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By Rebecca Zerzan
Here’s how some beloved traditions came about, including diamond engagement rings and the ubiquitous green-bean casserole.
1. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
The origin of Rudolph has nothing to do with Jesus or Santa. He sprang from the mind of Robert May, a copywriter for Chicago’s Montgomery Ward department store. May wrote and illustrated the poem (that later became the song) for the store’s holiday coloring book in 1939. But Rudolph’s fate was threatened when store execs realized that the animal’s big, glowing honker might put off consumers, because red noses were often associated with alcoholics. Luckily for May, shoppers embraced the story wholeheartedly. A whopping 2.4 million copies of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer were given out at the store that Christmas.
2. Green-Bean Casserole
America’s favorite casserole dates back to 1955, when a chef named Dorcas Reilly created it for a cookbook designed to promote Campbell’s products. By 2003, more than 20 million families (about one in four households) reportedly served the dish at Thanksgiving.
3. Diamond Engagement Rings
Prior to the 20th century, engagement rings were strictly luxury items, and they rarely contained diamonds. But in 1939, the De Beers diamond company changed all of that when it hired ad agency N.W. Ayer & Son. The industry had taken a nosedive in the 1870s, after massive diamond deposits were discovered in South Africa. But the ad agency came to the rescue by introducing the diamond engagement ring and quietly spreading the trend through fashion magazines. The rings didn’t become de rigueur for marriage proposals until 1948, when the company launched the crafty “A Diamond is Forever” 
campaign. By sentimentalizing the gems, De Beers ensured that people wouldn’t resell them, allowing the company to retain control of the market. In 1999, De Beers chairman Nicky Oppenheimer confessed, “Diamonds are intrinsically worthless, except for the deep psychological need they fill.”
In addition to diamond engagement rings, De Beers also promoted surprise proposals. The company learned that when women were involved in the selection process, they picked cheaper rings. By encouraging surprise proposals, De Beers shifted the purchasing power to men, the less-cautious spenders.
4. Valentine’s Day Candy
Greeting-card companies didn’t invent valentines. Candy suppliers, on the other hand, were very much behind the idea of giving out Valentine’s Day candy. In fact, the tradition almost seems born out of jealousy. In 1892, Confectioners’ Journal advocated persuading customers that candy was better than “cheap, grotesque” valentines. The floodgates were opened, and by 2004, consumers were buying more than 35 million heart-shape boxes of candy each year.
5. Wedding Registries
In the 1900s, it was customary for only close family members to give wedding presents. But gradually, newlyweds came to expect gifts from friends, as well. Detecting a trend, department stores started to direct engaged customers to their home furnishings and kitchenware departments, encouraging them to think of their weddings as a time to acquire the tools for domestic life. In 1924, the Marshall Field & Company department store in Chicago created the first wedding registry, and the “tradition” took off. Today, up to 96 percent of American couples register their weddings.
Comments (45)
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Okay, I wasn’t even going to comment, but the recaptcha is “romance law”…which seemed to be a great subtitle to this list (well, maybe not the fried onions or the red nose, but just about everything else!)
posted by Connie on 12-23-2008 at 8:42 pm
I like the diamond one. I have never even like diamonds and when I got engaged I asked my husband for a saphire ring (turns out the one I picked out only cost 300$) when my grandmother died I got her HUGE diamond. I like my little saphire much better! It suits me and my personality much better then the diamond that EVERYONE has……
posted by Katie on 12-23-2008 at 8:58 pm
I have a sapphire too, Katie! My husband and I went to a jeweler when we decided to get engaged, and sat through a long ‘how to pick a diamond’ talk. I finally interrupted and asked about a gorgeous sapphire in the case. I haven’t stopped looking at it since!
posted by Dawn on 12-23-2008 at 11:37 pm
The wedding registry story reminds me of a research project I did on asian weddings. According to the information I found, Korean families traditionally have the coolest wedding ritual…the bride’s family pays for the wedding, all the food and everything. The groom’s family buys a house for the new couple. Then things are supposedly rather even.
posted by Amauriel on 12-23-2008 at 11:59 pm
I wear nothing more than a simple silver band. I never bought into the whole diamond thing.
recaptch: 99.11 chowder
posted by Alice on 12-24-2008 at 12:38 am
I too shunned the diamond ring for an emerald. I get compliments on it all the time.
posted by Sparky on 12-24-2008 at 8:40 am
I love diamonds. My only request when hubby began shopping for an engagement ring was that it was not overly large because I have small fingers and anything too big would look gaudy.
My favorite entry here, however, is the green bean casserole. More than anything this year, that picture made me want to go back to the States for Christmas because my aunt has mastered it.
posted by MN on 12-24-2008 at 8:58 am
Green bean casserole? I have never heard of this. It…it doesn’t look too good. I’m sorry.
