey Disney Parks dispenser!

It wasn’t until the 2000s that PEZ had cool collector sets. Elaborate packaging and full sets of special characters. Among the many I have are a Disney Mickey Mouse Collectible Tin with three dispensers. (unopened), a U.S. President Collection (unopened), a Hello Kitty Limited PEZ Collection Tin with five dispensers (had to open). Over the years, Mendoza friends have gifted me with wonderful PEZ items, whether single unique characters or full sets that I didn’t have. photo

Of course, collecting is fun because of “the hunt.” I have probably more than five Batman PEZ because each of them are totally unique, from their mask and stem colors, to their open or closed eyes.

After the Room 101 Mendoza remodel in 2019, my prior office space had a little shelf type space where I displayed them all around ROYGBIV style. (photo) Because we love to play tricks on the now “Dean of Our Hearts” (Andy Wendelborn), I’d end up placing a photo of his face on a PEZ dispenser and we’d all play the game of “Where’s Andrew?” There was also the game of which dispenser was really properly loaded with candy and not empty. Now, I place them in a frame in my office by theme or time of year. The ND Football (yes, I have multiples!!!), the Halloween witch, pumpkins and/or orange stemmed characters are currently on display. (photo)

Be on the lookout for the next holiday season rotation!

Also Note: Bring Your PEZ to Work Day is November 30!

Laura Glassford
Program Coordinator
Office of Undergraduate Studies