The word is out - candy is recession proof. We'll give up vacations, we'll take the bus, we might even make our own coffee! But give up candy? Oh hell no! Yay, I say!
Candy got Americans through the Great Depression. Ol' Milton Hershey made chocolate affordable for the masses and we loved it! Soldiers in both World Wars had bars made by Hershey. I bought a pack of Dark Chocolate Peanut M& M's for 54 cents yesterday. Now you just can't beat that!!! I was skeptical of the dark chocolate, but they were fantastic!! That's a whole lotta happy for 54 cents!
When times are tough, we turn to candy. Why? Because it tastes good, it reminds us of our childhoods, it's fun! I want you to take a minute and think of some of the fun you have had with candy, and I would love it if you would share your story with us! Add a comment please!
I like Twizzlers when I'm at the movies. Not only is a Twizzler fun to eat, you can conduct music with it; you can wave it at the characters who are doing stupid things; you can even use it to pop your friends if they need to be kept in line. The Junior Mint is also a great movie candy, although I don't think the Seinfeld surgery episode can be topped. I once had a friend who would get Raisinets (this will also work with Goobers) and dump them in her popcorn, shake it all up and have a great sweet and salty treat. Something about the candy adds to the fun. I mean having a ham and cheese sandwich at the movies just ain't the same thing.
I've never been a pacer - I just chomp my candy right down. But some people have style and staying power. They eat the candy coating and chocolate off their Peanut M & Ms first. Some eat the ridges off Reese's Cups, then the chocolate and try to save the peanut butter for last. I didn't even take Oreos apart as a kid - I was too busy cramming them in. I did however manage to eat the marshmallows last in my Lucky Charms. If you've got stories, I'd love to hear 'em!
Of course, my theory was that while my brother was taking his Oreos apart and licking the cream, I could eat five. Less for him, more for me! I realize there's a special place in candy hell for older sisters like me, but I don't care. I'd steal his Halloween candy if he were here today. Well, if he were here and it were Halloween. Well, if he were here and it was Halloween and we were young enough to go Trick-or-Treating. Well, just so you know what a bad-ass I am when it comes to candy.
I think candy is recession proof because it's one of the few ways adults can still have fun. I've been to both Chocolate World at Hershey and M & M world in Vegas and never have I seen so many delighted adults. The kids were just getting dragged along as props. We're all wrapped so tight, trying to get so much done in so little time, running from one thing to the next, taking ourselves WAY too seriously - we NEED candy! Candy lets us have a little fun and a little pleasure and not go to prison.
It's like the day I almost killed Joe India my customer "service" rep. After I ate a few Tootsie Rolls I was back to my old self. Who can stay mad and eat Tootsie Rolls? It's just not possible. Think about the potential for this - the next time some is furious with you - hand him a Peep. Who can be mad while holding a Peep? Call Condoleezza - world peace is just a few Peeps away.
Maybe we should start dropping Hershey's kisses all over the Middle East!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite candy memory, by the way, is going to summer camp and waiting in line after swimming at the "canteen." I always bought Swedish Fish with my pennies. As much as I love chocolate, the taste of Swedish Fish still takes me back to age 10 on a hot summer's day.
But back to the Middle East ... you couldn't really drop Swedish Fish, because it's not universally loved, plus they might think you're trying to make a Christian statement with the fish thing and they'd just take out another skyscraper ... so stick with the Hershey's kisses and blanket Hezbollah territories with them. Don't you think it could work?