Monday, January 12, 2009

A Blast From The Past


This was written before I was born, but it's style and tone remind me of the slim booklet my mother foisted on me detailing the intricacies of feminine biology and hygiene------you know, how special periods are, and how to stay fresh......

An actual article from
Housekeeping Monthly May 13, 1955

Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a
delicious meal ready on time for his return. This is a way of letting
him know that you have be thinking about him and are concerned about
his needs. Most men are hungry when they get home and the prospect of
a good meal is part of the warm welcome needed.

Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you'll be refreshed when
he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be
fresh-looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people.

Be a little gay and a little more interesting for him. His boring day
may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it.

Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of
the house just before your husband arrives. Run a dustcloth over the
tables.

During the cooler months of the year you should prepare and light a

fire for him to unwind by. Your husband will feel he has reached a
haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too. After all,
catering to his comfort will provide you with immense personal
satisfaction.

Minimize all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise
of the washer, dryer or vacuum. Encourage the children to be quiet.

Be happy to see him.

Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to
please him.

Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but
the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first -
remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours.

Don't greet him with complaints and problems.

Don't complain if he's late for dinner or even if he stays out all
night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through
at work.

Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or
lie him down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him.

Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low,
soothing and pleasant voice.

Don't ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment
or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and as such
will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You
have no right to question him.

A good wife always knows her place.
(This came from a comment to the link I provided.)

Until today though, I never saw any commercials for feminine products that did not feature women in diaphanous robes, gently walking on beaches while looking contemplative. Maybe the Aussies(?) are a little ahead of us on this score-----but they do still include a beach. How's this for a different tone?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

This "style and tone" is so positive, it might make many readers want to gag, but that is from its old-fashioned sickly-sweet Pollyanna-ishness (sp?). But conservative expert on human relations Dennis Prager has shown how to make some similar points , but in a much more hectoring tone.

Definitely check out the link. I wonder if it is relevant that he is twice divorced.

kerfuffler said...

Thanks for the link, oh Master of the House. For that you deserve to sit by a cozy fire-----oh, and can I get you a drink?

Steve said...

What is wrong with this? As a man, I'd fall for a woman that did this for me, especially the "gay" part if her friend was hot! haha.
But seriously, I'd be sad I'd never get to cook our dinners again. :) And this doesn't work in my house b/c we ride home from work together and we enjoy paying our mortgage and eating food, which is only available on two incomes these days, ha.