Sweetest Day

Sweetest Day is an observance that is popular in the Great Lakes region of the United States. The holiday, which began during the Great Depression, was originally meant as an opportunity to give tokens of affection to the forgotten of society: the sick, elderly and orphaned. The holiday today offers an additional opportunity for giving gifts to those who have been helpful or kind to us.^{1 2}

Fast Facts

1. Sweetest Day is traditionally observed on the third Saturday of October
2. Origin is debated: Some references say the holiday began on October 8, 1922; others say it was first observed in 1927^{1 2}
3. Most frequently attributed to Herbert Birch Kingston, a candy company employee^{1 2}
4. The Sweetest Day in the Year Committee, a committee of 12 confectioners, are said to have planned the first Sweetest Day observance in Cleveland, Ohio³
5. 20,000 boxes of candy were given to newsboys, orphans, elderly and the poor on first Sweetest Day⁴
6. Theda Bara and Ann Pennington, famous actresses of the day, helped distribute candy⁴

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