Good morning, welcome to our series sharing Food Holidays: February 15th, 2022. Did you know today is not only National Giumdrop Day but also National Chewing Gum Day. I think Charlie and I should be able to go to the store this morning and purchase Gum for each of us. I think I will get Super Bubble Gum or Bazooka Bubble Gum but I don’t know what Charlie will get.
The most popular flavors of Gum Drops are Cherry, Grape, Orange, Lemon, and Spice flavors like Clove, Cinnamon, Mint, and Anise (Licorice).
Percy Trusdale invented the Gumdrop in 1801.
Originally, Gumdrops were flavored with Spices: Orange (Clove), Yellow (Allspice), Red (Cinnamon), Green (Spearmint), Purple (Anise), White (Wintergreen or Peppermint), and Black (Licorice).
The NASA Apollo Command modules were nicknamed “Gumdrops” because of it’s conical shape.
Did you know Branch’s Candy holds the world record for largest Gumdrop which weighed in a little larger than 10 lbs.
Americans love their Candy and several days have been set aside to celebrate specific candies like National Gumdrop Day on February 15th. Gumdrops are unique in that they are not only fun to eat but Gumdrops make great decorations. People have crafted with Gumdrops for years and because Gumdrops come in so many shapes, and colors. Grab your Gumdrops and get to crafting.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL GUMDROP DAY
Gumdrops are one of America’s most beloved sweets, Gumdrops are a chewy, Gelatin Candy, most often flavored with Fruit or Spices. In their most traditional form, Gumdrops are Sugar-coated and shaped like a small dome or ‘drop.’ But Gumdrops have evolved. You can now find Gumdrops with smooth coatings and in tons of fun shapes and sizes.
Debates abound as to the history of Gumdrops. Some credit Percy Trusdale as the inventor of Gumdrops in 1801. The term ‘Gumdrop’ was first seen in an Illinois newspaper mentioning a local Candy Shop Owner, George Julier, in the 1850s.
The National Confectioners Association lists National Gumdrop Day as one of the many Candy-focused Holidays we can celebrate. We can buy more candy to celebrate with.
With the popular trend of Gourmet Candies hitting the market, you can now find Gumdrops beyond the traditional Orange, Cherry, Grape, and Lemon flavors. Did you know Whole Foods offers rather large Gumdrops (1 inch tall x 1 inch wide) in exotic flavors such as Key Lime, Tangerine, Grapefruit, and Pomegranate.
The classic Gumdrop paved the way for what we know today as Gummy Candies in general, like Gummy Bears and -Worms, and Gummy Vitamins which are not candy.
Did you know Gumdrops, if kept in an unopened package and stored in a cool place, will last for up to 12 months? If you choose to use Gumdrops for crafting, they will, of course, become hard but that’s ok, as long as you don’t try to eat those Gumdrops later!
WAYS TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL GUMDROP DAY
- There are so many fun things you can make with classic Gumdrops. Including a Gumdrop Garland, and Ornaments. While often reserved for the Christmas season, there’s no reason you can’t make these for a birthday party or other festive occasion any time of the year!
- Make your own Homemade Gumdrops which are quite simple to make and taste better than store-bought Gumdrops. You can purchase molds to create fun shaped Gumdrops. Then search for a recipe online!
- Using Gumdrops and toothpicks, test your engineering skills by building structures; make it a contest with your kids or to see who can build the tallest structure.
5 FACTS ABOUT GUMMY CANDIES
- The largest Gummy Candy of any shape was made in 2014 in Germany. The Gumdrops weighed 1,128 pounds and 12 ounces and took six days to set during refrigeration.
- Cherry is the most popular Gumdrop flavor followed by Grape, Orange, and Lemon.
- Brach’s Candy holds the world record for largest Gumdrop (in the traditional shape) at just over 10 pounds.
- Kevin ‘L.A. Beast’ Strahle set the record in 2017 by eating 31 Gummy Bears in one minute.
