Browsing Category

Candy Memories

Candy in Pop Culture, Candy Memories, Candy News, Gummi Candy, Retro Candy

Lights, Camera . . . Candy!

July 21, 2017 by

“There’s an electrical thing about movies.”  — Oliver Stone

Grab your tub of buttered popcorn and your ice cold pop because we’re going to see what candy debuted in some famous movies and TV shows. So “Here’s looking at you kid,” as you find your seat, sit back and relax as the curtain opens to some blockbuster candy treats that made their name on the silver as well as the small screen.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Reese's Pieces“E.T. phone home” for some delicious Reese’s Pieces. You all remember the scene when Elliott lures E.T. with this orange, brown and yellow coated peanut butter candy. But did you know that Steven Spielberg originally approached Mars Inc. to use M&Ms in the movie? Unfortunately Mars Inc. declined and that’s when Hershey stepped in and Reese’s Pieces were chosen to star in this block-buster film. Sales of Reese’s Pieces rose 65% after the film was released in 1982. Another interesting fact: Foley Artist John Roesch said he used a wet T-shirt crammed with jello to simulate the noise of E.T.’s waddling walk.

Laffy Taffy Bulk CandyWreck-It Ralph

When Wreck-It Ralph came to the big screen in 2012, candy was seen in an entirely different light. The candy world, Sugar Rush, featured in the movie, was an island completely made of candy and had everything from Mentos stalactites to Diet Cola Mountain, to Laffy Taffy vines, to peppermint racing wheels and candy cane forests.

Early Films

Hershey's Chocolate Bar

  • In the 1927 film, Wings, there was a plug for Hershey’s chocolate.
  • Fritz Lang’s1931 film, M had a banner ad for Wrigley’s Chewing Gum.
  • In the Marx Brothers 1932 film, Horse Feathers, Thelma Todd’s character falls out of a canoe and yells for a “life saver.” Groucho Marx responds by tossing her a Life Savers candy.

gummi bears

Friends

One of my favorite episodes is when Jon Lovitz guest stars as Steve, a food critic and while waiting for Monica’s tartlets to be done, grabs a bag of Gummi Bears and hides them in his jacket. Monica grabs them and they fall into her soup. “Bears overboard, quick grab onto these Sugar O’s!” Steve yells.

Aside from his favorite sandwich, Joey likes Hershey Chocolate bars. Hey it’s Joey, He loves eating period.

Mike and Molly

“Nielsen called a scene in an episode of CBS’ Mike & Molly of Mike eating M&M’s in Carl’s apartment 2013’s best branded and opinion-shifting product integration in a scripted show.”

Seinfeld

junior mintIn season four, there was an episode called The Junior Mints. Jerry and Kramer witnessed the surgery of Elaine’s friend Roy. Jerry wouldn’t take Junior Mints from Kramer and somehow Kramer dropped them into the patient. The chocolate covered mints were also included in many conversations between the main characters. Kramer says “Who’s gonna turn down a Junior Mint? It’s chocolate, it’s peppermint: it’s delicious!”

So don’t be a Slo Poke, or Snicker as I Take 5 and go looking for Mr. Goodbar. Whether you’ll be sitting in front of the big screen or chillin’ as a coach potato, I wish you a Whopper of a good time and Zero days without candy!

“Life is short, make it sweet!”

Candy Memories, Candy News, Christmas Candy, Retro Candy

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like . . . Christmas (Candy)!!

July 6, 2017 by

“He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.”  –Roy L. Smith

Oh you better watch out, you better not cry, better not pout I’m telling you why -Christmas candy is coming to town in July. Ok, ok, don’t get your mistletoe in a twist! I haven’t lost all my marbles yet, but with Christmas just 6 months away I thought it would be jolly to think about the season in this sweltering heat.

chrsitmas in july hershey kiss

Red, Green and silver Hershey’s Kisses are a Yuletide favorite!

Oh what fun it is to imagine red and white striped candy canes on your tree, or white, green and red Hershey kisses in a bowl on your coffee table. Or how about them stuck in the middle of those Peanut Butter Blossom cookies? Mmmmmmmm . . . I can almost smell them coming out of my oven and plopping them into my mouth!

Here’s an idea: why not surprise your kids and have a Christmas in July day? Surprise them and hang up their stockings on July 24, then fill them with some special candy treats? Leave one little present by their bedroom door with a note that says “Only 153 days until Christmas, so be good for goodness sake!”

