Truly the end of an era (vanity)

Self | 11/30/'12 | Zionist Conspirator

[Zionist Conspirator]

After picking up some medicine at our my local pharmacy yesterday, I asked if the Cardui Calendar and Ladies' Birthday Almanac (a Southern tradition since 1891) were available. Imagine my consternation at learning that neither has been printed for 2013. The editions for this year were the last.

The Chattanooga Medical Company (now Chattem) has printed both for over 120 years. The originally made Cardui and Black Draught syrup, though they now make such brands as Gold Bond Medicated Powder (the original brands having gone extinct some time ago). The Cardui Calendar and the Ladies' Birthday Almanac were a Southern tradition and folks (including myself) are pretty disappointed, but we understand that this is the way of the world. (At least the Chattanooga Bakery is still making Moon Pies!)

When I was a little boy the Ladies' Birthday Almanac fascinated me because of the denture advertisements, complete with pictures. I was fascinated by those false teeth. Those ads were long gone, but like every good almanac they carried ads for voodoo charms and "spiritual readers" right up to the very end.

Many years the Cardui Calendar had a "weather flag" for every day of the year. One could supposedly look at the key and know how the weather would be for every day of the year. I don't recall if this ever worked, but I've missed this feature ever since it disappeared.

My personal favorite calendar will always be the old (equally extinct) St. Joseph Family Almanac Calendar, but the Cardui was a close second.

Let us observe a moment of silence for the passing of this great tradition.

[mcmuffin]

And I cried when “Parts Pups” calenders were no more.

[afraidfortherepublic]

And I know how to pronounce Cardui because I’ve listened to Dolly Parton wax on about her years of advertising for them on her album “Heart Songs”. She does so at the end just before she introduces her song about PMS, “Eve, you evil woman”.