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Box Socials

In early years dances were often held at the rural schools. Sometimes a dance would be a "Box Social". The ladies would decorate a box and fill it with a lunch for two people. Someone, who had the gift of the gab, would auction off the boxes at lunch time. The men in the crowd would bid on the boxes. The man who bid the highest would eat lunch with whoever made the box. The owner of the box was unknown until it was opened. A lady's name would be on the inside of the box. Sometimes, a man would buy more than one box and would have lunch with more than one lady. (Sometimes this could depend on how many times he had gone outside for a nip from his bottle as under the influence of alcohol he might bid more.)

If a box contained fresh baked pie it might be written on the top so the auctioneer could tell the crowd. The men might bid higher if there was pie in the box.

It was always exciting for the ladies as they were anxious to find out who they would sit with at lunch time. It was also disappointing when your favourite fellow didn’t buy your box. One lady from Bentley tells about a time when a popular fellow bought her decorated lunch box. She was so pleased. Much to her dismay she discovered he resold it to someone else before it was lunch time. She was so disappointed.

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Box for Box Social
1900's
Rural areas around Bentley, Alberta


Credits:
Bentley Museum Society

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Inside the Box Made for the Box Social
1900's
Rural areas around Bentley, Alberta


Credits:
Bentley Museum Society