Browsing Tag

Christmas Candy

Candy News

It’s Time for Peanut Butter & Chocolate Star Cookies!

September 28, 2021 by

With the holidays approaching and summer fading into a distant memory, cookie season is well upon us, and everyone loves to bite into the soft, chewy texture of a fresh-baked cookie. But what is the best cookie to indulge in this time of year?

There has to be one that is universally loved by the cookie community. A cookie that is so delightful on the tip of your tongue that you will never turn one down. Well, I think I know of just the one.

Chocolatey, peanut butter star cookies are a great fall treat to enjoy. These are the perfect cookies for this time of year and will have you feeling warm inside as they have for many generations! 

Each cookie is crisp on the outside but soft on the inside and has a flavor combination shared with some of the best-tasting candy bars!

 Suppose the combination of milk chocolate and peanut butter isn’t enough to send your palette into a joyful frenzy. In that case, they even have a light sugar coating to top off the sweetness.

But the best part of these cookies isn’t the peanut butter flavor; that just happens to be a plus. Instead, the best part of these cookies is the milk chocolate star melted into the top. These star-shaped chocolate candies don’t come in your everyday baking aisle, which is why you need us here at Candyfavorites.com.

Unfortunately, Brachs will no longer offer their beloved Chocolate Stars in bulk, making them all but impossible to find. We have sampled countless substitutions, but none met our satisfaction…..until now!

Our new Chocolate Stars may not be made by Brach’s, but please don’t let that detract from the fact that they are as delicious as they are good-looking and will allow your cookie tradition to continue. Change is inevitable, and perhaps you can think of this as one step back for two steps forward.

There are many different chocolate star recipes all over the internet, like these linked here, but whatever you do, make sure you are getting your chocolate stars at Candyfavorites.com.

Also, everyone has their own unique way of making their cookies special and we would love to hear yours. Please share your recipe in the comments section below.  

Christmas Candy

Candy Cane Marshmallow Peeps – A New Holiday Favorite

November 1, 2019 by

Inspiration comes in many packages, shapes, and sizes, and it is not often that we encounter a candy manufacturer that takes a tried and true product and makes it better.  

We review hundreds of different candies yearly, and while our focus is on old school retro candy, we love when something new and whimsical AND DELICIOUS crosses our path and Candy Cane Marshmallow Peeps surely fit the bill.  Peeps have a storied history as they were introduced in 1953 and have been a holiday staple ever since.

candy cane marshmallow peeps

Many a debate has centered around whether they are better fresh or slightly hard – we will “plead the fifth” on our personal opinion, although we will admit that we have aficionados call us and ask if we have any that have “been around for a long time.” – but most everyone will agree that they are a candy that is fun to eat and often fun to play with too.

Packed in festive holiday packaging with ten Red & White speckled “chicks” per unit, Candy Cane Marshmallow Peeps offer a unique taste sensation.   The marshmallow is fluffy, soft, and sweet, yet the candy cane pieces add a minty touch that changes the flavor as well as texture giving each piece a subtle crunchiness.  The combination makes one glad that there are multiple units in every package, and each piece is gluten-free and has only 27 calories making it a healthier snack, assuming you can eat only one!  

Is there any wonder why Peeps have been a favorite for close to 70 years. As the old saying goes, “ if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” but as we learned from the different varieties of Marshmallow Peeps that surface from time to time,  it is ok to tweak a little bit!

Each ten-pack unit of Candy Cane Marshmallow Peeps is individually wrapped, measures approximately 4.75” x 5.75” and has a net weight of 3 oz.

Candy News

Candy Canes Are Coming to Town

December 15, 2017 by
“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas . . . perhaps . . . means a little bit more!”   ― Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

candy cane figurinesLast week I ran to our local supermarket to pick up milk, orange juice, lettuce, and whatever I can whip up for dinner on very short notice. On my way to the check out I noticed the stock boy opening a mountain of boxes in the front of the checkout lanes. Isn’t this the spot where all the Halloween candy just was? But somewhere along the way Halloween (and Thanksgiving) came and went and so did those bags of Milky Ways, Snickers, Reeses Peanut Butter Cups and Kit Kats (as well as all those turkey day leftovers).

