By Louise Irvine

Museum Store Sunday on November 30 inspired us to reflect on the WMODA Museum Shop and its importance for promoting the Fired Arts in our community. In addition to advancing the museum’s mission to raise awareness of ceramics and glass art, our shop showcases artists working in these media at home and abroad. We invite you to “shop till you drop” for all your holiday gifts, knowing that you are shopping with a purpose. Museum gift cards are available in any denomination, and we also offer WMODA Annual Memberships for museum lovers.

Shopping Sprees

The game show Shop Til You Drop popularized the expression during the 1990s. In this zany show, contestants competed in shopping-related challenges and trivia questions to win a shopping spree vacation to exciting destinations such as London, Paris or New York. However, the concept of shopping to the point of exhaustion was first recorded in print in a poem titled The Day Before Christmas, published in the Chicago Daily Tribune on December 24, 1902. The annual poetic parody includes the phrase…

Why, listen, I’ve shopped 
Until from exhaustion, I’ve pretty near dropped.

Consumer Culture

I am sure we have all experienced exhaustion as we rush around on Christmas Eve searching for last-minute gifts. Shoppers have felt this way since the mid-19th century, when the rise of department stores transformed shopping into a recreational activity and created a new consumer culture. Stores like Macy’s in New York and Liberty’s in London enticed customers with vast selections and luxurious environments all under one roof. Beautiful displays encouraged customers to stay longer and browse, turning shopping into a leisure activity.

Meaningful Gifts

The holidays are a season for giving, gathering, and celebrating—and what better way to find meaningful gifts than shopping at the WMODA Museum Shop? WMODA members receive a 10% discount on purchases at the Museum Shop, and of course, admission to the museum is free for the entire year of membership, so you can browse our galleries and special exhibitions as often as you wish. You’ll avoid “Museum Feet” and fatigue by not trying to absorb all the treasures on display at WMODA in one visit! Join online now to take advantage of these great discounts during this holiday season. You can also give the gift of WMODA membership to a museum-loving friend.

Sign up here for membership for yourself or a friend

The Museum Stores Association acknowledges the integral and multifaceted work of museum gift shops nationwide to generate revenue and extend mission-related programs and visitor engagement through store products, programs, and experiences, such as our upcoming Fired Arts Fair at WMODA on Saturday, December 6, from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Read more about the Fired Arts Fair

SHOP WITH PURPOSE AT WMODA THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. All purchases support the museum and benefit the educational programs at WMODA.