Whenever I think of Christmas candy I remember one Christmas in junior high, I made a gum drop wreath using multi colored gum drops. I bought a white foam ring and some double pointed tooth picks and filled the wreath with gum drops. Then I looped red ribbon around it and tied a big bow at the top. It always hung on a mirror on my dad’s big meat cooler every Christmas until New Years. I think I ate every 10th gum drop that came out of that big bag during that fun project! For another festive creation try all green gum drops with a few red ones for the berries. Decorating with candy is as endless as your imagination.

Christmas Gummi Bears in July?

Christmas Gummi Bears in July?

Candy Favorites has a sleigh full of Christmas candy for you to choose from. There are Gummi Christmas bears, trees and snowmen, Christmas Jelly Wreaths, Marshmallow Santas, Brach’s Peppermint and Spearmint Star Brite Mints and even Candy Cane Peppermint Tootsie Pops! I don’t know if I can wait till Christmas to sample them all!

But I think the candy most associated with Christmas has to be the candy cane. Did you know that candy canes go back about 350 years when candy makers were creating hard sugar sticks? Then in 1670, a choirmaster at the Cologne Cathedral in Germany, bent the all white sugar sticks to resemble a shepherd’s staff during the long nativity services for the children.

christmas in july candy cane

It’s all about Candy Canes!

“The first historical reference to the candy cane in America was in 1847, when a German immigrant called August Imgard decorated the Christmas tree in his Wooster, Ohio home with candy canes. About fifty years later, the first red-and-white striped candy canes appeared. No one knows who exactly invented the stripes and Christmas cards prior to the year 1900 showed only all-white candy canes.” (The History of Candy Canes by Mary Bellis)

So Ho, Ho, Ho! Whatever your Christmas candy pleasures are, July is a great time to think about them . . . and order them . . .  and enjoy them early! Don’t forget to include them as you make out your Christmas list. They’re the sweetest addition to your holiday treats, decorating and gift giving.

Now if you’ll excuse me I need find my sunscreen, pop in my Christmas CDs, grab my iced tea, put on my Santa hat and soak up the sun on my deck as I sing my own version of the Twelve Days of Christmas . . . “On the fifth day of Christmas in July my true love gave to me, 5 Fort Knox Milk Chocolate Gold Coins, 4 Lindor Dark Chocolate Balls, 3 Reese’s Peanut Butter Christmas Trees, 2 Naughty or Nice Charms Sweet and Sour Pops and a 7 ounce chocolate Hershey Kiss!

(No worries about me quitting my day job! Haha!)

So have yourself a merry little, delicious, candy Christmas in July! It’s the (second) most wonderful time of the year!

Candy Memories, Candy News

But There Is a Sweet Candy Cure for the Summertime Blues

June 27, 2017 by

“Cause a little bit of summer is what the whole year is about.”   –John Mayer

“I’m melting, melting, melting . . .” No it’s not the bad witch from the Wizard of Oz. It’s we chocolate bars! Come summer everyone is ready to ditch us because we melt in the heat. Hey, we get it! We do get gooey, lose our shape, stick to your fingers and aren’t too much fun when you find us flattened in your pocket or squished at the bottom of your purse.

We’re not happily packed in your beach bag, included on your summer picnic table, or thrown in your kid’s bat bag for a sweet tasty treat. No, we’re long forgotten. Or maybe if we’re really lucky, just chilled in your refrigerator. But it’s all good because we’re here to offer you some other alternative sweet treats for the Summertime Blues.

So let’s roll out “Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer” and enjoy candies like SweeTarts, which were created by Joseph Fish Smith, owner of Sunline Inc. in 1963 in response to parents wanting a less messy version of the well-liked Pixy Stix and Lik-M-Aid treats for their kids. The sweet and sour flavors were cherry, grape, lemon, lime and orange.

charms blow popsIf you’re hooked on some “Hot Fun in the Summertime” without the chocolate mess, try packing Smarties Lollies, or Charms Blow Pops as a treat for your kids. My dad always had a huge plastic container of Smarties Lollies on top of the meat counter at our neighborhood store. Kids came in after school and bought them for a nickel a piece.     (I’d bet a lot of lunch money went toward those purchases!) The Charms Blow Pops were made popular by The Charms Company and were the company’s best-selling product of all time. This first bubble gum filled lollipop was developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s by Ross Cameron, Walter Reid, and Vince Ciccone.