- So far, the largest Gummy Bear on record was made in 2011 in Texas; weighing in at 81 pounds, it was 2 feet tall and 2 feet wide.
WHY PEOPLE LOVE NATIONAL GUMDROP DAY
- The average American eats 22 pounds of candy each year. That’s a lot of candy.
- Gumdrops are a go-to food when it comes to crafts so it’s totally acceptable to play with Gumdrops as you create Gingerbread Houses or use Gumdroops in Science projects.
- If you are quickly bored eating the same candy, day after day, Gummies can certainly keep you entertained due to their variety. With so many shapes, sizes, and flavors to choose from, there will always be something new to try.
National Chewing Gum Day is celebrated on September 30th every year. The gummy texture, the translucent bubble, the satisfying pop! These are just a few of the reasons why people all over the world love chewing Gum. Whether you call it Bubble Gum, or Chewing Gum, there’s nothing quite as fun.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL CHEWING GUM DAY
Despite its seemingly modern usage, Chewing Gum has been around much longer than you would think. The oldest piece of Chewing Gum was found in Kierikki, Finland and the Gum was 5,000 years old! Found in 2007 by a British Archaeology student, the piece of Gum was made of Bark Tar, which was believed to be antiseptic. Centuries-old teeth marks could be clearly seen on the piece.
In Ancient Greece, another form of Chewing Gum called Mastic Gum which was chewed by the Greeks. Derived from the resin of the Mastic Tree, the Gum was also believed to have Antiseptic qualities and was used in maintaining oral health. Aztecs and Mayans chewed a substance called ‘chicle,’ while Native Americans munched on the sap from Spruce Trees. This goes to show that Chewing Gum has existed in various forms in civilizations dating back thousands of years.
However, Chewing Gum didn’t become truly commercialized until 1848, when John B. Curtis invented and sold Gum that he called Maine Pure Spruce Gum. In the 1860s, Chewing Gum hit another milestone thanks to John Colgan, who produced the first flavored Chewing Gum.
Today, unlike its early forms, Chewing Gum is made out of artificial ingredients, such as Gum Base, flavoring, color, and sweeteners. Bubble Gums tantalizing variety of colors and flavors provides a harmless source of fun and, even better, has oral health benefits. Sugar-free Gum is capable of reducing the risk of plaque and tooth decay as the act of chewing increases the flow of Saliva. Chewing Gum also strengthens the teeth and neutralizes bad breath. All this is great news for gum lovers!
NATIONAL CHEWING GUM DAY ACTIVITIES
- Even if it’s been a while since you chewed a piece of Gum, celebrate by getting yourself a piece of gum.
- Write a short post about the health benefits of Chewing Gum and share the post on Social Media. Don’t forget to use the hashtag #NationalChewingGumDay when sharing your post.
- Blow the biggest bubble you can and dare your friends to break your record!
5 SURPRISING FACTS ABOUT CHEWING GUM
- Chewing Gum is good for focus, memory, and stress relief.
- Chewing Sugar-free Gum has positive impacts on Oral Health.
- Chewing Gum while cutting Onions can prevent your eyes from watering.
- As a child we’ve all gotten gum stuck in our hair. Did you know you can use Peanut Butter to get Gum out?
- Originally, the only available color for Chewing Gum was pink!
WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL CHEWING GUM DAY
- Chewing Gum is just pure fun!
- Chewing Gum has many positive benefits, increasing alertness and improving memory.
- Chewing Gum is one of the few snacks you can enjoy while doing other things.
Facts about Chewing Gum
- Kids in North America spend approximately half a billion dollars on Bubble Gum every year.
2. 100,000 tons of Bubble Gum is chewed every year all around the world.
3. Did you know Scientists found a 9,000-year- old wad of chewing Gum in Sweden.?
4. A mathematician once calculated and figured out that the energy Americans expend every day when chewing Bubble Gum was enough to light a city of ten million people.
5. It is believed that ancient Greeks found relief from stress by chewing Gum that was made from a resin.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