Now what did my wandering eyes did appear but box after box of colorful candy canes in every possible color and flavor imaginable!  Boxes of Peppermint, cherry, raspberry, blueberry, Lifesavers, and chocolate mint candy canes lined the aisle.  And oh, by gosh, by golly is it really only 4 weeks till Christmas?

candy canes

So while I was waiting in the “10 items or less” checkout line (and silently counting the number of items the lady in front of me kept taking out of her shopping cart) I was thinking that you can associate a certain candy with just about every holiday. A heart shaped box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day. A big chocolate bunny at Easter. And of course those classic red and white striped candy canes always say, Christmas.

I remember they were the last thing we hung on our Christmas tree when I was little. Somehow the amount of candy canes that adorned our real tree on December 1st had somewhat diminished by the time Christmas Eve arrived.

Did you know that Bob McCormack started his own candy company in the 1920s in Albany, Georgia and made candy canes by hand? This was a tedious job and the breakage rate was high. Bob’s brother-in-law, Gregory Harding Keller, a Catholic priest invented the Keller Machine which twisted the candy and bent it into canes. Needless to say, this remarkable machine revolutionized the candy manufacturing business. Today, more than 1.7 billion candy canes are sold each year!

merry christmas candy canes

So how about adding candy canes to that “all I want for Christmas” list (along with those two front teeth)? Candy Favorites has wrapped Peppermint Candy Canes, Miniature Candy Canes, Candy Cane Peppermint Tootsie Pops, Candy Cane Pails and Hershey’s Candy Cane Candy Bars.

So it doesn’t matter if you’re naughty (Santa, it’s a long story) or nice, remember candy canes make great stocking stuffers and don’t forget to leave some peppermint sticks for that jolly old elf who will be coming down your chimney soon with a bound.

May your days be merry and bright. Merry Christmas!

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, 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 Contests

CandyFavorites #SweetHolidayMemory – Official Rules

December 3, 2015 by


Holiday_CandyFavorites_Contest
Official Rules

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.

DATES OF PROMOTION: CandyFavorites.com (“Sponsors”) #SweetHolidayMemories the “Promotion” begins at 12:00pm Eastern Time on Thursday, December 03, 2015 and ends at 11:59 am Eastern Time on Wednesday December 30, 2015 (the “Promotion Period”).

ELIGIBILITY: The Promotion is open to any legal U.S. residents residing in any of the 50 United States, who are 18 years of age or older. Employees and their immediate family members (parents, children, siblings or spouse, regardless of where they live, or persons living in the same household, whether related or not) of CandyFavorites.com, its divisions, affiliates, contractors, subsidiaries, distributors, sales representatives, retailers, advertising and promotion agencies, and any others engaged in the development, production, execution or distribution of this Promotion are not eligible.

HOW TO ENTER:

  • Visit CandyFavorites.com
  • Find your favorite holiday candy
  • Leave a review featuring the the hashtag #SweetHolidayMemory
  • Be sure to leave us your email in the review box so we can contact you if you’re one of our winners!

Limit one review per entry, multiple entries allowed. Winner(s) will be selected randomly on December 30, 2015 at 5:00pm (EST). Reviews posted after the end of the Promotional Period will not be eligible to win. In the event of a dispute regarding the identity of the person submitting an entry, the entry will be deemed submitted by the person in whose name the email account is registered. Entries will be deemed made by the authorized holder of the email account that posted the review. Make sure to leave an email address on the review you submit so we can contact you if you win.