Is it just beans and mushroom soup or something? What are those orange things? I’m going to have to Google this…
posted by Jenny on 12-24-2008 at 10:44 am
@Jenny – green beans, cream of mushroom soup and french fried onions that you buy in a can. It is exceptionally yummy and easy to make. You can add 1 lb. of ground hamburger for a quick dinner casserole too!
reCaptcha – 26 purchasers!
posted by bzzyb on 12-24-2008 at 12:19 pm
@Jenny Green bean casserole is the only item our son requested for Christmas dinner, it’s a family favorite. It’s green beans, cream of mushroom soup, salt, pepper, a little milk, and then to top it off, the orange things are onion rings. I like to add sliced water chestnuts too, but the kids are purists about the gb casserole, so when they’re home we leave them out. Mmmm can’t wait for dinner tonight!
posted by Lyn on 12-24-2008 at 12:33 pm
few things delight me as much as green bean casserole… maybe diamonds, im a big fan of those too…
posted by tiffany on 12-24-2008 at 1:53 pm
Green bean casserole is the only thing I requested for Christmas dinner.
My Grandma didn’t make it for Thanksgiving, so I told my mom to make it for Christmas.
I WANT IT NNOOOWWWWWWWWW!
posted by Kristyn on 12-24-2008 at 1:57 pm
Am I the only one who thinks green bean casserole is disgusting? Blech! I’ll pass thanks.
posted by Lin on 12-24-2008 at 7:55 pm
i agree greenbean casserole is the worst. to me at least.
posted by alisa on 12-24-2008 at 10:14 pm
One that should have made your top 5 list is “One Nation, Under God” currently found in the pledge of allegiance.
Despite suggestions on Faux News and others, “Under God” was only added in 1954 as a response to the ‘Godless Communists’ found in Russia.
Moreover, the whole pledge didn’t even exist until 1892 – it’s original form didn’t even have “the United States” in it.
Some of suggested that the Pledge got its biggest boost in 1923 when “to the flag” was added and promoted by supporters of Flag day as a way to encourage the purchase of flags – I tend to think that was a small part of the gain in popularity though, not comparable to DeBeers and Diamonds.
Needless to say, the history of the real “Pledge of Allegiance” is far different than what most of us were led to believe in school.
posted by T.JeffersonLives on 12-26-2008 at 2:35 pm
Grandma and Mom made it every holiday (along with turnips and brussel sprouts–two other ways of ruining a wonderful holiday dinner) and I HATED it. I will happily make green beans, but they’re either fresh or frozen–and not in casserole form.
posted by Kathy on 6-5-2009 at 11:09 am
Yep, have to agree. Green bean casserole is nasty. But then I don’t really like a recipe that starts with a can of cream of anything soup. Blech. While I like diamonds, I don’t like the expense. Here is a secret… if you want a “real diamond” of size, but not the expense, check around for a “heat treated” diamond. We got a 1.1 carat solitaire for about $500!
posted by Hyacinth on 6-19-2009 at 8:37 am
read “the heartless stone.” It’s all about the diamond industry and how they came to be huge. Great book! I bought my fiance a $10,000 engagement ring and then bought the book about a week later. After reading the book, I felt so ripped off for spending so much money on a worthless piece of stone that’s actually abundant and can be made artificially!
posted by jon on 6-19-2009 at 2:48 pm
Read “the heartless stone.” It’s a great book about the diamond industry and how they came so huge. I bought my fiancee a $10000 diamond ring from Tiffany’s and the next week i bought this book. I felt so ripped off that I bought a worthless piece of rock! Here’s a tip ladies: no expensive ring, get a downpayment for something or save it for the future. rings are pretty much useless after they are purchased. Value is MAYBE 30% of original price.
posted by jon on 6-19-2009 at 2:56 pm
I wasn’t going to bother with commenting that I think green bean casserole is disgusting, but the captcha was so appropriate I couldn’t resist: “Mr opponent”!
posted by Ryan on 7-12-2009 at 2:42 am
Definitely forgot: Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween, and Girl Scout Cookies!!
posted by DixonSteele1on1 on 7-12-2009 at 3:26 pm
I don’t care what you all think. I LOVE my 2.54ct diamond engagement ring set with .3ct baguettes on each side, and 1ct of stones around my wedding band. Waste of money or not, it’s beautiful to look at, and you ALL wish you had it!
posted by SupermodelSuzie on 7-15-2009 at 1:47 pm
@SupermodelSuzie: Nope. Are you trying to convince yourself or something? You must admit that with a moniker like that, such a comment sounds… well, stereotypical of many blonde jokes.
De Beers BURNS tons of diamonds every year to maintain the market prices artificially high. Diamonds have applications in industrial context, where artificial diamonds are probably better, that’s about it.
