As a kid it was always a question as to where the Mission Pack store would open when it got close to Christmas. Some empty store front would sport a sign "MISSION PAK" and we kids would wonder when the folks would take us to pick out the presents the family in the East would be getting this year.
Today we get a number of catalogues that offer all kinds of shipped gifts to people who can be remembered during the Holiday, but I can tell you they don't bring to mind the fun it was to stroll through the MISSION PAK store and see all the candied fruit or frest fruit gifts that could be sent for the delight of those who rarely saw such things where they lived.
Well when we lived in Ohio and Pennsylvania my Grand Dad use to send us Mission Pak, and it was such fun to get it. They always had the ivory two pronged fork to spear the fruit with. It was always sticky and sweet. Saved getting your hands a mess.
No there is nothing that matches those fun evenings we stalked the counters and displays of all those goodies and watch Mom or Dad make out their order for the shipments they felt would please family or friends in the East.
Times have changed, and you don't see Mission Pak anymore, sad to say. Another of those great treats we so enjoyed that are gone, but happily not forgotten. Nothing like a sweet date or fig from a Mission Pak. Take my word for it, they were great!
Written this 5 day of February 2010
by: Eileen Rosenberg
Yes!!! I lived in Northern California (SF Bay area south). When I was a kid Mission Pak was always advertised on TV after Halloween. We never bought any because there were abundant orchards where we lived, full of apricots, cherries and prunes, and citrus was readily available. But I'll always remember the 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 Pak magic way."
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