WINNING & NOTIFICATION: One (1) Grand Prize Winner and two (2) runners up will be randomly selected by CandyFavorites.com from a pool of eligible entries on December 30, 2015 at 5:00pm (EST). By participating in this Promotion, account holder certifies that his/her post is original, has not been previously published or won any other promotion, and does not contain any material that would violate or infringe on the rights of any third party, including copyrights, trademarks, or rights of privacy/publicity. Sponsor reserves the right in its sole and unfettered discretion to disqualify any entry that it believes contains obscene, offensive or inappropriate content, that does not comply with these official rules or that is not consistent with the spirit or theme of the contest. The decision of the Sponsor is final and binding on all matters related to the Contest. The selected winners has one (1) week to claim their PRIZE. CandyFavorites.com will contact winners via email address that uploaded the review entered in the Promotion. In the event that the winner does not claim his or her prize by January 06, 2016 5:00pm (EST) one week after received notification, a new winner will be selected based on the criteria outlined above.

PRIZE: One (1) Grand Prize winner will receive one (1) Hershey’s Milk Chocolate One Pound Bar. PRIZE valued at $18.61. Two (2) Runners Up will each receive one (1) Hershey Kiss Large Gift Box. PRIZE valued at $8.83. No prize substitutions except at Sponsor’s sole discretion or as otherwise provided herein. The value of the prize may be taxable as income and Winners are solely responsible for any taxes on the prize, including, but not limited to all applicable federal, state and local taxes if applicable. No more than the number of prizes set forth in these Official Rules will be awarded (3).

PRIVACY STATEMENT: Entering the Promotion constitutes permission for the Sponsor and its agencies to use participants’ reviews, captions, any accompanying materials, and names (first name and last initial) for the purpose of advertising or promotion via consumer newsletter and social media channels (Instagram/Twitter/Facebook/Google+/Pinterest) without compensation, unless prohibited by law. Should the company choose to use this content for promotional purposes, entrant is not entitled to compensation or credit.

NO LIABILITY: By participating, entrants agree to release, discharge, indemnify and hold harmless the Sponsor and Promotion Entities and each of their respective officers, directors, employees, representatives and agents from and against any claims made by winners, entrants, or any other third parties, related in any way to the operation of this Promotion as well as any other claims, damages or liability due to any injuries, damages or loss to any person (including death) or property of any kind resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from acceptance, possession, misuse of any PRIZE or participation in any Promotion-related activity or participation in this Promotion.

FURTHER INFORMATION & WINNERS LIST REQUEST: Participants can have further information about the Promotion and receive notice of the PRIZE winner by contacting customercare@candyfavorites.com by January 06, 2016.

SPONSOR: CandyFavorites.com, 1101 Fifth Avenue McKeesport, PA 15132. This offer shall not be published without the written permission of the Sponsor.

Candy History, Christmas Candy

Candy History: Candy Canes

December 20, 2013 by

The Origins of the Candy Cane

We’ve probably all heard the story of the German choirmaster who created white, sugary shepherd’s hooks to keep the children quiet during the services. But, there are almost as many candy cane creation stories as there are varieties of candy canes!

What’s certain is that these popular Christmas treats were originally all white. Many have attached a religious connection to them, saying that the white candy cane represented the sinlessness of the life of Jesus. As for the shape, many also claim that it’s meant to look like a shepherd’s hook, to remind children of the shepherds who visited the baby Jesus.

candy_canes_white-candy-cane
Although they were probably created in 1670 in Germany, it wasn’t until 1844 that a recipe for straight candy sticks was published. And in the mid 1800s, candy canes were hung on Christmas trees for the first time. Back in the day, it was common to hang sweets and baked goods from the festive tree, so the candy canes were a perfect addition!

Candy Stripes

retro-nostalgic-candy-canesChristmas cards from before and after the 1900s reveal that it wasn’t until the turn of the century that candy canes earned their stripes. There’s lots of lore around the stripes as well, with some saying the thickest stripe represents Jesus, while the three smaller stripes represent the Holy Trinity.

Around the turn of the century, peppermint and wintergreen flavors were also added to the sweets, whose flavors could be distinguished by either a red or green stripe, for peppermint or wintergreen, respectively.

In the 1950s, a Catholic priest by the name of Gregory Keller invented an automated candy cane machine, to twist the candies into their popular shape. And since then, there’s been no looking back.

