Get your sweet tooth ready for July 20! National Lollipop Day is coming, and if you enjoy hard candies on sticks, this day is for you. Lollipops have been around for more than 100 years, and kids of all ages enjoy them. Whether you prefer fruity, sour, or caramel flavors, you can find a sucker to satisfy your craving. The most popular lollipops that people enjoy today have been on the market for decades. Keep reading to find out where lollipops come from as well as the history of National Lollipop Day.
What Is a Lollipop?
A lollipop is cooked sugar that is shaped and stuck to the end of a stick. Lollipops go by several different names, including suckers and lollies, and they come in a myriad of different flavors. Many people also call them Dum Dums, which is one of the most popular brands of lollipops on the market today. Dum Dums and many other types of lollipops are sold at stores, given as gifts, and especially enjoyed as traditional holiday treats.
The Origins of Lollipops
Many people believe that cavemen made the first lollipops, using sticks to gather honey. Though these prehistoric suckers were nothing like modern lollipops, they do prove our species’ love for sweet treats. Centuries later, records show that people in ancient China and Egypt candied fruit and nuts with honey and placed them on sticks. However, it wasn’t until the 17th century that the English boiled sugar to create hard candy and placed sticks into the sweet treats.
The History of Modern Lollipops
In 1905, McAviney Candy Company was one of the many companies attempting to make their own versions of the lollipop. The company stirred its confections with sticks, which the owner would bring home to his children. The children loved the candy so much that he sold and marketed the product as “candy sticks.”
Though candy sticks may have been the first modern lollipop, George Smith, owner of the Bradley Smith Company, is credited with creating the modern lollipop. He started making them in 1908 and trademarked the word in 1931.
Fun fact: Also in 1908, the first machine that could automatically attach sticks to the ends of hard candies was invented. It produced 40 lollipops in its first year. It was eventually able to produce 1,000 lollipops per day.
Origin of the Word “Lollipop”
Some believe that people started calling the confection a lollipop in England around the time it was invented there. In the lingo of northern England, the word “lolly” means “tongue,” and “pop” means “slap.” Other people figure George Smith named it after his favorite racehorse, Lolly Pop.
History of National Lollipop Day
National Lollipop Day is celebrated in the summer each year on July 20. The day is believed to have been founded by the National Confectioners Association. Since lollipops have been around for more than 100 years and they’re still one of the most popular candies in the world, they deserve a day of recognition.
Celebrate National Lollipop Day
Today, lollipops come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Molds help candy-makers create more than just spheres, circles, and squares. You can find suckers shaped like anything from roses to butterflies.
You can celebrate lollipops any day of the year. Having a holiday merely gives you an incentive to recognize something you love. The national celebration takes place on July 20, and you can prepare in several ways.
Shop for Lollipops
You can stock up on your favorite lollipops to enjoy throughout the week of National Lollipop Day. The best way is to shop for gourmet lollipops in bulk online or visit a candy store in your area. Stores will have beautiful displays that are fun to enjoy. You can also celebrate by attempting to make your own suckers! You can make homemade lollipops with sugar, corn syrup, and flavor extracts, which you boil together and pour into molds.
Sing for Lollipops
Another great way to celebrate National Lollipop Day is by singing songs inspired by candy and lollipops. See if you can make the pop sound by putting your finger in your mouth and pressing on the inner part of your cheek!
Types of Lollipops
People enjoy lollipops for all sorts of reasons. Some enjoy the challenge of reaching the filling inside, while others like the surprise flavors that arise with each lick. The most popular types of lollipops have been around for more than several decades.
Lollipops Through the Decades
Most lollipops that are sold today were invented several decades ago. For instance, Dum Dums were invented in 1924, and Tootsie Pops have been around since 1931. Through the years, companies have come up with all sorts of sweets that can be stuck to the end of a stick. Some have come and gone, but suckers that children and adults enjoy most seem to last on shelves the longest. Popular, vintage lollipops include:
- Blow Pops
- Sugar Daddys
- Rock candy
- Ring Pops
- Cube Pops
More Lollipop Facts
- Few people know that the Dum Dums mystery flavor is always a combination of two flavors. The company creates mystery suckers when the machine switches flavors. Today, Dum Dums makes 12 million suckers per day.
- Tootsie Roll is the number one manufacturer of lollipops in the world. The company produces more suckers than any other company, manufacturing 16 million lollipops per day.
- See’s Candies once made a 7,000-pound lollipop. The world’s largest, it’s mounted on a 12-foot stick.
- People in the Midwest region of the United States are more likely to call a lollipop a sucker.
You’ve still got time to gather what you need to celebrate the history of National Lollipop Day. When you order bulk vintage candy from Sweet Services, you’ll get your order quickly so that you can enjoy the flavors you’ve been missing. Show that you celebrate National Lollipop Day in your social media and newsletters to entice people to come into the office or visit your business this July to enjoy a free lollipop. Put a smile on everyone’s face when you surprise them with brightly colored candies.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.