# We need a new "Candy" Holiday

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-new-candy-holiday/750548>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [March 29, 2016, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-new-candy-holiday/750548 "2016-03-29T18:21:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-new-candy-holiday/750548/1 "2016-03-29T18:21:14Z")

</div>

With the passing of Easter we again enter the DARK HALF of the year. What do those of us with sweet tooths have to look forward to now?  
Okay, maybe mothers can hope for a box of chocolates on Mother’s day, but that leaves the rest of us forlorn. Father’s Day does little to restore the balance. And the other ‘special’ days are a bleak, useless lot: Memorial Day, Flag Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Patriot’s Day, Columbus Day. Not a one of them tend to inspire candy giving, let alone have a signature candy of any sort. Pah! Worthless! We are left desperate and depressed until the glory that is Halloween finally signals the beginning of the BRIGHT HALF of the year – Halloween! Christmas! Valentine’s Day! Easter!

Well, I say that October is too long to have to wait. We need another candy-centric holiday to Keep Hope Alive.

And it seems to me that August, which doesn’t even have one of those useless traditional holidays, is ripe for the take over.

Now the questions are

1. What should we call it? I lean towards bluntness: Gimme Something Sweet Day, maybe?

2. What should its ‘traditional’ candies be? Given the likelihood of heat, maybe it would be best to avoid chocolate. How about Jordan Almonds? Peanut brittle? Lemon drops seem summery to me. Or any assortment of hard candies?  
Hey, I bet we could get the candy manufacturers on board to promote our new holiday in a second!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MoonMoon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonmoon/32/2959_2.png) [@MoonMoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoonMoon)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-new-candy-holiday/750548/2 "2016-03-29T18:43:08Z")

</div>

> [@StarvingButStrong](#):
>
> With the passing of Easter we again enter the DARK HALF of the year. What do those of us with sweet tooths have to look forward to now?

I believe that’s “sweet teeth” or “sweets tooth”.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-new-candy-holiday/750548/3 "2016-03-29T19:13:44Z")

</div>

> [@StarvingButStrong](#):
>
> 1. What should we call it? I lean towards bluntness: Gimme Something Sweet Day, maybe?
> 
> 2. What should its ‘traditional’ candies be? Given the likelihood of heat, maybe it would be best to avoid chocolate. How about Jordan Almonds? Peanut brittle? Lemon drops seem summery to me. Or any assortment of hard candies?

Since you’re aiming for the summer, why not celebrate ice cream? Call it Sundae Sunday.

Hell, why not take over the whole of August? You can have a Month of Sundaes.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-new-candy-holiday/750548/4 "2016-03-29T19:27:33Z")

</div>

You know, some of us don’t need the excuse of a holiday to buy and consume candy. But if you want one, here’s part of the Wikipedia article on chocolate, “Until the 16th century, no European had ever heard of the popular drink from the Central and South American peoples. Christopher Columbus and his son Ferdinand encountered the cacao bean on Columbus’s fourth mission to the Americas on 15 August 1502, when he and his crew seized a large native canoe that proved to contain cacao beans among other goods for trade.”

So August 15 might make an appropriate new holiday.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-new-candy-holiday/750548/5 "2016-03-29T19:35:47Z")

</div>

Every day is Candy Day…

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-new-candy-holiday/750548/6 "2016-03-29T19:43:47Z")

</div>

June 1st could be ChurnsDay. A day of home-made ice cream with a traditional minimum of three flavors.

Milkshake Monday would be the last Monday in July.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-new-candy-holiday/750548/7 "2016-03-29T20:07:26Z")

</div>

Midsummer (20-21 June)  
Lughnasadh / August Eve (Aug. 1)  
Mabon / Autumnal Equinox (Sept 22-23)  
Michaelmas (Sept 29)

Plenty of traditional milestones in there … ripe for new traditions.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![amaguri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@amaguri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amaguri)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-new-candy-holiday/750548/8 "2016-03-29T20:19:14Z")

</div>

I was just thinking about this yesterday while looking at clearance Easter candy (of which there was hardly any-- the vultures arrive early these days!)

Why not just candy-ize the 4th of July?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-new-candy-holiday/750548/9 "2016-03-29T20:29:05Z")

</div>

What about parade candy? Plenty of candy-throwing at parades during Memorial Day, Labor Day, and July 4th. Also lots county/state fairs during the summer with cotton candy.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-new-candy-holiday/750548/10 "2016-03-29T20:42:54Z")

</div>

What, you don’t celebrate Chocolate Tuesday, EVERY Tuesday? Don’t tell me you’re missing out on Caramel Saturdays, or Ice Cream Sundays!!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-new-candy-holiday/750548/11 "2016-03-29T20:56:48Z")

</div>

Chocolate just melts in the summer. That’s why all the upcoming holidays you listed are beer centric holidays.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-new-candy-holiday/750548/12 "2016-03-29T21:21:10Z")

</div>

> [@Dewey\_Finn](#):
>
> You know, some of us don’t need the excuse of a holiday to buy and consume candy. But if you want one, here’s part of the Wikipedia article on chocolate, “Until the 16th century, no European had ever heard of the popular drink from the Central and South American peoples. Christopher Columbus and his son Ferdinand encountered the cacao bean on Columbus’s fourth mission to the Americas on 15 August 1502, when he and his crew seized a large native canoe that proved to contain cacao beans among other goods for trade.”
> 
> So August 15 might make an appropriate new holiday.