Today, candy canes are arguably the most popular holiday candy with the longest-standing history. And they’re not just peppermint and wintergreen anymore. Check out all of the canes we have to offer. You’re sure to find something for every candy-cane-craving sweet tooth.

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Source Material

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candy_cane
http://inventors.about.com/od/foodrelatedinventions/a/candy_canes.htm

Images

Day 6: Candy Canes
http://justalittlefurther.com/making-candy-canes/

Candy History, Christmas Candy

Candy History: Old Fashion Christmas Hard Candy

November 21, 2013 by

old-fashioned-christmas-hard-candySpecial Occasion Candy

Few things are sweeter at Christmas time than a handful of candy. Everyone has a favorite holiday treat that they look forward to all year round. There’s just something especially nice about savoring a candy that only comes by for special occasions. And while we can’t imagine ringing in the Yule-tide feelings without a sugary treat or two, it wasn’t always this way.

Old Fashioned Sweetness

While people have been enjoying sweets for centuries, the first mention of Christmas candy came in the form of candy canes. In 1672, the choirmaster of the Cologne Cathedral created white, sugary sticks to keep the children quiet in his church. These boring white staffs morphed over the years into the hooked, red and white striped favorites we know today – and they still have the remarkable ability to hush any whiny mouth.

old-fashioned-christmas-ribbon-candyOver the years, the tradition of cut rock candy has remained a staple of Christmas festivities.  Decades of grandmothers have known the secrets behind whipping up the perfect batch of sugary confections: ribbons, bows, and disks, all dyed and pulled to perfection. It’s a tough job, but somebody had to do it!

Luckily, with our Old Fashioned Christmas Candy Mix, you never have to worry if your sugar has reached the proper boiling point. You can have all your favorite Christmas candies, with none of the sugar-burning disasters.

Old Fashioned, Not Outdated

candy-cane-figurinesThat said, not all homemade candy attempts end in failure. In fact, some of the most beloved candies started in home kitchens before rising to the greatness they have today.

And speaking of great candies, if you enjoy nostalgic confections, you should take a look at our Americana Penny Candy Mix. Chock-full of sweets you may remember as a kid, this is one mix that shouldn’t be missed.

Around the holidays, we celebrate the things we hold most dear: family, friends, and the candies we grew up loving as children. With our Old Fashioned Christmas Mix, you can help make Christmas traditions come true.

Sources:

  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candy_cane
  • http://www.happywink.org/christmas-day/christmas-candy.html
Candy History, Christmas Candy

Candy History: Christmas Candy in America

November 14, 2013 by

Announcing a new Christmas Candy favorite!

Christmas-penny-candy-Americana-mixMost of our top-10 bestselling candies year after year are Brach’s candies like Butterscotch Disks, Villa Cherries, and Ice Blue Mint Coolers. But every year, there’s one candy mix — only sold at CandyFavorites.com — that manages to rank among those established favorites. Penny Candy Americana Mix delivers joy to everyone who encounters it by bringing back the tastes of childhood for all ages.

What better time for the wonderful magic of rediscovery than Christmas morning?

This year, we’re excited to introduce Christmas Candy Americana Mix!

A Mixed History

The history of Christmas candy in America is one that can bring back fond memories for almost anyone, as everyone seems to have their own personal Christmas candy history and experiences. Our love of Christmas candy in America stretches back many generations, linking families and taste buds for over a century.

Did you know that the first mention of candy canes in America was in 1847? A German immigrant by the name of August Imgard decorated his Christmas tree with them in that year, and they’ve been a perennial Christmas favorite in the U.S., ever since.

Traditionally Minded

In fact, Americans are pretty traditional when it comes to their candy favorites. Our Americana Penny Candy Mix pays tribute to some of the oldest and most revered candies in America.

Would you believe that most of the top-selling candies in America today were first introduced before World War II? It’s true, and for good reason. If you have a good thing, why bother changing it? And, in the early part of the 20th century, America was brimming with delicious, new chocolates and candies.

