Sunday, October 19, 2008

Sweetest Day

I have never really paid much attention to Sweetest Day before and I didn't really think much of it yesterday either. I have always thought of it as a day to celebrate with your significant other-almost like another Valentine's Day. Since Rich and I celebrate our anniversary at the end of October, we have never felt the need to celebrate Sweetest Day as well.

The little I thought about Sweetest Day yesterday, I was curious what it was really about. If it was a time to celebrate your sweetheart, then shouldn't I be celebrating all the sweethearts in my life? The babies bring me joy and are as sweet as my husband, so shouldn't they be entered into the sweetheart category as well?

It turns out, after researching what Sweetest Day is, I discovered that I was completely wrong! It didn't start as a day to celebrate your significant other, nor was it a day to celebrate all the sweethearts in your life. Sweetest day was started in 1921 by a committee of candy makers in Cleveland, Ohio who distributed 20,000 boxes of candy to the poor, including: newsboys, elderly and orphans. Although it was meant to be a day to remember the less fortunate, it has become what people think of as a 'Hallmark holiday' to give gifts, candy and cards to loved ones. It makes me wonder what the original committee of candy makers would think of what Sweetest Day is today.

Even though most people now celebrate Sweetest Day by buying gifts for a significant other, I like what the Cleveland candy makers where trying to start. They wanted to bring something sweet into the lives of those who were having a rough time. When I think of the people I know who are going through tough times, I realize they could use a special day just as much, or more than, my sweethearts. Now that I know what Sweetest Day is truly about, I think I am going to try celebrate it in the years to come. Not by giving a gift to my husband, but by giving sweets to those who are less fortunate, like Sweetest Day was meant to be.

(I found my information through Wikipedia. If you would like to read more about Sweetest Day, click here.)

This is a picture I took Saturday thinking it was a sweet picture of my sweethearts on Sweetest Day. :-)

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