I was looking at one of Mike’s posts from earlier this week, and trying to remember some of the cool stuff I got in cereal when I was younger. There were actually some pretty interesting things I can remember, although some of them may have been the result of sending in box tops or some sort of proof of purchase. Then waiting for the prize to arrive.
For instance, I have a plastic sword and scabbard that I believe came from a huge bag of puffed wheat cereal I’m pretty sure I never finished. The cereal, that is. I still have the sword somewhere. Every so often it appears in the hands of a grandchild running wildly through the house.
And the plastic Yogi Bear mug. I’m not sure where it came from, but again, it still makes an appearance every so often.
But the one thing that popped into my head was glasses. These must have been a big deal back in the day, because you still see them everywhere.
I believe Barbour’s Peanut Butter had some in various different designs. You almost have to know what you’re looking for to find them.
But the big one… the glasses that came with Schwartz’s Mustard.
These days, you may seem French’s mustard everywhere. Sometimes, you might find another brand. But for those of us of a certain age who grew up in Nova Scotia, it was Schwartz’s.
They were a spice company based out of Halifax. I believe they are now owned by McCormick’s. But some of us may remember a time when if you wanted good spices, you got Schwartz’s. A big part of it was the fact they were based out of Halifax, so it didn’t have to be shipped from far away after processing. And also the fact that it was as close to a local company as you were likely to find for such items.
But they made prepared mustard, and for quite a period of time, that mustard was sold in glasses printed with card suits. You’ve probably seen them. You have likely even enjoyed a beverage from one. They were probably in almost every cupboard in Nova Scotia, and still in many. In fact, they are still in many. I know if I dig around a bit I can still find a couple in mine.
And if you really want to scare yourself, go online and check the prices people are asking for them. A couple of those old glasses with the card suits on them that came free with your mustard could run you close to $70. Or at least there are people who would like to charge that for them.
I may have to move mine to a more prominent display space.
