What gift should a man give a woman (in 1912)? find out in our Chocolate/ Easter Food in popular women’s magazines list!

Just for Easter a special feature on Chocolate/ Easter Food in popular women’s magazines.

Here are some quick links to interesting academic resources most of which are free
They are great for those studying images of gender and popular culture/ advertising.
For those lucky enough to have access to the American Vogue archive
It has images of chocolate advertising and recipes.
Which are great for those studying gender


What gift should a man give a woman (in 1912)?
The social code prescribes only candy, flowers and books!
Features: Gifts from a man to a woman. (1912, Dec 15). Vogue, 40, 32-32, 106. Retrieved from
https://search.proquest.com/docview/904273933?accountid=9630
A hostess for a suffragette luncheon in 1910 was advised to serve chocolate cigars with the coffee !

For the hostess: A suffragette luncheon. (1910, Jun 15). Vogue, 35, 32. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/911846115?accountid=9630


But for those needing free resources. Here are some quick and hopefully interesting links!

The Beetons produced the
Englishwoman's domestic magazine
Which contained recipes and household advice.
The Haithi trust has some online volumes. In this one from 1856 I can’t see any mention of chocolate at Easter but there are some tasks that should be done in April at Easter time including how to roast a suckling pig and prepare Rhubarb. page 202 of the journal also has some commentary on the New Divorce bill 1856-5
https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.a0005855366?urlappend=%3Bseq=827


Ladies' Home Journal is an American magazine published by the Meredith Corporation. It was first issued on February 16, 1883, and eventually became one of the leading women's magazines of the 20th century in the United States. The 1901 edition is also free on Haithi trust. See the many online recipes including these

Illustrations of festive cakes. The Easter ones are cream with what look like cherries on top! There are also many features on Easter brides.

The edition of the Vote (Produced by the Women’s Freedom League) nearest to Easter in April 1911 had no actual coverage of Easter. Its content was not focussed on entertaining, craft or recipes It focused on debates relating to the boycott census campaign, debates and a discussion of the role of militancy.

Although there are some fascinating contemporary adverts on page 303 se the Corset Question of Today in which the advertiser confidently predicts it will be a topic of concern for all the suffragist readers!

The feminist magazine Spare Rib from the 1970s Also took a different approach to domestic skills

‘If I want to live off Easter Eggs for three days then I’ll do it’

This 1973 article Focussed on wages for women’s work. Not cards or flowers for mothers

In December-January 1989 published complaints about Cadbury flake and other advertisements not suitable for TV (p.50)

And from May 1973 discussions in the article how vital are your statistics on diet eating and pressures on women

in contrast popular magazines Australian woman’s Weekly (available free from 1930s-1980s) via Trove focusses on recipes, brides and fashion. From 1941 an Easter Parade of Fashion

From the 1970s some very alarmingly brightly coloured Easter novelties, including bright pink Easter bunny biscuits.