Welcome to our series featuring Food Holidays: November 4th, 2022. This stinks today is my #Birthday and its National Candy Day and here I am trying to lose weight and I’m trying to stay away from Candy which is hard…
We hope your sweet tooth is ready, November 4th is National Candy Day. Candy has been our favorite snack since childhood. Doesn’t matter if its hard candy, or chewy candy, or a “melt in your mouth not in your hand” sort of treat, Candy has been a consistent source of happiness and, as we get older, nostalgia.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL CANDY DAY
Did you know the story of Candy begins in India. Between the 6th and 4th Centuries BC, the Persians and Greeks learned that the people in India had, what they called, reeds that make Honey without Bees. These reeds were actually Sugarcane, which is indigenous to Southeast Asia. Ancient Indians would boil Sugarcane juice, turning it into individual pieces of Sugar, which they called “khanda.”
Before Sugarcane was domesticated outside of Asia, Honey was used in ancient China, the Middle East, Egypt, Greece, and Rome to coat Fruits and Flowers, which would preserve them and turn them into a form of Candy. Before the Industrial Revolution, Candy was used as medicine to either calm the digestive system or cool the throat. In the Middle Ages, Candy was mostly consumed by the wealthy and was made of Sugar and Spices to aid digestive problems, which were very common, as food was neither fresh nor balanced.
Candy first came to America in the 18th Century from France and Britain. Very few colonists were skilled in Sugar work, meaning only the wealthy were able to enjoy these new treats. In the 1830s, when the Industrial Revolution was in full swing, technological advances allowed Candy to be accessible to more than just the rich, including a new market specifically for children. While some Artisan Sugar Workers remained, Candy Stores were becoming an American staple, especially in the lives of children across the Country. Penny Candy became the first thing a child would spend their money on. Candy Store owners relied mostly on the business of children and families to keep them open.
NATIONAL CANDY DAY ACTIVITIES
- Give sweets to be sweet! Nothing says “Have a great day” better than a box of colorful Candy.
- How about making your own Candy for a change? Candy is made by boiling Sugar in Water or Milk until it starts to Caramelize. Find a recipe that strikes your interest and make Candy at home!
- Everyone has there go-to Candies, but next time you’re at the Grocery Store, try the Candy you always look at but never actually pick up which could become a new favorite.
5 FACTS ABOUT CANDY!
- Did you know Fairy floss was the original name of Cotton Candy.
- The Snickers Candy Bar was named after Frank Mars’ family horse.
- The ancient Aztecs believed that Chocolate was an Aphrodisiac.
- Candies including Gummy Bears, Lollipops, and Sour Balls are cholesterol-free, making these Candy a healthy treat.
- The Swiss consume more Chocolate than any other Country in the world.
WHY PEOPLE LOVE NATIONAL CANDY DAY
- If you’ve never had a king-sized Kit Kat bar or pack of Sour Patch Kids, then you haven’t lived. Candy is great. End of story.
- From crushing Piñatas at birthday parties, to passing out Hershey’s Kisses for Valentine’s day, Candy is a big part of our childhoods. No matter how much we grow, Candy will always bring back those memories.
- Happy? Or sad? It doesn’t matter! Candy is used by many people as a way to boost happiness because Candy has a natural knack for lifting our moods.
Here are five things to know about Candy:
The first Chocolate Eggs were made in Europe in the early 19th Century and remain among the most popular treats associated with Easter.
The Winter holidays represent the biggest boxed Chocolate selling season.
How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie-Pop? According to student researchers at Purdue, it’s 364 licks.
Did you know until the 1930s,Sugar Daddy Candy Pop was called the “Papa Sucker.”
The name “Pez” comes from the German word “pfeffErminZ,” meaning “Peppermint.”
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
