L.A. Is My Beat: ...And it's on it's Merry Way!

L.A. peeps! Remember Mission Pak? I remember every word of their TV commercial jingle, "Say the magic word, say Mission Pak and it's on it's merry way. No gift so bright, so gay, so right. Give the Mission Pack magic way." Call ADams 2-4184.

This ear-worm has been plaguing me for days! I was at the Original Farmers Market last week and saw these gift boxes of California fruits and nuts to send to your friends and family back East. I immediately thought about Mission Pak! In addition to the gift paks, there was also a subscription club for Mission Pak. You could have fresh fruit EVERY month of the year! I wish I could find a video of the commercial.

Mission Pak Gift Boxes were made out of wood and depicted scenes of sunny California

Mission Pak was founded by George C. Page in 1917. YES! The very same George C. Page (1901-2000) whose name graces our fossil museum at the La Brea Tar Pits! Page was quite a renaissance man. He sold Mission Pak in 1946 and moved into car manufacturing, then real estate development. He financed the construction of many public buildings in Southern California. Read more about Page's life HERE.

There are tons of companies that provide the service of shipping fresh fruits and nuts today. Harry and David come to mind, as well as Hickory Farms. I feel lucky to live in California and have fresh fruit all year 'round. We never received a Mission Pak when I was a kid, but the displays in store windows and that infectious jingle made the holidays so festive!