Unwrapping the Tootsie Pop Wrapper

by Laurnie Wilson

Unwrapping a Mysterious Wrapper

Find a Tootsie Pop with a Native American chief shooting at a star, and you could win a free bag of Tootsie Pops, right?

This rumor has been circulating almost since Tootsie Pops were created, in 1931. But what’s the truth? Will the Tootsie Pop people reward you for finding this specially wrapped treat? We’re about to unwrap the truth around this candy and find out what it’s all about. So read on!

Back in the day (and we mean the early 1900’s) , many candy companies offered some incentive for purchasing their sweets. For example, if you saved enough wrappers, you could often mail them in and receive a prize. And since kids love candy and kids love prizes, that was a pretty good business model, don’t you think?

Tootsie Pops Revealed

While that may have been the case, Tootsie Pop people were not one of the companies that offered this kind of reward. Yet, somehow or other, people assumed they did. After all, the “Indian Wrapper” as it was called, wasn’t on every Tootsie Pop, just a select few—30% to be exact. And selectivity like that must have meant that it was special, right?

Unfortunately, there was nothing special about this different packaging. It was simply different. So what did the company do when children wrote to them, asking for their free candy? At first, they sent what must have been a very disappointing apology letter, explaining that the rumors were merely rumors and there was no reward for finding the special candy.

A Tootsie Pop Tale

But in 1982, Tootsie Pop decided to spice things up a little. This year, they invented “The Legend of the Indian Wrapper,” a story to respond to all people asking for their free candy. The idea was that, even though it wasn’t exactly what people were asking for, it was at least a fun story that might make the let-down of not receiving anything a little bit easier.

I don’t know about you, but I’d still be pretty disappointed! That said, the story is charming and somewhat hopeful for those who may wish upon a star for their candy dreams to come true. But you can take a look at the story and decide for yourself!

Ultimately, while the rumors of the free Tootsie Pops may be untrue, the deliciousness of the candy is certainly no myth! So when you unwrap your next Tootsie Pop, whether an “Indian Wrapper” or not, you’re sure to enjoy every last lick.

McKeesport Candy co., the fulfillment arm of CandyFavorites, has been selling Tootsie Products since they opened it's doors in 1927.

To browse our selection of Tootsie Products, please click here.

Sources:

https://message.snopes.com/business/graphics/tootlett.gif
https://www.snopes.com/business/redeem/tootsie.asp
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tootsie_Pops#Rumors_and_set_attempts_for_Tootsie_Pop
https://urbanlegends.about.com/od/business/a/tootsie_pop.htm 
https://www.siouxlandobserver.blogspot.com/