Sippin' (and chuggin') through the years with a party mainstay — the red Solo cup

It’s red. It’s soft plastic. And it probably contains your favorite beverage. The red Solo cup belongs on any list of the country’s most distinctly American objects, but it’s actually more than a single object. It is a symbol of the American psyche — a country that loves a good party, summertime barbecues, kegged beer, tailgating and above all, friendship and community.The red Solo cup is the receptacle for each of these proud traditions. It also serves as a foundation for beer pong and functions as a vessel for contraband public drinks. It works as a spittoon and a reusable household cup that survives countless top-rack cycles through the dishwasher. Sharpie name inscriptions are its universal language, along with condensation formed by an ice-cold drink.Its backdrops include campgrounds,