Mother's Day was yesterday, in case you forgot

In the world of Mother's Day advertising, including a date reminder seems crucial. Because, as this sweet example points out:

THERE'S NO HURT LIKE FORGETTING

Whitman's chocolates just weren't afraid to bring the guilt vibe.

The hubs and I have been chatting about whether norms have shifted, and if Young People are no longer slaves to the cultural expectations we grew up with about holidays like this one. Let's take a stroll through some ads which underscored our enculturation that celebratory action was required, and which included the date to help reinforce preparation timelines.

Colgate chose a kindler, gentler version of this message, if a bit braggadocios. 

Dairy products even got in on it, though this poor queen looks like she's warding off an attack.

Usually the ads focused on presents, which were frequently candy. But of course chocolates aren't the only gift option. Who wouldn't want a "rubber tyred shopping jeep"?

The gifts below might have come from the heart, but mom herself appears half-hearted.

Maybe she's just tired from dreaming up new casserole recipes to bake in those dishes.

Some gifts are both practical AND appreciated. I'd go bonkers for a mid-century Lane cedar chest if we didn't already have one.

Or maybe mom would just like some... meat. 

So she can cook it. 

For you.

But let's get back to Whitman's, whose marketing department eventually gave up on the guilt tripping, but still focused on the tangible, this time offering a how-to guide.

Last but not least, I'm still trying to figure out the message in the ad below, and the text is a bit too small for these tired motherly eyes to read:

If you have an idea about the scenario in play here, please post it in the comments. I'd love to read it.

Meanwhile, happy Mother's Day to all who should be celebrated!

The year chocolate eggs are cheaper than chicken eggs

 

I stumbled across this image and couldn't help but marvel at its timeliness. Here we are in a state of national eggmergency, and somehow, the M&M/Mars company new, even back then, that we'd be here. 

But 'tis the season for purchasing basket candy, and the ad led me down confectionary lane, so I'm sharing some of what I found with you. First up, this guy. the chocolate bunny of my childhood. Hollow. Waxy. Delicious.

Next is a candy much loved by my hubs, though I'm not sure if it ever appeared in his basket.

This next ad reminded me of the Woolworth's in my home town, which featured a lunch counter and a checkout person who had a loooong curling hair jutting from their chin mole.

Perhaps that person looked like the one below, in younger days. Just as crazed, but less hairy.

This child looks spoiled. Despite appearances to the contrary, that's no Cindy Brady.

Perhaps that Cindy wannabe would have been happier if the bunnster delivered full-sized bars?

Or even a sacrificial PEZ dispenser. 

Abraham bunny might have some 'splainin to do once he let's the boy out of that box, but as for me, I prefer a softer, gentler, even slightly trippier candybration, like the one this friendly creature conveys.

 

Speaking of trippy, we return to the issue of eggs. 

Candy eggs of every variety. Let me know if you try them scrambled. It just might come to that.

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In Honor of National Plum Pudding Day: Jell-O Plum Pudding!

I picked up this little cookbook just in time for today! National Plum Pudding Day!

While it doesn't contain a publication date, I'm guessing it came out in the early 1970s. Maybe late 1960s.

As luck would have it, I came across a plum pudding recipe in it. Who woulda thunk it?

Not me. It would never occur to me to put plum pudding and Jell-O together. But turns out it's been a thing for a century.

First, here's the recipe in my booklet:

Jello-O Plum Pudding

A make-ahead holiday dessert that's simple to prepare.

1 package (3 oz.) Jell-O Lemon or Orange Gelatin
Dash of salt
1 cup boiling water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1cup cold water
3/4 cup finely cut raisins
3/4 cup finely cut cooked prunes
1/4 cup finely cut citron
3/4 cup finely chopped nuts
3/4 cup Post Grape-Nuts Cereal

Dissolve Jell-O Gelatin and salt in boiling water. Add spices and cold water. Chill until very thick. Fold in fruits, nuts, and cereal. Spoon into a 1-quart mold. Chill until firm. Un-mold. Serve with a custard or hard sauce, if desired. Makes bout 4 cups, or 8 to 10 servings.

NOTE: If desired, 1/34 cups cooked dried figs may be substituted for the raisins, prunes, and citron, and 3/4 cup crushed vanilla wafers or graham crackers for the cereal.

I found an ad from the early 1900s which highlights Jell-O plum pudding, apparently for children's parties:

And here's one from the 1940s, starring Kate Smith:

Some people still make it. Here's a nice young lady from Missouri making the pudding.

Apparently it's her grandmother's recipe. Cool, no?

She uses raspberry Jell-O, which is something I saw in other recipes around the interweb. These versions claim that it makes the pudding a lovely shade of pinkish.

So there you have it. Jell-O Plum Pudding. I only wish I'd had one more day lead time so that you could have made it for today.

What better way to celebrate National Plum Pudding Day? There's always room for Jell-O. Especially when it contains prunes and Grape-Nuts.