Monday, November 4, 2024 National Candy Day
There is a holiday coming up that all of us can get behind. On November 4 we celebrate National Candy Day. Although this holiday, on this date, has only been around since 2014, the idea of a day when we celebrate the awesomeness of candy dates back to Thursday, October 12, 1916, when a newspaper in Boise, Idaho proclaimed October 14 of that year as Candy Day. The article on the top page of Evening Capital News which was titled, “Candy – The Health Food” explained that candy is “recommended and in some cases prescribed by eminent physicians and dentists.” The author of the article (who I can only assume had ties to the candy industry) goes on to tout candy’s health benefits by saying that it is “the child’s most natural food, readily digested and quickly absorbed and immediately available as working energy for the muscles. . .it prevents fatigue [and] is essential in a child’s diet particularly an active hard playing child.” Underneath the article are several advertisements of all of the establishments in Boise that sell candy. The original page can be seen by clicking here.
Today you may be hard pressed to find anyone who will argue that candy has any sort of health benefits, but an argument could be made that candy is good for one’s mental health. Ok, perhaps even that is a stretch, but it is hard to be unhappy when you are enjoying some delicious candy. Candy can come in all shapes and sizes and flavors and variety, and there is a candy for everyone’s taste. My favorites are quality chocolate and black licorice.
Here are some interesting candy facts to make you sound smart at work:
- Cotton candy was invented in 1897 by two men, one of whom was a dentist.
- The world’s largest candy bar was made in Chicago in 2011. It measured 3 feet by 21 feet and weighed over 12,000 pounds.
- The most expensive candy in the world is chocolate that comes from the company To’ak out of Ecuador. They sell a 1.5-ounce bar for $685 dollars. Click here to shop their full collection.
- The Snicker’s bar was invented in 1930 and was named after the horse of the inventor, Frank Mars.
- The very first candy can be traced back as far as 2000 BC in ancient Egypt. The Egyptians created this “candy” by mixing honey with figs, nuts, dates and spices.
What better way to celebrate this sweet holiday than by heading to a local candy store to purchase an assortment of treats. If you live in or around Petoskey, you have some amazing options. Downtown Petoskey is famous for housing the original location of Kilwin’s Chocolates, a company that has been around since 1947. If you are looking for high-quality chocolates of many varieties, Kilwin’s is your go to. And, if you do not live in Petoskey, Kilwin’s has 150 locations throughout the United States. (To find a Kilwin’s near you, click here). Downtown Petoskey also has a new candy store that opened in September of 2023. Luci and Carl’s Candy Cabin, which is below Grandpa Shorter’s Gifts, carries gummies, European chocolates, hard candy, Jelly Belly brand treats, salt water taffy, licorice, the largest collection of freeze-dried candies in the north, plus candy that you simply cannot find anywhere else. They have something for everyone. You can even grab a mixture of your favorites from barrels and pay for it by weight. Their selection also differs based on the current seasons and holidays. Learn more about Luci and Carl’s Candy Cabin by clicking here.