LemonHeadsWe’re into summer now so if you’re “Walkin on Sunshine” and looking for another melt-less confection, try sunny yellow, sweet and sour Lemonhead candy. Mmmmmm . . . I’d always buy a box of them at the matinee show at the Manos Theater when I was growing up. They were first introduced in 1962 by the Ferrara Candy Company.  Salvatore Ferrara’s grandson was a forceps baby and he thought his grandson’s head looked lemon-shaped. Hence his inspiration for their candy name. Whenever I see a yellow and blue box I remember how they made my mouth pucker with their delicious bursts of flavor.

atomic fireballsIf you want to put a hot blast in those “Summer Nights,” have the courage to try some Atomic FireBalls, another candy produced by the Ferrara Candy Company back in 1954. In 1963 the following quote from a grocer appeared in a newspaper article:  “They’re somewhat like jawbreakers . . . only hotter than &-$%!!”  The heat comes from the capsaicin (a chili pepper extract) added to the candy, not the cinnamon.

So what are you waiting for? “Summer’s here and the time is right for Dancin’ in the Street.”

All we need is candy  . . . sweet candy . . .


(Did you know the artists of the summertime songs throughout my article?)

Here they are:

“Summertime Blues,” 1958 by Eddie Cochran, then in 1967 by The Who.

“Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy, Days of Summer,” 1963 by Nat King Cole.

“Hot Fun in the Summertime,” 1969 by Sly and the Family Stone.

“Walkin on Sunshine,” 1985 by Katrina and the Waves.

“Summer Nights,” from Grease 1978 by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.

“Dancin’ in the Street,” 1964 by Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, then David Bowie and Mick Jagger in 1985.

ROCK (Candy Swizzle Sticks) ON!

Candy Memories, Nostalgic Candy Favorites

Claeys Old Fashioned Hard Candies, Nostalgic at it’s Finest

June 2, 2017 by

claeys cinnamon There are some times when you come across a candy that has been pleasing sweet tooth cravings for generations, and you have to pause for a moment to realize just how amazing it is that you are enjoying the same candy that people have enjoyed for decades and decades before you were born. At CandyFavorites.com, we love this feeling. In fact, it’s one of the main reasons we are so passionate about retro candies!

Having access to the same treats that our grandparents had is a small way of staying connected to the past and honoring the traditions that came before us. It’s nice to know that by eating a certain brand of candy, you are keeping the tradition alive for the next generation.

Claeys. Generations of Delicious.

This is the way we feel when we think about Claeys Candy. Founded in 1919 by Jerome C. Claeys, the company’s original name was J.C. Claeys Candy. It was in South Bend, Indiana that Claeys had its start, operating out of a garage until a larger building was acquired.

claeys horehound Interestingly enough, the company’s first candy was the Etabar. This was a caramel nut bar covered in icing. The cost? A whopping 5 cents. Boy, times have changed, huh? Since then, the company added a line of hard candies, which we’re proud to have on our shelves today!

Whether you’re craving Horehound, Lemon, Cinnamon, Cherry, or Root Beer, we have the Claeys hard candy that is sure to please. There’s a little bit of something for everyone, especially since these are fat free, gluten free, and made in the USA.

As a family-owned company, we are also glad to see that the current president of Claeys is the grandson of the original owner. Just another reason to enjoy these great treats, right? So what are you waiting for?

Around here, we love learning these little bits of history about the candies we stock. It makes the eating process so much more interesting when you can throw in a few fun facts, too. So, if you’re in the mood for a variety of sweet tooth satisfying hard candies, look no further than Claeys. After all, if they’ve been around from 1919, we’re willing to bet that there’s a pretty good reason! But don’t just take our word for it, go ahead and find out for yourself.

Candy Memories, Candy News

LifeSavers – “A Hole Lot of Fun”

May 19, 2017 by

 “Sometimes memories sneak out of my eyes and roll down my cheeks.”

Did you ever wish you could have just one special day back from your childhood? A day where you could be in a certain place, with a specific person, at a particular time? A day you could freeze and thaw anytime you wanted? I think memories work like that.

I have many ”wish days” but there’s one that I’d love to relive. That certain place would be at our family store, Davidek’s Market, the specific person would be my dad, and that particular time would be after school.

When I was in junior high, the bus left me off 2 blocks from our little neighborhood store.  I’d walk there after school. Wednesdays were one of my favorite days to come through that swinging glass front door. I knew my dad would be waiting for me. In his crisp white starched apron, standing behind the wooden meat block cutting pork chops, probably for our next door neighbor’s dinner. I see him smile and hear him say, “There she is,” as I dropped my books near the black metal, manual adding machine.

