November 4: celebrate National Candy Day!

Originally written on November 4, 2021 – updated 2023

Do you like candies?
There is nothing like going to the store and picking up whatever grabs your fancy!
After all, who doesn’t love the excuse to eat as much candy as they want? On this day, you can do it!
Whether you are a fan of soft candies, the sour-type, hard candies, or any other sort of treat, you will be able to enjoy sweets galore on National Candy Day. And you can even use this as an opportunity to try any candies that you have not had a chance to experience yet.

Well, there are so many reasons why we love National Candy Day!
Let’s start by stating the obvious: we love candy!
In America, the two top-selling candies are Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and M&Ms.
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are chocolate rounded disks, which are filled with a delicious creamy and sweet peanut butter filling. These iconic cups have been created since 1928, with Hershey’s being the first company to make them.
M&Ms, worldwide popular milk chocolate drops that have a colorful coating of candy on the outside, debuted 13 years later, in 1941, and they were given to soldiers from the U.S. that were serving in World War Two. They were developed by William Murrie and Forrest Mars, Sr.
In Canada, Kit Kat fingers are very popular. Nestle has claimed that here 700 Kit Kat fingers are consumed every second!
Of course, Kit Kats are sold all over the world, with more than 100 countries selling this type of very popular chocolate treat.
In Chile, it is an Italian company that has gained a lot of popularity, Ambrosoli. Today, the brand manufactures a diverse range of fruit candies, caramels, and chocolates.
In Russia, Alpen Gold is one of the most popular candy brands. This is a line of chocolate bars, which come in many different varieties including white, dark, and milk chocolate, which includes liqueur, coffee beans, hazelnuts, and other delicious additions.
In Poland, one of the most popular exports is Prine Polo, which is a wafer bar covered in chocolate. This bar of chocolate is loved amongst Icelanders, in particular. A few decades ago, there were heavy important restrictions in Iceland, but Prine Polo stayed the only foreign candy that was available in the country. It is believed that an average Iceland resident will consume more than a pound of the confection per year.
Not everyone prefers chocolate over gummies, though!
For example in Denmark, the classic gummy bears that are produced by Haribo candy company are very popular. A wide range of other sugary treats is available from the brand as well, including licorice and sour gummy sweets. Interestingly Danes are some of the earth’s most voracious consumers of candy. It is estimated that the average citizen consumes 8 kg of candy every year!
Finally, in the UK, there is no denying that the Cadbury brand of chocolate is incredibly popular. It is distinct from other chocolates because of how milky it is, and there are many different variations available today. This includes chocolate bars with caramel, crushed Oreos, jelly popping candy, mint pieces, and much more! There is a Cadbury chocolate bar for everyone, and there are new variations being experimented with all of the time.
You can spend some time on National Candy Day learning more about the different candies that are consumed around the world.
There are absolutely some interesting concoctions!

And now a little bit of history.
In the early 13th century the English borrowed a word from the French who in turn adopted it from the Arabic word “Qandi” meaning not by chance “to be made from sugar.”
Honey has been a favorite since ancient times. The Egyptians, Arabs, and the Chinese used it to make candied fruits that continue to be popular today, including candied ginger and honeyed dates.
This also helped with the preservation and ability to store fruits as they traveled.
After the Spaniards discovered cocoa, which had been used in South America as an unsweetened drink by the Aztec and Mayans since the late 15th century they began importing it to Europe, where it quickly became popular.
Despite it took until 1847 for the first chocolate bar to be made, chocolate is now one of the world’s favorite candies.
Hard candies became popular until the early nineteenth century, with lemon drops and peppermints as favorites.
When the candy business took off in the early nineteenth century with the excitement spread, candy shops started popping up throughout Europe and the Americas, and the shipping of sugar and cocoa was a big industry during this time.
The competition for finding new ways to make the best candy continues still today, with companies fiercely guarding their confectionary secrets.