Twizzlers and Hershey Bars have been in production since 1845 and 1900, respectively.  These top candies are an ongoing testament that our appreciation of quintessentially Americana candy runs deep.

christmas-candy-spearmint-leavesAmericana for All

When it comes to Christmas candy, we Americans are devoted to our time-tested favorites. Everyone seems to love biting into a candy that reminds them of the magic of Christmases in their childhood. There’s something really sweet about revisiting those memories of a time when Spearmint Leaves cost a penny and Hershey bars went for only a nickel.

Our brand new Christmas Candy Americana Mix evokes all of the nostalgic thoughts of yesteryear, with a little bit of everything inside. So when you bite into one of these candies, you know you’re tasting some of the best that American Christmas candy has to offer.

Sources:

  • http://inventors.about.com/od/foodrelatedinventions/a/candy_canes.htm
  • http://www.candycanefacts.com/facts/
  • http://images.businessweek.com/ss/09/10/1021_americas_25_top_selling_candies/26.htm
  • http://www.candyblog.net/blog/item/spearmint_leaves
Candy News, Christmas Candy

Candy: Making Christmas More Cheerful

December 1, 2011 by

Entertaining guests is an integral part of the holiday season. Whether you plan elaborate get-togethers or get caught off guard by spontaneous drop-ins, your unused chairs and “nice” dishes are bound to get some play before the end of the year. I recently discovered a time-tested strategy for making all this visiting easier — one that seems to have been forgotten along the way by generation X.

Pam Knows What's Up

It’s very simple. Put candy all over your house.

I’m not kidding. As an eater of salad in lieu of dessert, I am the last person who ever expected to say this. Sure, I celebrate individual candies as their own independent holidays. But scattered candy previously meant nothing to me aside from an abundance of temptation.

I’ve finally found what receptionists and bank tellers have known for years. Candy makes people feel better. It makes them calm down! Even when they’re being told bad news, like, “No, Michael’s not here” or “No, you can’t make a withdrawal. We actually want you to pay us before we’ll let you leave.”If little bits of sugary sweetness can brighten those moments, imagine what they can do for your too-small apartment when your great aunts, who don’t like your boyfriend, suddenly feel the urge to spend unending amounts of time with you.

With a little forethought and very little expense, you can make your home an exciting place to be — for you, your guests, and for the children they drag along with them. Placing candy within reach has the incredible and immediate impact of making guests feel more at home. Elevate your freinds’ enjoyment of your company by giving them something sweet to eat.

Christmas Candy

Mmm...Sweet Nostalgia

Celebrate the Season

The fun part of holiday candy is that it’s socially acceptable to put it literally everywhere. Red-and-white-striped candy is the perfect complement to sprigs of evergreen. So hang candy canes on your tree and place peppermint sticks throughout your garland.

It’s super adorable to dress up vintage jars or modern glass vessels for Christmas. Just fill them with different candies and slap on some homemade labels to give your guests a variety of beautiful things to snack on and talk about. So showcase your sweet tooth and brighten up your space at the same time. It’s the one step of holiday decorating that will be painless (and might even make trimming the tree go more smoothly)

Share the Love

Putting candy around the house is a really suave way of getting people to try things that you love. We all want to share things we enjoy, but it can be next to impossible to get friends to take the leap on their own. Instead of giving treats as gifts — and having to wrap them and send them — you can encourage your guests to indulge while keeping you company. It’s the perfect way to change minds and get first dibs on the leftovers.

Keep the Kiddies Busy

We all grow up with our favorite houses to visit — and those we dread. Candy is the best way to swing your friends’ kids’ opinions in your favor. Did you throw away the box of toys your cousin Hannah gave you for occasions like this? Distract with chocolate covered cherries. Have a tendency to snap when someone sets a little foot in your parlor? Grab some gummi bears. When kids have off from school, candy is the prime currency for buying time with your adult friends. The more rooms you decorate with it, the greater the scavenger hunt you can send them on. And the best part is, they’ll love you for it!

There’s no use fighting — embrace the season! String up popcorn with your holly and pair peppermint with your poinsettias. And maybe you’ll make the holidays just a little bit sweeter for your self and everyone who visits you.