What was in a stocking 70-80 years ago?

lindadykes

Beamish Museum near where I live has a fully operational period sweet shop/factory, they have an online ordering facility http://www.jubileeconfectionery.co.uk/ I have never ordered from them online, but have visited the museum on a number of occaisions and the sweet shop always has queues out of the door, plus everything I have bought there has been delicious.

newbiemum05

megasaver wrote:

Sugar Mice recipe - Makes about 24

450g (1lb) Icing Sugar (I know :eek: )
50g (12oz) Golden syrup
1 egg white beaten
Various food colourings
silver edible balls (for eyes!)
thin white string

Sift the sugar into a bowl. Warm the syrup gently until it runs smoothly, then add the sugar with the egg white. Mix well with a fork then knead by hand to make a smooth mixture.

divide mixture into three or four pieces. Leave one portion white and tint the others lightly with pink, yellow or green food colouring. Knead the colouring in evenly.

dust a board and your hands with dusted icing sugar and shape mix into small mice, no more than 5cm (2inches long). For each one make a small roundish sausage shape and make sure that the nose end is pointed. cut a length of string, tie a knot in one end and press the knot into place under the mouse for the tail. For the ears, make two tiny balls, flatten and curve them and press into place. Use silver balls for eyes. Leave to dry- for a least 4 hours in a warm place. Should be eaten within 2 or three days!

These are so cute.....I can't wait to make them. If anybody else makes them I would love to hear how you got on!


Mega xx


EDIT Help...........
:eek: I have just realised that the recipe uses egg white....... so please don't make it if you feel it is unsafe- I know my dd won't have a prob with it - anybody out there know of a substitute for egg white, or I may have to make my usual biscuits for the xmas fair Sorry everyone!

Have seen dried egg whites in the supermarket baking aisle (usually near chopped nuts, food colouring etc).
When made up would this possibly be a safe substitute for fresh egg white ?
I am not the best at baking etc so wouldn't know if this would do the job but its one possible idea !

will be trying the recipe though as Dad LOVES sugar mice

maryb

I made the mistake of making the stockings for my two daughters far too elaborate when they were small and it has been a rod for my own back year after year. Two years ago I unpicked the velvet sacks that I used as stockings and made them 25 per cent smaller - I told the girls they needed mending. Both girls were delighted with their bulging stockings on Christmas morning but there was much less in them than in previous years. As long as the bags are nice and full they are happy - it's been a revelation to me and a huge reduction in the stress of Christmas.

little_lil

Spendless wrote:

Thanks for all your ideas. :A A google search discovered I can get the cut out dolls. If I put a chocolate bar in which should it be? Ideally I'd like one that was around when she was a child-1920s/30s. I've thought of frys chocolate cream bar that our newsagent sells-but any other ideas appreciated.

remembered seeing heritage bars on the cadburys direct website - they may be the sort of thing you are looking for
http://www.cadburygiftsdirect.co.uk/asp/product_description.asp?recorprod=1&product=6071&cat=0&recor=1&PT_ID=&V=6190

Spendless

little_lil wrote:

remembered seeing heritage bars on the cadburys direct website - they may be the sort of thing you are looking for
http://www.cadburygiftsdirect.co.uk/asp/product_description.asp?recorprod=1&product=6071&cat=0&recor=1&PT_ID=&V=6190

Thank you. Today I got her into conversation again. Hopefully without arousing suspision and discovered that one year aeros were new and that was what was in her stocking. She also mentioned
liquorice cartwheels with the sweet that was in the middle, and gobstoppers :eek: (which won't be going in-lol).

The stockings were one of her own as someone else has mentioned. She did get an additional present such as a jigsaw/book/game and all were left on bed. But she had only one sister, they weren't a big family. One night Father Christmas stubbed his toe on bed and swore:eek: and she saw him cos he woke her up

megsykins

Spendless wrote:

If I put a chocolate bar in which should it be?

Cadbury's are currently doing Dairy Milk bars with olde design wrapping on them. Big sizes only i believe I think you can get them in Boots? They were in the Guardian Xmas guide at the weekend! You can def get them from Cadbury's World but that could be a trek!!!

This is a great idea and I'm now wondering about it for my grandma (she's 83) :T
She made my stocking when I was little (Handmade with 'To Megan Love From Santa Claus' sewed on!) I still use it now, so this could be in return!

Alfietinker

Oooh! What a nice thread :T Last year I made everyone a hamper but instead of a basket made a large fabric stocking which I wanted to make into a tradition. However I wasn't going to do it this year because it worked out too expensive but reading this I think I'll do a nice simple stocking with traditional things in. I'll get some cheap socks and put a couple of little bits in like the mice..... As well as people's main present.

Just a question on the mice recipe is it 50g or 12oz of syrup? I thought 12oz was nearer 300g?

squeaky

Alfietinker wrote:

Just a question on the mice recipe is it 50g or 12oz of syrup? I thought 12oz was nearer 300g?

That's probably a typo.

If it says 50g then it'll be 2oz of syrup.

Blimey 12 would be whole tin!

Newbird

Aldi have chocolate mice, I think in white and ordinary choccy. Not quite the same I know, but if you don't have time to make the sugar ones could be the answer. They also have those choc buttons with hundreds n thousands on top, and more 'trad' old sweets.

megasaver

Alfietinker wrote:

Just a question on the mice recipe is it 50g or 12oz of syrup? I thought 12oz was nearer 300g?

Hello Alfietinker.... thank you so much for pointing out my typo! I have just checked my recipe book and it definitely says

50g (2oz) golden syrup...... not 12oz as I had written ! All the other amounts are fine!


Squeaky do you think I should go back and change the amount now in my post or is it too late do you think?

Thanks again

mega xx