Wednesday. It was the day our candy order was delivered. My dad knew to leave it for me to stock. It’s the day I got to open orange boxes of Clark Bars; brown and green boxes of Milky Ways; red, white and blue boxes of 3 Musketeers and cellophane wrapped boxes of Wrigley’s, Juicy Fruit, Double Mint and Teaberry gum. But my favorite candy treasure to open was the little packs of Life Savers.

Did you know LifeSavers were first made in 1912 by chocolate maker Clarence Crane because he wanted a sweet treat that wouldn’t melt in the summer heat? They got their name because they looked like life preservers.

Right in the middle of my dad’s long, white, porcelain meat counter sat a long metal LifeSavers holder. That holder held that same spot for as long as I could remember. I loved filling in each spot with the different colored rolls. I’d unwrap my favorite flavor first –Wild Cherry, which always seemed to be the first ones to go (hmmm . . . I think I had something to do with that). Then the multi-colored 5 Flavor rolls. The green Wint-O-Green. Next the blue Pep-O-Mint. Each little roll fitting snuggly in their designated spot.

Then when I was all through with my candy duties, I’d grab my roll of Wild Cherry LifeSavers, pull that little green string through the foil and plop one in my mouth. Just like it was yesterday, a burst of that sweet cherry delight swirling across my taste buds can bring it all back to me.

Memories of that one special day sneaking into my eyes. Just me and my dad, in the store after school, laughing and talking behind that white porcelain meat counter. With a roll of cherry LifeSavers in my pocket as I catch a tear rolling down my cheeks.

Candy Memories, Nostalgic Candy Favorites, Retro Candy

Lik-m-aid, Candy Necklaces and Tootsie Pops – Oh My!

April 28, 2017 by

“Candy is childhood, the best and bright moments you wish could have lasted forever.”

–Dylan Lauren

retro candy adThe sun teases me as I sit in my fourth grade classroom. I’d squirm at my desk and anxiously wait for that 3:30 dismissal bell to ring.  3:25, 3:26, 3:27. Come on bell. Gees! Can’t that minute hand move any faster? Oh man, I hope Mrs. Daugherty doesn’t give us math homework today. Doesn’t she know it’s a beautiful spring day? Doesn’t she know children need to get outside and play after school? You know, jump rope. Play dodge ball. Roller skate up and down my street, and best of all – hop on our bikes and ride to the neighborhood candy store. Ring bell . . . RRRIIIIIIING!!!

One of my most favorite after school childhood memories is walking into that little store. I’d  run home from school, fly through the house to change into my play clothes, then grab a dollar out of my piggy bank and jump on my old pink bike. I’d head to Cindy’s house (my best friend), who lived just across the street. She knows the plan, as I drop my bike near her back porch and fly up her back steps. In a matter of minutes we’re zooming off to the neighborhood candy store for all kinds of sweet candy treats.

Cindy and I pedal down the back alley and onto the street that leads back to our school. We take the short cut through the old baseball field, our bikes rattling through the dirt path as we get closer to our destination. Down Penn Street and we’ll be there! Some days we’d try to beat our brothers there so we’d have first dibs. Older sisters rule sometimes you know. No matter what those silly boys say.

Finally our bikes jump the cement curb in front of the store, and come to a halt. Eagerly we grasp the handle of the store’s weathered, crayon green, screen door. BANG!

The door slams behind us and suddenly we’re in front of the huge glass case that contains countless candy confectioneries. Mmmmmmm. We press our noses against the glass as the store owner greets us with her sweet smile. She reaches for a little brown paper bag and asks what we’d like today.

tootsie pops

I go first since Cindy is still undecided. “I’d like four packs of Lik-m-aid, one bag of Indian pumpkin seeds, five satellite wafers, two candy necklaces, five Ice Cubes, five Smarties and two cherry Toostie Pops.” My fingers leave prints on the front of the glass case as I point out each treasure. Then Cindy chooses her brown paper bag of goodies and we say good bye as more kids rush through the door.

Sometime we sat on the cement steps outside the candy store and enjoyed our treats and sometime we rode to the playground and ate them on the swings. And sometime we rode back home, sat on my front porch and listened to my mom say, “You’re going to spoil your dinner!” Haha. We didn’t care.

What could be better than a mouthful of purple Lik-m-aid sugar, or chocolate Ice Cubes that I swear felt cold as I bit into them, or wearing a pink, blue, yellow and white candy necklace?

Maybe it’s a lazy summer afternoon of roller skating, or laughing with my best friend on my front porch, or not waiting for that school bell to ring, or having no math homework after school.

