another hallmark holiday?

while browsing the greeting card section at the hallmark shop in livingston mall, my eyes were lured to a small section that read, "sweetest day, oct. 20th".

"sweetest day"? huh? is this another excuse to mimic valentine's day in autumn?

a quick googling yielded the answers to my card query. according to wikipedia, "sweetest day" was originally concocted by candymakers, giving "all of us an opportunity to remember not only the sick, aged and orphaned, but also friends, relatives and associates whose helpfulness and kindness we have enjoyed."

sweets for my sweet tooth? as if halloween isn't enough, which is also in october. i can imagine my dentist looming above my head, scaling equipment in hand, shaking his head in grim disapproval as i sink my teeth into my cadbury flake.

apparently the very first "sweetest day" was celebrated in cleveland, ohio in 1922. however, the confectioner's holiday did not become widely popular as they had hoped, so that it's really more of a "great lakes region" (ohio, illinois, michigan, indiana & wisconsin, specifically) occasion.

at least now i know that the "sweetest day" falls on the third saturday of october. but if you ask any person when that day is, i'm sure you'll get subjective responses.

satisfy your "sweetest day" craving by reading more about it from the people who "care enough to send the very best."