By Valentina Ceriello
When we think of Valentine’s Day, we think of hearts, flowers, Cupid, and most importantly, candy. Did you know that behind these special candies, there are interesting histories? Let’s take a look at four famous Valentine’s Day candies and the history behind them.
Candy Hearts
Candy hearts, commonly called conversation hearts, are small candy hearts with messages such as “XOXO” and “Be mine.” According to the Office for Science and Society at McGill University, candy hearts actually were made in a pharmacy in 1847 by a scientist named Oliver R. Chase. He started the invention of a candy-making machine by crushing what he had in his apothecary, which were medicinal and binding ingredients, and this led to the creation of a lozenge-cutting machine. The invention of this machine led to another invention, Necco Wafers, which became popular during the Civil War. The real story behind the candy hearts connects back to the American Civil War, when soldiers sent love letters home and sometimes included Necco Wafers as a gift. By the early 1900s, the candies had become smaller and began to feature the iconic messages we see today, like “Be mine” and “Kiss me.” Necco, the company that made the candy hearts, declared bankruptcy in 2018, and Spangler Candy acquired the rights to the candy hearts the following year. Because of these two events, candy hearts were not on store shelves for two years, but they were recently brought back in 2020. These make for the perfect Valentine’s Day candy to gift your loved ones!
Hershey’s Kisses
Hershey’s Kisses are chocolate candies in the shape of large chocolate chips, and they make for a great snack. According to Hershey Community Archives, Hershey’s Kisses were first made in 1907. They were first manufactured in regular aluminum foil with no paper tab for opening. The tab was added to the candy in 1921 to differentiate them from other manufacturers of the same item. According to the “Time Magazine” article, “How the Hershey’s Kiss Conquered Valentine’s Day,” “...the most marketable thing about the candy this time of year [Valentine’s Day] is its name.” “Time Magazine” also said that in 2014, Hershey’s Kisses were the second most popular packaged candy for the Valentine’s season. Over the years, the Hershey company has introduced other colors, like red for Valentines day and white for Christmas. As of this year, the candy has been in production for 119 years.
Heart-Shaped Chocolate Box
Northeastern Global News states the heart-shaped chocolate box (first known as the Fancy Box) was made in the 1860s by Richard Cadbury, a famous chocolatier, whose Cadbury’s chocolates are still in production today. It led to huge success for the Cadbury company. Cadbury is also responsible for putting classic Valentine’s day symbols, i.e. Cupid and rosebuds, on Valentine’s tins. By the 1930s, other companies followed the trend of having heart-shaped chocolate boxes, like Russell Stover, another chocolate brand. Did you know that Americans buy around thirty-six million heart-shaped chocolate boxes a year for Valentine’s Day?