The origins of the Pineapple Upside Down Cake cannot be definitively traced. But a myth surrounds the cake that states that James Dole (of Dole Pineapple) opened up a contest in 1925 for the best use of his canned pineapples. The top 100 recipes would be published in a cookbook. According to the tale, 60,000... »
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Christmas Bonus
Although the Christmas Bonus seems to be a very contemporary facet of the Christmas holiday, it actually began as a practice at the turn of the 20th century. The goal of the bonus was twofold. First, it was to show that there existed a certain... »
The Vacuum
The emergence of home appliances as gifts, directly marketed to women, has its roots in the 1920’s with the rise of the middle class. Advertisements from that era were specifically designed to demonstrate that these new items saved time for homemakers so they could... »
Gift Certificates and Gift Cards
Today the idea of a gift certificate is nothing groundbreaking. However, in the 1930’s, the gift certificate was a revolutionary tool for consumers. It alleviated fears of getting the... »
Handmade Gifts
Up until the Industrial Revolution, all gifts were handmade. However, mass-produced items soon replaced handmade gifts, leading to a small cultural backlash against mass-produced gifts. In the early 1930’s... »
Bell Symbolism
Bells have become known not just as musical instruments, but also as having religious connections. Before medieval times, bells were used to call congregations to worship and today they... »