National Fruitcake Day

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By Diane Forrest

I a confession to make - I have never eaten fruitcake.  I guess my distaste for fruitcake has been passed down to me from my father, who has always given it a bad reputation.  Trusting him as I do, I know he would never steer me wrong.  My father isn’t the only person who has a negative opinion of fruitcake.  According to holidayinsites.com, it's time to get rid of your fruitcake. Giving a fruitcake is a Christmas tradition for many. It is also believed that recipients will re-wrap the fruitcake and give it to someone else. Who knows how many years, or decades, a fruitcake has been passed along? Ultimately, the trick is to make sure you give away the fruitcake before the holiday season is through. Otherwise, you get the joy of storing it, until the next fruitcake-giving season.

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Fruitcakes have been around for centuries.   The Ancient Egyptians buried their loved ones with fruit cakes because they believed this particular food was essential for the journey to the afterlife. The Crusaders were known for eating fruit cakes during their campaigns. The small cakes could withstand long journeys without spoiling and were full of nutritious items like dried fruits and nuts.

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I remember a movie called Iron Will where a young man enters a dog sled contest which lasts for several days, and all he lives on is his mother's fruitcake.  He makes it through the race, and, well I won't spoil the ending for you if you have never seen it, but it is a great movie to watch.

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Today is National fruitcake Day.  If you have never ventured trying it, why not pick one up and have a slice or two?

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