We love Claxton Fruit Cake. We are sitting here in Maine and thinking we want some of Claxton's great cake, so we are here ordering some for friends and family. Merry Christmas.

I have always had a deep, warm relationship with Claxton Fruit Cake. You see, I was born in Claxton, Georgia. After WWII, my father returned to Claxton. He had been stationed at "Camp Stewart" and had met my Mother since he did art work for my grandfather, who was also the Publisher and Editor of the Claxton Enterprise. In fact, my Dad wound up writing a column, "Dear Claxton". When Dad returned to Claxton, Mr. Albert Parker, the owner of the Claxton Bakery, was familiar with Dad's work and asked him to design a label for his Claxton Fruit Cake brand. The cakes were becoming very popular and thanks to the servicemen at "Camp Stewart", he was shipping cakes all over. He asked my father to come up with a distinctive label. The story goes that my father pulled an envelope from his shirt pocket, and with a pencil, he sketched out a label that epitomized the history and tradition of the "Old South" that Mr. Parker had wanted to convey. Dad sketched out the label on the envelope and Mr. Parker loved it. My father received the princely sum of $25.00 for his work. Hey, in 1945, that was big money and there was a one-year-old baby at home that he had to feed! I have seen piles and piles of Claxton Fruit Cakes in the huge mounds of mail at Tan Son Nhut Airfield, Saigon, Vietnam. I wish I could have taken a photo of all the packages since it would prove the popularity of the product. The label "World Famous" is surely not an exaggeration! For many, many years it has not been Thanksgiving, Christmas, or a holiday without a couple of chilled slices of Claxton Fruit Cake and a cup of coffee to enjoy after a meal and remember. After all, in my case, it's a "Family Thing".

The Holiday 5 pack is a regular yearly purchase for me, and I usually buy several of them, as I have some family and friends who enjoy fruitcake. Of course I always reserve at least one for myself lol. The cakes can be frozen and keep well for at least 6 months with no change in favor. The holiday tins are nice for gift giving. My preference is the light cake over the dark, but I have ordered both. The Claxton recipe very much reminds me of fruitcakes my grandfather used to purchase during the holidays from a bakery in St. Louis, and Claxton's are the best I have found, and I have sampled a great many cakes!

A family favorite for Christmas for decades!