Presentation
A gift handed
to a recipient in a paper bag is still an acceptable gift, but how much pleasanter
it is to receive it nicely packaged.
Eyes feast
on expectation. The tin above is an example of attractive presentation. I came
across it while looking for ginger biscuits. It appealed to me instantly.
Sometimes the contents of striking containers do not live up to the expectation,
but these biscuits did. Heart-shaped and pleasantly gingery, they were a
delight.In the 15th
century, German monks imported ginger biscuits to Sweden. Ginger biscuits had
been known in England and Germany for many years before this.
In 1929,
sisters Anna and Emma Karlsson established a bakery in Östermalm, Stockholm, to
produce thin ginger biscuits. The legend is that a wish will come true if a biscuit
held in the palm of one’s hand breaks into three when gently tapped. Don’t tap
too hard or there will be a handful of crumbs!Nyåkers
Pepparkakor are also attractively packaged. They were introduced in the 1940s by
two brothers, Bengt and John Åström, in the village of Nyåker. This area became
known as the ‘Promised Land of ginger biscuits.’
I could
make my own biscuits, of course, but I’m pretty sure they would not stand
comparison with either of the above products, neither of which are always readily available.
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That's a lovely container for scummy ginger biscuits. The tin makes them a very special gift.
ReplyDeleteI do like biscuit tins and their contents. Unfortunately I have 5 or 6 tins and only use one of them. And I do give them away when I can. You've given me an idea for my friends birthday!
Our tins contain Christmas decorations, sewing items, small tools, buttons, remote control devices. When they get too battered they are thrown out.
DeleteWe have several attractive tins that we use as containers for other items. They are decoratively quite splendid - and efficient, too.
ReplyDeleteLikewise.
DeleteThey do say you eat with your eyes first, and what a lovely feast.
ReplyDeletePresentation is important.
DeleteHere they are probably called ginger snaps. I love ginger snaps! But this canister is probably more delightful than the biscuits.
ReplyDeleteIn this particular instance, the contents do not disappoint.
DeleteI am not familiar with ginger biscuits, but I am familiar with ginger snaps. I googled and found out they are 'almost' the same thing, with a few differences. They are quite good with a cup of hot tea!! (But, of course, then don't come in such a pretty container.)
ReplyDeleteOn their own or with a hot drink, they're very acceptable.
DeleteGift bags are so convenient
ReplyDeleteYes, they are!
DeleteI do love a nicely decorated tin and used to collect them, but eventually gave some away as I never used them and they took up too much space. I have a few still, mostly Christmas designs and one that used to hold chocolates.
ReplyDeleteOne can have too many tins!!
DeleteThis is a very nice tin and it is certainly designed to meet the eye. I agree, packaging is of great importance..
ReplyDeleteIt is.
DeleteI am a sucker for a pretty tin too...or any attractive packaging, honestly.
ReplyDeleteIt makes sense to make something appealing if sales are important - and they usually are.
DeleteOur Swedish blogging mate Monica will be delighted to read this blogpost which is sure to boost the sales of Swedish ginger biscuits.
ReplyDeleteEvery little helps . . .
DeleteI've bought tins of ??? because I liked the tin,, I still look at stuff and think it would be good for something in my classroom and I retired from teaching 20 years ago!
ReplyDeleteThat's the mark of a teacher . . .
DeleteI love a beautiful tin, but in the interest of losing some weight have vowed not to buy any more (unless they're empty from the thrift store)
ReplyDeleteThat's very noble . . . I should take note. 😊
DeleteThat is such a lovely container ... not had a ginger biscuit for a while.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
Ginger is supposed to be good for the digestion - not the sugar, though.😀😳
DeleteI love purchasing things in decorated tins that can be repurposed and I do have several. Yours is a lovely example of the art. (And it is an art, I think.)
ReplyDeleteI agree. It is an art, and very creative.
DeleteYep, packaging makes a difference. At least for first impressions. The tin is very nice.
ReplyDeleteIt's clever business practice, too.
DeleteI LIKE GINGER BISCUITS ( COOKIES HERE). MY NEIGHBORS DAUGHTER KNOWS THAT.
ReplyDeleteI hope she brings you some, soon. 😀
DeleteI love ginger biscuits ... And ginger is good for health too! I didn't know the legend about one's wish and a biscuit cracking into three!
ReplyDeleteI can imagine desperate people gorging on them to make their wishes come true!
DeleteMy grandparents were grocers in the days before plastic. Everything was in tins or jars. I have several tins of theirs still, that had been repurposed for general storage, but none so attractive as that one.
ReplyDeleteLovely mementoes, though.
DeleteI remember making ginger biscuits when I was in my twenties, and they were rather good. Nice packaging makes things look attractive, but over packaging makes me annoyed.
ReplyDeleteI agree that some things are excessively packaged.
DeleteI love attractive tins and have kept a large "Cadbury's" and some other tins for the rare occasions when I make cookies or muffins and take them to work or so.
ReplyDeleteFellow blogger Monica (DawnTreader) from Sweden makes her own ginger biscuits around Christmas, and I always love it when she posts about that, with photos from her pretty kitchen and the cookies so that you can almost smell the scent of baking!
Home-made is usually best (depends on who's baking!)
DeleteI'm a sucker for a pretty tin, I've sometimes bought things I don't really want just so I can have the tin, haha.
ReplyDeleteThat's wonderful! 😀
DeleteAh yes, I have a few tins like that, both Anna's and Nyåker and yet another brand. As Meike says above I also often bake my own for Christmas but I didn't this year. Partly because of my knee injury but also because of being well aware that I'd end up eating them all myself... I also have enough tins, so ended up buying a smaller paper package. :)
ReplyDeleteI can resist until the first bite and then I'm lost . . .
DeleteYour reflection beautifully captures how thoughtful packaging, rich history, and genuine flavour can transform a simple ginger biscuit into a small but memorable cultural experience.
ReplyDeleteFinding out what lies behind a product is often very interesting.
ReplyDeleteThat's a gorgeous tin and I used to love those thin ginger biscuits.
ReplyDeleteI admit to having bought stuff for the nice tin.
The whole point of attractive packaging is to encourage the purchase. It's advertising, after all.
DeleteThose tins are beautiful! I'd buy them just for that, never mind the cookies inside.
ReplyDeleteIt's especially good when the contents live up to the expectation.
DeleteJust the containers themselves would make great gifts. I have never had a ginger cookie (what we call biscuits) but I enjoy ginger candy.
ReplyDeleteGinger is very good, but too much causes stomach-ache, I have found.
DeleteWhat a beautifully designed tin!
ReplyDeleteIt must be wonderful to be able to design like that.
Delete