All Thieves’ Day ?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-new-candy-holiday/750548/13 "2016-03-29T21:39:05Z")

</div>

> [@amaguri](#):
>
> Why not just candy-ize the 4th of July?

You can if you want, but why not make it something the whole world can share?

I looked at the [list of UN International Days,](http://www.un.org/en/sections/observances/international-days/) for a likely ready-made candidate (or _candy date_, geddit?), and while I’m sure they’re all worthy as hell, some of them are, not to put too fine a point on it, real downers. _United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture_ (June 26) doesn’t really scream sweet treats (though that may be just me).

Fortunately, though, 30th of July is the International Day of Friendship, which sounds lovely. And everyone can share – and by “share” I mean share sweeties from other countries. Wouldn’t that be nice?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-new-candy-holiday/750548/14 "2016-03-29T22:37:05Z")

</div>

For those of us who are diabetic, we’ve now entered into the fewer-temptations half of the year. ☹

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-new-candy-holiday/750548/15 "2016-03-29T22:53:58Z")

</div>

> [@WotNot](#):
>
> Fortunately, though, 30th of July is the International Day of Friendship, which sounds lovely. And everyone can share – and by “share” I mean share sweeties from other countries. Wouldn’t that be nice?

That sounds GREAT! Well, so long as we can pick which international goodies we use. That boiled chunks’o’pumpkin they featured on a recent The Amazing Race wouldn’t make the cut, IMHO.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-new-candy-holiday/750548/16 "2016-03-29T23:48:48Z")

</div>

> [@Sattua](#):
>
> \<snip\>  
> Lughnasadh / August Eve (Aug. 1)
> 
> …  
> Plenty of traditional milestones in there … ripe for new traditions.

My birthday! Sounds like a good excuse for a candy holiday. Feel free to send chocolate my way. 😃

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2016, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-new-candy-holiday/750548/17 "2016-03-29T23:51:33Z")

</div>

> [@Boyo\_Jim](#):
>
> What, you don’t celebrate Chocolate Tuesday, EVERY Tuesday? Don’t tell me you’re missing out on Caramel Saturdays, or Ice Cream Sundays!!

That’s Truffle Tuesday 'round these parts, sir.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2016, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-new-candy-holiday/750548/18 "2016-03-30T00:51:17Z")

</div>

You are all my People.

I’m going to miss the Russell Stover Easter eggs. ::cries::

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2016, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-new-candy-holiday/750548/19 "2016-03-30T01:32:44Z")

</div>

> [@Dewey\_Finn](#):
>
> You know, some of us don’t need the excuse of a holiday to buy and consume candy. But if you want one, here’s part of the Wikipedia article on chocolate, “Until the 16th century, no European had ever heard of the popular drink from the Central and South American peoples. Christopher Columbus and his son Ferdinand encountered the cacao bean on Columbus’s fourth mission to the Americas on 15 August 1502, when he and his crew seized a large native canoe that proved to contain cacao beans among other goods for trade.”
> 
> So August 15 might make an appropriate new holiday.

Wow, I didn’t know that. Chocolate Day! 🙂

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2016, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-new-candy-holiday/750548/20 "2016-03-30T02:45:41Z")

</div>

**StarvingButStrong** , my name is Guestchaz and I approve of and support your mission.

Might I suggest “Mint Julep” day, in keeping with the alcohol-centric traditions of a US summer with a nice drink served along with a variety of mint flavored candies for children and adult alike to enjoy? (the candy for kids and adults both to enjoy, not the drink–reprobates!;))  
MMM yeah, I can see it in my minds eye now. Sometime in the early part of August. Kids all running around screaming, laughing, having a good time chasing each other around the yard. Dad, or whoever, at the helm of the BBQ grill (or barbeque pit depending on location and local culture) There will be piñata’s, lemon bars, chocolate chip ice cream, someone will have brought their old hand crank ice cream maker and a mix of younger kids and tweens and some of the teens, will be taking turns cranking it for homemade ice cream (lots of different flavored toppings and syrups on hand). Uncle Frank (the widower) will be out by the back fence smoking cigarettes and prepping the bonfire for later that night after the sun goes down. Cousin Billy (he’s the one that hasn’t been quite the same after going to Iraq) is out with Frank helping with the fire preparations. He never really liked Frank, but Frank was in Vietnam so they have a connection now, that nobody else in the family shares. Flighty Aunt Jenny(Billy’s mom) brought her Rhubarb and Strawberry pie that no one really likes because she doesn’t like rhubarb and the pie is a joke, but its all she can really cook (it was her Granma’s recipe and came all the way from Wisconsin on the overland trail dontcha know). Uncle Bob, Jenny’s husband couldn’t make it this year. He’s a truck driver and this year had a load that took him to Florida where the truck then broke down. Gramma and Grampa have the motorhome parked out front (they travel around the country a lot visiting all the far flung family, even went to Germany once, to meet some of the more distant relations in the old country) Grampa is taking a nap (Gramma says he’s doing that more and more these days and is worried) while Gramma sits in the shade on the back patio getting cheerfully hammered on Mint Juleps with the Mrs. (who is drinking with a great deal more restraint than Gramma) while feeding the kids as much mint flavored candy as she can force into their mouths without violating the Geneva Convention.

[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-a-new-candy-holiday/750548.md?page=2)
