Archive for the ‘Gift Giving’ Category

While candy has been around hundreds of years, with people using fruits and nuts rolled in sweet honey, the candy we know today can be traced to the middle-ages, when sugar started to be manufactured. However sugar was so expensive that only the rich could afford candy.

Sugar Production

By the mid-1800’s the cost of manufacturing sugar was considerably reduced and as a result candy became popular. There were over 400 factories in the U.S. producing candy as early as the 1850’s!

Candy Derives from the Arabic

The word candy derives from the Arabic “quandi” which means something made with sugar. The nuts, seeds, flowers and fruits rolled in honey are examples of the earliest confectionery made in the Middle East, Egypt, Greece and Italy. Liquorice and even marshmallows were candy, and jam preserves also became a sort of candy.

Medicinal Lineage

Candy was actually used for medicinal purposes first to assist with digestion. If you think of peppermint sticks and cough drops, these are descended from this tradition. The diet in the Middle Ages was not fresh or well-balanced resulting in a strong desire for the therapeutic candies!

Maple Syrup, Almonds and Milk

Maple syrup candy became popular in America along with marzipan which is made from almonds. What catapulted candy into mass popularity was the discovery of milk chocolate in Switzerland in 1875: after that there was no turning back and the American candy bar was born!

Giving Mom the gift of candy and fruit dates back hundreds of years. You can order some wonderful candy here and there is still time to give these wonderful platters to her for Mother’s Day.

Enjoy!

Tori Amos let us know that she is offering her new song, ringtone, and video for ‘Maybe California’ as a free gift for mothers around the world. You can check it out at http://www.toriamos.com/Gift/

When that last minute is upon you and it’s crunch time, sometimes you need to pull off something special in a pinch. Enter this free downloadable song for your mom. The “Gun & Doll Show” recently released a fabulous free “Happy Mother’s Day” song on the internet for download from his Celebration Songs CD.

This very cool song has both style and grace. Everyone on the Mother’s Day Central staff is loving it! Go get your mom a free downloadable song for Mother’s Day.

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Some bloggers make a living blogging, while others are happy to just keep in touch. Whether mom is an entrepreneur or retired, blogging makes it easy to connect, no matter how far apart we are.

Did you move away from home? Having trouble keeping in touch with mom? Why not set up a blog for mom this year? Even though we get separated we can still share stories.

Here is our free guide for setting up a blog for mom.
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Last updated: January 28th, 2020.

We decided to have a little fun and list each decade all the way back to the 20s, when Mother’s Day was first introduced, and end up at the 90s. Under each decade is a description of gift giving trends, followed by some examples of items that capture the essence of those times. We hope you like it!

1920s: Mother’s Day Becomes Official

Mothers Day Trends in the 20’s

• As soon as the Mother’s Day became official, florists everywhere began selling carnations, which was the flower given out to mothers by the founder of the Mother’s Day movement, Anna Jarvis.
• FTD’s “flowers-by-wire” service already made it possible to order flowers by phone in some locations around the U.S.

Gifts from the 20s

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With only 9 days to Mother’s Day, there is not much time for planning and buying a tasteful proper gift. It gets even worse if you remembered mom, but forgot your stepmom until the last minute. Luckily, Errin at Parenting Our Children not only reminds would be troublemakers of the problem

I am going to save you from the walk of shame when you are asked what you got your wife for mothers day and your reply is �Nothing, she is not my mother.�

By the way, that response will get you in bigger trouble then any gift can get you out of.

but also provides a list of fun last minute gift ideas. When in doubt, be sure to ask your mother in law or wife what the other would like.

Win a Free “Because I Said So” DVD and $300!

We’re delighted to announce, in conjunction with Universal Studios Home Entertainment, the “Tell Us Your Best Mother-Daughter Story” contest.

What daughter doesn’t have a story (or two) to tell about growing up with mom?

In celebration of Mother’s Day, we’d like to hear those stories! The three winning “mother-daughter” stories will be published on our Web site – and we’ve got a few prizes to hand out too!

The Contest

Just tell us in 500 words or less your favorite story about Mom – something special, heroic, or just plain sweet, that your mother did for you when you were growing up.

Three stories, chosen by our staff, will be published on our Web site.

Our story writers will also receive cash prizes and receive a free copy of the soon-to-be-released “Because I Said So” DVD, from Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

Stories will be judged on the basis of their overall appeal, uniqueness and quality of writing.

Entries must be received through our Web site by Friday, May 4, 2007.

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HGTV has just put together this year’s gift guide, ranging from the following categories: culinary, fashion, gardening, and gifts for animal lovers. Well worth a look.