As for the stone itself: It’s a clear stone. A good zirkon looks as nice and has fooled many. Looks as good, lasts as long, and you can use the money to pay, say, your mortgage years ahead and save tons in interest too.
Or there are far nicer precious gems of real intrinsic value that you could buy later with those savings if you want.
Personally I would pick star ruby or sapphire over a diamond anytime. Market value of a perfect well-cut ruby is far greater than most common diamonds.
I am glad you like your ring, and I am sure that, if nothing else, it has great sentimental value to you. At least I hope so, because for anyone else it’s not worth half what was paid for it.
And for that, nope, not ALL here wish it was ours.
posted by Ptath on 7-18-2009 at 11:58 am
I have a beautiful, striking emerald engagement ring. The thought of getting a diamond never crossed my mind at any point. I usually think of diamonds as the “pop music” of the jewelry world…lol.
I would cry if someone made me give up my emerald ring and forced me to take a 2.54 carat diamond engagement ring and its one carat wedding band, and not in the good way. :)
posted by Rachel on 7-25-2009 at 4:45 pm
“Market value of a perfect well- cut ruby is far greater than most common dimamonds”.
Do feuding couples consider the market value of their wedding rings (especially here) when they’re comptemplating divorce? “A diamon is forever”, and marriage should be forever (well until “death do you part”). In a nutshell, the market value of a ring, whether diamond or ruby, is insignificant.
Thanks for the good read, mental floss
posted by Bihner on 7-29-2009 at 3:36 pm
Diamonds, like anything else, are a matter of preference. Some people like the purity and sparkle of a diamond. Other people want something colorful. Neither preference is evil or wrong or bad.
However, if you’re worried about the mark up on a diamond from a jewelry store, try an estate sale or even a pawn shop. At that point, your money is going to the local business or the family–not to the diamond mines or the brand name designer.
And really, stop bashing one another for something as trivial as a choice in jewelry. Let’s be civil here.
posted by RisingAbove on 8-4-2009 at 7:42 pm
I have to agree that green bean casserole is the epitome of nastiness…and as for jewelry, I have diamonds AND sapphires, and I love it! Like RisingAbove said, diamonds are a matter of preference. I prefer to have one! LOL!
posted by Penny on 8-10-2009 at 3:17 pm
@Penny – LOL!! Don’t we all?! (apparently not)
In my mind I see diamond rings like white bridal dresses – you can spend thousands upon thousands on it, but in the end it’s a copy just like somebody else’s and you’ve just bought into the corporate machine and sold your own uniqueness. I designed my ring – a diamond in the middle (for tradition’s sake and so everybody knows what the ring is) and my birth stone (peridot) on one side and his (blue topaz) on the other. It looks great on paper – I can’t wait to get it someday! :)However, you guys have made some pretty great arguments for non-traditional stones!!
For those with non-traditional stones, where did you buy from? Places like Kay’s or from local, family businesses?
posted by OkieMelissa on 8-12-2009 at 3:01 pm
My family was lucky enough to dodge the Campbell Soup holiday bullet. I refuse to eat anything made out of reconstituted soup. On the other hand, every Thanksgiving Mom would serve a Sunshine Salad (I guess because we lived in Seattle) with a big dollop of mayonnaise. The moral is this — choose your own holiday poison.
posted by carol tensen on 8-12-2009 at 11:04 pm
T. jefferson lives… and how does changes to the pledge of allegiance make us want to buy stuff? because thats the title of the article.
I don’t care for diamonds, but then I don’t care for the white wedding either!
posted by ac on 8-25-2009 at 4:05 pm
What? No reference to Coca Cola’s Santa that we all now know and love?
posted by Ahlaiah on 9-1-2009 at 12:50 am
Diamonds are a horrible burden in so many developing countries. They are worthless outside of industrial use, common as hell, and worst of all, have helped to establish and maintain a crass consumer society in more affluent countries. it’s all a terrible scam. This is why you cannot sell a diamond to a jeweler, cause they are worthless. If thay are so rare and precious, how is it we have a never ending supply of diamond cutters, diamond tipped drill bits and sanding, grinding disks. When I went to get an engagement ring, I couldn’t even get artificial diamond, cause they are more expensive to produce than the real thing. I got a white gold ring without stones, it had a heard design made form the metal. -we had to take it back though, her friend had the exact same ring…
posted by lsmith on 9-3-2009 at 7:21 pm
@DixonSteele1on1 Halloween was based on a real holiday before consumer culture, much like easter, it had been absorbed into christian mythos, modified and warped long before the corporations turned it into a way to sell useless crap and candy.