Or maybe it’s finding just one more cherry Tootsie Pop in the bottom of a little brown paper bag.

Candy History, Candy Memories, Easter Candy

It’s a Marshmallow “Peep” World

April 14, 2017 by

“Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose.” ~From the television show The Wonder Years

marshmallow peepsWith a Peep Peep here, and a Peep Peep there, here a Peep, there a Peep, everywhere a Peep Peep!

Easter baskets loaded with all kinds of goodies. Jelly beans, chocolate bunnies and lambs and of course yellow Peeps peeking out of the plastic green and pink straw that lined my brother’s and my Easter basket! Mmmmmm. . . Delicious memories.

I remember my dad searching for that big plastic bag in our basement that held our Easter baskets captive. It was time to get out the coffee cups and the bottle of white vinegar out as my mom cooled the dozen of hard boiled eggs. Then my younger brother and I would sit at the kitchen table, plop the color tablets into the cups and see how long it would take to make the darkest purple, blue, pink, yellow and orange egg you’ve ever seen!

Yellow, pink and white were the only color Peeps I can remember way back then (I am old you know) but still young at heart. But the other day, I walked into a super store and was flabbergasted to see a myriad of Peeps in every color and flavor imaginable.

I saw orange creme, vanilla delight, strawberry, chocolate mousse, raspberry, cherry limeade, cotton candy, fruit punch, limeade, blue raspberry, triple chocolate, vanilla caramel brownie, bubble gum, party cake, sour lemon-lime, sour watermelon, and even sugar free Peeps! My eyes as well as my taste buds were thrown into a sugary, rainbow, marshmallow world!

Did you know that Sam Born founded Just Born, Inc. in 1923 in New York, and this family-owned candy manufacturer then moved its headquarters to Bethlehem, PA. in 1932?

It used to take 27 hours to make the Peeps but Born created a way to automate the cooling process and make them in 6 minutes from start to finish. About 5.5 million Peeps are made each day. And now you can find green trees at Christmas, orange pumpkins at Halloween and red hearts for Valentine’s Day in addition to chicks and bunnies.

If you love Peeps, you’re not alone. Justin Bieber, Miranda Cosgrove and even Joe Jonas love this sugary treat. More than 1.5 billion will be consumed this spring!

So what are you waiting for? Pick up a box or two for Easter and remember how fun they are to eat, and eat and eat. And now if you’ll excuse me those triple chocolate Peeps, oh and those vanilla caramel brownie Peeps are calling my name! And wait! Maybe just one box of the chocolate covered marshmallow ones. . .

Happy Easter Peepsters!

Candy Memories, Candy News, Retro Candy

Just a Small Town Girl Sharing Her Sweet Memories…

April 7, 2017 by

 

“We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.” Anais Nin

First of all, let me tell you that I am honored to be a blogger. My name is Mary Lynn Davidek Alpino. When I broke the news to my 20 year old daughter, Ashley, she was pleasantly surprised that her mom even had an inkling of an idea just what a blogger is and my 25 year old son, Ryan said quite simply, “That’s cool mom!”

And since this is a blog for CandyFavorites, it is my intention “to taste life twice.” Did you know memories can affect taste! Recalling a positive memory about eating a certain food will make a present experience with it more enjoyable (Health World). That’s what I want to focus on in my upcoming articles, recalling a memory, a feeling, a place, a moment in your life that you’ll never forget.

“Well I was born in a small town”

The song “Small Town” by John Mellencamp reminds me of where I grew up and who I am today. Brackenridge, Pennsylvania, is where I called home. A small town about 22 miles from Pittsburgh. The kind of town where you could walk to the bank, barber shop, post office, dry cleaners, town news, drug store, shoe store and church all in a matter of 2 long blocks. My father owned a neighborhood meat and grocery store, one of 4 in that 2 block area. A store that my grandfather started.

“Oh, those small communities”

My two brothers and one sister all grew up working in the store. And as I grew older, I realized our store kept us close as a family, taught us core values, and gave us tons of great memories. I started my “store career” in grade school when my dad taught me how to make change so I could wait on kids that came in for candy and pop after school. The prestigious job of sweeping the tile floor and washing the meat case windows was bestowed on me as I longed to be there helping my dad any way I could.

