April makes me think of Easter.
Easter makes me think of ham.
Although, to be honest, lots of days make me think of ham.
Three cheers for ham, the April Icon.
Pennies on the other hand, drive me nuts.
Money in the Bank: The origin of how the piggy bank got its name has never officially verified by the FDIC, but it is believed to have evolved from “pygg,” a low-cost clay popular in the Middle Ages. Jars were frequently made of pygg and held sugar and spice and other things nice. By the 18th century, money was kept in the wide-necked containers and the theory goes that a shop owner ordered a mess of jars made of pygg, but the craftsman misunderstood and sent jars shaped like pigs instead. The shopkeep put the pigs on the shelves, they were an instant hit and thus began a long-running love affair between children, their money and porcelain porcine.
Vintage Swine: It’s been said that much like their mammalian inspiration, piggy banks feed on the leftovers and scraps until they get fattened up. Originally, piggy banks had a limited lifespan; they were to be stuffed with coins until there was no room for even a single penny and then smashed open with a hammer. Modern etiquette frowns on children smashing animal replications with hammers, so now there is usually a hole with a removable cork to flush the pig out when it gets too full.
A Pig Tale: In White Cloud, Kansas, there is a Christian church with a plaque honoring ten-year-old Wilbur (no, really) Chapman and his beloved pig, Pete. Seems an old-timey preacher came through White Cloud in the early 1900’s raising money for another poor young fella’ suffering from leprosy. Chapman was taken by the boy’s plight, sold Pete for $25.00 and donated it to the cause. Word of Wilbur’s generosity spread and soon all sorts of folks were donating to the “pig bank movement.” It’s a heart-warming slice of Americana pie, so let’s not mention that it’s more of a pig tale, etymologically speaking anyhow.
Pork Belly Profits: Piggy banks have always been a great tool for teaching kids the golden rule of financial literacy: save more than you spend. There is even a new $15.00 “Money Savvy Pig” that divides its innards into four categories for your coins: Save, Spend, Donate and Invest. Adults would be wise to contribute to their own piggy banks as well, it’s estimated that the average person can accumulate $600 a year by collecting their loose change in the Babe, Porky or Napoleon of their choice. Perhaps our federal government should heed the lessons of the piggy bank and leave the pork barrel alone, especially considering George W. Bush recently signed a bill raising the United States debt ceiling to nearly nine trillion dollars. Nah, we’ll just keep feeding at the trough. Oink, oink!
(Illustration by Julia Rothman.)
(City, 2006)
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