StanAAngel
Generational influence
When television became popular during the early 1950s, many families changed their traditional dining and recreational habits. Instead of eating their meals at a communal dining table, it was not unusual for an entire family to eat in front of the television set. This new TV-centric lifestyle inspired several manufacturers to market a type of folding tray known as a TV tray. Users could unfold the hollow aluminum legs and attach a tray to hold their plates while they watched their favorite television programs in the living room or den.
There is a bit of a "chicken or the egg" controversy surrounding the first introduction of the TV tray, however. Some television historians say the first TV trays were available at least a year before the advent of the frozen TV dinner. The original TV tray was not necessarily marketed as a dinner tray, but more of a catch-all for plates, books, and craft projects a user might need while watching television. When not in service, a TV tray could be folded quickly and stored in an unobtrusive corner of the room.
My grandmother kept her T.V. trays in a place in one of her closets, she would say "Kids go get the T.V. trays and then we excitedly knew it was time to eat (she was an excellent cook).
The T.V. trays were only used outside, inside we ate at the table. I do not remember ever watching T.V. and eating, I do not think my grandparents allowed such activity !
Generational influence
When television became popular during the early 1950s, many families changed their traditional dining and recreational habits. Instead of eating their meals at a communal dining table, it was not unusual for an entire family to eat in front of the television set. This new TV-centric lifestyle inspired several manufacturers to market a type of folding tray known as a TV tray. Users could unfold the hollow aluminum legs and attach a tray to hold their plates while they watched their favorite television programs in the living room or den.
There is a bit of a "chicken or the egg" controversy surrounding the first introduction of the TV tray, however. Some television historians say the first TV trays were available at least a year before the advent of the frozen TV dinner. The original TV tray was not necessarily marketed as a dinner tray, but more of a catch-all for plates, books, and craft projects a user might need while watching television. When not in service, a TV tray could be folded quickly and stored in an unobtrusive corner of the room.
My grandmother kept her T.V. trays in a place in one of her closets, she would say "Kids go get the T.V. trays and then we excitedly knew it was time to eat (she was an excellent cook).
The T.V. trays were only used outside, inside we ate at the table. I do not remember ever watching T.V. and eating, I do not think my grandparents allowed such activity !