“Used to daydream in that small town”

My day dreams used to be of being a nurse just like my mom. But one day in my college English 101 class, Sister Teresa asked me if I ever thought of writing as my major. She said, “just think about it.” So I did and I decided to be a journalism major. The rest they say is history. I’ve worked in public relations and enjoy freelance writing for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

So come and taste life (and candy) twice with me for “nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it.” –L.M. Montgomery

Bonne Vie!

Candy Memories, Christmas Candy

Christmas Candies In Your Kitchen

December 12, 2016 by

Christmas is on its way! And if you’re like many people, that means holiday baking is in full swing. There is something so magical about baking during the most wonderful time of the year. The sights and smells are just too good! And the temptation to eat everything before it gets out the door to your nearest and dearest is challenging, indeed.

While candy may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of holiday baking, it very well could be! After all, nothing takes a treat from good to great quite like the addition of a few candy pieces! Around here, we’re partial to the ones that have been gracing our tables for a few decades, and we have a feeling that you might be, too.

While the latest and greatest treats are fun for enjoying on their own, when it comes to holiday baking, we put our faith in only the most tried and tested candies we can get our hands on. What can we say? We’re big fans of tradition. And if that sounds like you, too, then you’ll want to keep reading. Because we’re about to serve up some of our favorite classic candies, and the many ways you can enjoy them, this holiday season.

candy canes.jpgA blog post about Christmas candy that did not mention the beloved candy cane should not be trusted! But, joking aside, this is one treat that has been gracing Christmas-loving taste buds for centuries. While you can always take the traditional route and hang them on your tree, we like to be a little more inventive.

You can crush them up into your peppermint bark, use them as a stirrer for your hot chocolate, or stick them into a cut lemon for a sweet and sour treat. The candy cane is one ingredient that keeps on giving, so get creative!

Because everyone knows and loves the power of the Hershey’s Kiss, it only makes sense to bring it out in full force during the holiday season. We especially enjoy using Hershey’s kisses in our cookies, for an added chocolatey boost. But, you can also use them to adorn your gingerbread houses, or melt them down into rich, homemade hot chocolate. The possibilities are endless!

And while we won’t recommend trying your hand at a fruitcake, we can highly recommend chocolate covered raisins, cranberry chocolate clusters, and chocolate cherry cordials, if you’re looking for a few chocolate-fruit combinations to satisfy your holiday sweet tooth.

So go ahead and fire up those ovens! We’re willing to bet that there’s a candy for every recipe on your list.

Candy Memories, Christmas Candy

A Gingerbread Home For the Holidays

December 9, 2016 by

gingerbread houseWhen Christmas time rolls around, there’s one major food-related item that’s always on our minds. Have any guesses? We’ll give you some hints. It’s spicy, sweet, and although it is completely edible, we don’t usually end up eating it. Have a hunch? Well, if you thought ‘gingerbread houses’ then you’re entirely correct!

This time of year, families and friends come together to decorate adorable and tantalizing gingerbread homes for the holidays. Whether they’re big or small, they’re always a fun way to occupy a few hours and fill the house with lots of holiday cheer.

But this tradition didn’t just pop up overnight. On the contrary, it’s been around for quite a while. Food history is always a treasure trove of information, as most food traditions have some winding and unexpected pasts. If you’re looking to uncover the very beginning of gingerbread, you’ll have to go back quite a few years.

Gingerbread was baked in Europe for the first time in the 11th century. However, the crusaders, who brought the idea back with them, first came across this treat in the Middle East, where it is said to have been enjoyed, long before the Crusaders arrived.

Luckily, we don’t need to go back quite so far to understand the origins of the gingerbread house. This confection came onto the holiday scene in Germany in the early 1800’s. Many food historians agree that the gingerbread house was inspired by Hansel and Gretel; the famed fairy tale from the Brother’s Grimm, where two children stumble upon an abandoned candy house.

Now all of those candies we use to decorate our ginger bread houses make sense, right? And if you’re decorating an edible home for the holidays, you’ll want to make sure you bring only the best of the best.

Luckily, we’re here to make sure all of your gingerbread house-decorating needs are satisfied.

If you’re anything like us, then you know that a bulk order is the only way you’re going to have enough candy for everyone and their gingerbread houses, too! Fruit slices will add a pop of color, while cinnamon imperials will turn up the heat! And everyone knows that a gingerbread house wouldn’t be complete without gum drops, right? M&Ms are always a welcome addition. And Nonpareils are a great way to add a little more glitz to your edible home.

We have all of your favorite festive candies to help make this year’s gingerbread house even more attractive and delicious than last year’s! So what are you waiting for? When you check out our bulk section, you can see for yourself.