Fruitcake Every Year!
By AmberLynn
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
United States
January 5, 2016 4:33am CST
I was talking to my grandmother before Christmas about a gift that she receives every year for Christmas. She asked me not to tell the giver, but she was tired of receiving the fruit cake every year. She never seems to finish the cake, and it just sits and goes to waste.
I assured her that I would not say a word. Now this isn't the only thing that the fruit cake giver gifts (say that three times fast) but it is the main attraction. I suppose it's been a tradition for so long that there is no point in breaking it? 
I don't know, if you ask me I see no harm in mentioning to the giver that I wasn't keen to receive the fruit cake this year. I don't see that it would have insulted them, but of course I know the people involved.
Anyway, I'm sitting here secretly pleased as I had gifted my grandmother a similar treat (that came after Christmas) but one she has taken great joy in eating.
Of course before she took the first bite, she told me that she wished I had gotten her a poinsettia. The poinsettia is what I usually get her for Christmas.
Meanwhile the fruitcake? Still sitting on the kitchen table unopened. 
I don't know, if you ask me I see no harm in mentioning to the giver that I wasn't keen to receive the fruit cake this year. I don't see that it would have insulted them, but of course I know the people involved.
Anyway, I'm sitting here secretly pleased as I had gifted my grandmother a similar treat (that came after Christmas) but one she has taken great joy in eating.
Of course before she took the first bite, she told me that she wished I had gotten her a poinsettia. The poinsettia is what I usually get her for Christmas.
Meanwhile the fruitcake? Still sitting on the kitchen table unopened. 17 people like this
14 responses
@boiboing (13147)
• Northampton, England
5 Jan 16
@fishtiger58 My mother used to make roast lamb as a treat for my husband (who living with a fishitarian gets no meat at home). It became a habit and he wouldn't tell her that he didn't like lamb so I had to.
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
5 Jan 16
@boiboing My cousin once was cooking a rack of lamb when I visited her. I asked what was cooking, The most awful smell ever. She didn't like it at all but her husband loved it. I can't eat something that smells like that. Being a picky eater all my life all things must mesh, the look, the smell and the texture of the food. If any of those are wrong I can't eat it.
2 people like this
@marlina (154103)
• Canada
5 Jan 16
Are you aware of the national holiday of "Toss You Fruitcake" day?
She can always slice it and wrap it individually in the freezer and it tastes even
better, the longer it stays there.
She doesn't have to eat the whole cake in a certain time period.
I would not tell the giver.
3 people like this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
6 Jan 16
I've not heard of that one either! It makes sense though. She usually pops it in the fridge and leaves it there. She says it's still good to eat no matter how old it gets, but I wouldn't trust it.
I don't like fruitcake so it doesn't bother me any.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
5 Jan 16
I have never heard of that holiday, going to put that on my calendar lol.
1 person likes this
@TiarasOceanView (70020)
• United States
5 Jan 16
I will eat it Narnia..I love fruitcake and the older the better lolz
2 people like this
@TiarasOceanView (70020)
• United States
6 Jan 16
@ScribbledAdNauseum Ha! My fav fruitcake that you buy at the store is Claxtons.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
6 Jan 16
This was one of those thing I never got the taste for. There is definitely plenty of it now. Four unopened packages.
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (91079)
• United States
5 Jan 16
I probably wouldn't tell the giver since I'd be afraid of hurt feelings. Freezing it is a great idea
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
6 Jan 16
It's her daughter, my aunt. I can understand why she wouldn't want to tell her, but i know that my aunt wouldn't mind.
@sallypup (69176)
• Centralia, Washington
5 Jan 16
We make fruitcake every year. It is an involved, loving piece of work. We ask folks if they want one when we give one cause it costs money, is work, and is the culmination of the year's gleaning. (A friend gifted us with walnuts from her trees this year.) This year my Mom is not remembering that we make fruitcakes. Last year she mailed us one from a monastery that had an afterburn of shortening. Bleh.) We use butter only.
1 person likes this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
6 Jan 16
These are always store bought. Which is why I see no problem in telling the person. If it had been homemade I could understand.
I am sitting here trying to remember what we use shortening in other than biscuits. I can't think of anything off hand.
Sorry it had an awful after taste.
1 person likes this
@sallypup (69176)
• Centralia, Washington
6 Jan 16
@ScribbledAdNauseum It was a rancid burn in my throat.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
6 Jan 16
@sallypup Yikes! I can not imagine the combination of sweet and rancid was very pleasant at all. I guess shortening was easier and cheaper to procure for the monastery than butter.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
5 Jan 16
Yuck nothing worse than fruitcake. And what's it made of do they ever just go bad? Nasty mess that.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
6 Jan 16
I am not sure how long they stay good for. My grandmother assures me they last for quite a long time. I say as long as i am not eating it, I don't care.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
6 Jan 16
@ScribbledAdNauseum I heat that I'm not eating it either.
@GardenGerty (169474)
• United States
6 Jan 16
The only person on my husband's side that gifts us puts together a box of stuff every year. A number of the things she sends are "too much" or "too many" (actually they are things she gets free for donating to charities, etc.) but I do not tell her that. The only thing we told her was this year. We asked her not to send "coffee syrup" which seems to be a New England thing.She did not. It saved her shopping and us receiving. On the other hand, based on your grandmother wishing for what you usually give, I would guess she would miss the fruit cake if it did not come.
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
6 Jan 16
I never understood why people don't want fruit cake. every year I long for them. I would have it eaten by myself in no time. lol. I always loved them
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
6 Jan 16
I am sorry to hear it's costly to get for you :(
I am not sure what they taste like as I've only ever had it once years ago and I didn't like it then.
Would you be able to get the ingredients at a decent price and make it yourself?
@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
6 Jan 16
Aww who is this special fruit cake coming from each year along with the many gifts. Sounds sweet. But even if she doesn't eat it all, she can share with her guests when they come over?
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
5 Jan 16
Personally I would say nothing to the fruit cake giver. If he/she has been giving it for so long it would be like saying your grandmother had never enjoyed getting it, and that could be hurtful. Your grandmother could always ask people to share it with her, or give it away (making sure that the giver would never find out).
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
6 Jan 16
I don't think the giver would take it as an insult but I imagine my grandmother isn't saying anything because she's afraid that is the way it would come across. As for the sharing, only one other person in the family (other than the giver) would eat it and he's trying not to eat anything too sweet. He's diabetic.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (24004)
• United Kingdom
5 Jan 16
I guess she could always make it into a pudding and have it with custard or cream. That is one way of using it up. If it is a rich fruit cake that we have here in the UK it will last for months. I would add a bit of brandy to it to keep it moist.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
6 Jan 16
That is a good idea. I don't know exactly what it tastes like as I have never had the fruitcake so not sure if it's sweet or not. I will have to suggest making it into a pudding though, perhaps a different spin on it would get her wanting to eat it.
@andriaperry (118793)
• Anniston, Alabama
5 Jan 16
Tell her to freeze it and in July have fruitcake :)
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
6 Jan 16
You know it's funny I don't think she has ever put it in the freezer. Always the fridge, where it sits until the year is through.