Incidentally, Both holidays are more pagan than christian, Easter occurring near the spring equinox and still represented more by fertility symbols than ressurection. And Halloween, occurring at the end of fall, when the harvest was complete and the land “died”. children would wear disguises to protect them from evil spirits (we would call disease).
posted by lsmith on 9-3-2009 at 7:31 pm
A lil tasty tidbit for the Reality Show fans… in an interview with ABC Jon Gossling said that his WIFE Kate took his ring after they split up… Talk about a milf! Kate ill be your babydaddy! Lmao
posted by LilLizurd on 9-8-2009 at 7:44 pm
My least favorite part of green bean casserole are the green beans! My wife is the expert green bean casserole chef, and she makes it every year, but I always think it would be better with just the cream of mushroom and fried onions. Would that be a fried onion casserole? But…she won’t make that and I’d get yelled at if I separated out the green beans, so I eat green bean casserole.
You can’t win ‘em all.
posted by Justin on 9-14-2009 at 12:40 am
I think its funny the articles about diamonds and green bean casserole are the most talked about on the comments. Perhaps we should make up a new holiday/ consumer scam with diamonds and green bean casserole…. call it green diamond day, Bake for 45 minutes and their green luster can make us all rich!
I wonder what value an idea has if its effect is money. Money affords a kind of control.
I live in a north side community in Indiana, all around me I see people driven by money. Many of my daily choices are asking myself, “What can I do to make more money?” I find it all very exhausting.
I really don’t want to make any money at all.
I recently picked up the book, “Has Modernism Failed?” in which the author suggests the emergence of market minded society in modern america. The author also suggests this “market mindedness” influences people to compromise their moral values in the effort for capital gains. The values people hold are at the center of societies driving force. Money really has no intrinsic value except through consensus among peoples.
posted by Brian on 9-18-2009 at 12:36 am
I didn’t want a “traditional” diamond engagement ring either. My husband insisted on getting me one for tradition’s sake. However, I later got the wedding set I really wanted-a rose gold and white gold celtic knot band with two black diamond bands for the top and bottom. It’s the committment that counts, not the cost or the type of ring. You’re just as married without one-it’s just a symbol of your marriage (but I’m glad I have one!).
For those looking for alternatives to traditional engagment rings, try raru.com or sapphirelane.com. Sapphire Lane specializes in “poesy” rings-rings with messages engraved on them-that may appeal to those wanting an alternative to the traditional wedding set.
Incidentally-the captcha is “currency hand” :)
posted by 3Krings on 10-4-2009 at 12:36 pm
I’ve been married once and engaged three times. First ring was rubies at my request. Second ring he insisted on a diamond. The relationship ended quickly and I returned the ring. My current ring has a pearl and two diamond chips–we got engaged at the beach. It seemed appropriate.
I’ve never tried the casserole. It’s always looked too disgusting to me.
posted by Deb on 10-13-2009 at 9:53 pm
Can’t stand the green bean casserole, but I am a diamond girl. My grandmother always said to never accept a pearl because “pearls bring tears”. Hey, I’m just the messenger ;)
However, if I had it to do all over again–or my hubby decided to “upgrade” to a larger diamond, I think I’d insist on an estate piece this time. As in “used”. And some sapphires would be great since it’s the hubby’s birthstone. I’d feel better giving my/our money to someone who’s parting with a ring for whatever reason than give my money to a jeweler.
posted by shirleyfeeney on 10-14-2009 at 1:31 am
Good read, enjoyable comments.
However, supermodelsuzy, uh no, we all don’t wish it was ours, but glad you seem to REALLY enjoy it.
posted by Dwigster on 10-21-2009 at 9:14 am
When we got married, my logic was that if I spend thousands of dollars for something, I’d better be able to drive it.
He put a quarter in a gumball machine and proposed to me with a round piece of silver colored plastic.
We celebrated our 20th anniversary this summer, and we’re still going strong.
posted by Melanie on 10-29-2009 at 4:20 pm
My fiance said I had to have a diamond engagement ring. It was his issue, not mine. Any reason for candy is good enough for me.
posted by Amber on 11-5-2009 at 11:46 am
In the words of my (possibly bitter?) high school physics teacher,
“Diamonds are just a rock with a refractive index of 2.42. Get her something useful; like a refrigerator”
posted by Manda on 11-16-2009 at 1:45 pm
i’m going to school for geology and am currently taking a course in mineralogy. and from all i’ve learned, i can say that with all the other potential options out there, diamonds are soooooooo boring.
posted by janeir0 on 11-19-2009 at 4:35 pm
Yes, yes. You’re all VASTLY superiour humans for not getting diamonds for your engagement rings. I refuse to get married and buy into the whole capitalist scheme all-together. CHECK MATE for better-than-you-ism!!!!!
posted by Colleen on 11-20-2009 at 3:00 pm