Thursday’s ad is entitled Dad Takes On All Comers, and the illustration was done in 1954 by Douglass Crockwell. It’s #96 in a series entitled “Home Life in America,” also known as the Beer Belongs series of ads that the United States Brewers Foundation ran from 1945 to 1956. In this ad, a backyard croquet match is taking place during a barbecue. And apparently Dad is a ringer. He stands smugly, while a young woman (his daughter?) is about to take her turn, and Mom is telling someone to shut up, perhaps trying to effect a loss for her husband. But she also has a tray of beer, which may help.

Wednesday’s ad is entitled First Weekend at the Cottage, and the illustration was done in 1954 by John Falter. It’s #95 in a series entitled “Home Life in America,” also known as the Beer Belongs series of ads that the United States Brewers Foundation ran from 1945 to 1956. In this ad, while most of the people at a beachside cottage and half in the bag, having been consuming beer all day long, and watching, bemused, as a new arrival shows off the new gear he’s just purchased, but still hasn’t managed to put on his bathing suit or drink a beer. C’mon, man. Get with the program.

Tuesday’s ad is entitled Time Out In The Planting, and the illustration was done in 1954 by John Gannam. It’s #94 in a series entitled “Home Life in America,” also known as the Beer Belongs series of ads that the United States Brewers Foundation ran from 1945 to 1956. In this ad, a couple is taking a much-needed break(? – they seem over-dressed, even for yard work) and having some beers on their back porch. When there’s beer, the plants can wait. That’s always been my motto.

Monday’s ad is entitled The Boss Comes To Dinner, and the illustration was done in 1954 by Douglass Crockwell. It’s #93 in a series entitled “Home Life in America,” also known as the Beer Belongs series of ads that the United States Brewers Foundation ran from 1945 to 1956. In this ad, the boss is coming to dinner. They cook and get ready, then greet the boos and his wife, have dinner — served with beer, of course — then watch television and say goodnight. Afterwards, the man have thought it went well. He’s holding his wife’s hand, holding her hand, and gazing into her eyes, which all the thanks any good wife wants.

Sunday’s ad is entitled Gulf Coast Shrimp Supper, and the illustration was done in 1954 by John Falter. It’s #92 in a series entitled “Home Life in America,” also known as the Beer Belongs series of ads that the United States Brewers Foundation ran from 1945 to 1956. In this ad, dinner for eight is being prepared for outside, near the bayou, while the guests all enjoy beer in anticipation. The table amongst the trees, with the sunset on the water certainly looks spectacular.

Saturday’s ad is entitled Showing Off the Latest Project, and the illustration was done in 1954 by Douglass Crockwell. It’s #91 in a series entitled “Home Life in America,” also known as the Beer Belongs series of ads that the United States Brewers Foundation ran from 1945 to 1956. In this ad, a couple has invited another over to their home, only to take them into the workshop to show off the latest hobby that the man has been working on. And apparently he doesn’t collect stamps or coins, but instead make lamps?!? And of course they’re all dressed up as the woodman looks admiringly at his handiwork while his guest hold the book he apparently used as his instructions open, with a finger pointing at the diagram for the lamp he sees before him, come to life. The two women seem waay to happy about the lamp, too. It must have been a very dull evening for this to be the highlight.

Friday’s ad is entitled Weekend in Ski Country, and the illustration was done in 1954 by Haddon Sundblom. It’s #90 in a series entitled “Home Life in America,” also known as the Beer Belongs series of ads that the United States Brewers Foundation ran from 1945 to 1956. In this ad, a new couple is arriving at the cabin at the ski resort for the weekend. They must be younger, because in my experience older women do not rush up and hug one another, grinning like cheshire cats, and touching cheeks. The rest of the party is already settled in, drinking beer and eating popcorn by the fire. Out the window, the sun is going down, and skis and poles lean against the cabin, ready for tomorrow’s adventures.

Thursday’s ad is entitled Looking Over the Christmas Cards, and the illustration was done in 1953 by Douglass Crockwell. It’s #89 in a series entitled “Home Life in America,” also known as the Beer Belongs series of ads that the United States Brewers Foundation ran from 1945 to 1956. In this ad, a group of people at a holiday party have become so bored that they’ve started “Looking Over the Christmas Cards.” Luckily, as you can see in the mirror, the host has arrived with more beer. That should help, at least a little.

Wednesday’s ad is entitled Thanksgiving Day, and the illustration was done in 1953 by Douglass Crockwell. It’s #88 in a series entitled “Home Life in America,” also known as the Beer Belongs series of ads that the United States Brewers Foundation ran from 1945 to 1956. In this ad, a Thanksgiving Day story unfolds in eleven separate illustrations, of which only four feature beer. It looks like a small gathering, with only a younger couple coming to the home of one of their parents, I presume. Greetings made, and food smelled, Dad gets beers from the icebox, which they all share, except for Mom who was busy getting the meal ready. Dad carves, and the womenfolk clean up, just as god intended. Then they all sit around and talk, probably about when there will be grandchildren.

Tuesday’s ad is entitled Vacationers’ Reunion, and the illustration was done in 1953 by Douglass Crockwell. It’s #87 in a series entitled “Home Life in America,” also known as the Beer Belongs series of ads that the United States Brewers Foundation ran from 1945 to 1956. In this ad, apparently three couples who took a vacation together are watching a film of their trip. But the title of the ad is “Vacationers’ Reunion,” suggesting that they haven’t seen each other since their holiday. And that seems odd to me. If you’re close enough friends to go on vacation with another family, wouldn’t you think they’d continue to be in close contact after the trip, too? But maybe they needed time apart after spending so much time together. We never took any vacations when I was growing up with anyone else, though my real father and his new family did; they went caravaning with a number of the same families for two weeks every year and chose a new campground each time. Still, I tend to think of a vacation as a family affair.