Today is National Sweetest Day. It always falls on the third Saturday of October.
Reportedly, the day began in 1922 (so happy 100 years!), by Herbert Birch Kingston, a Cleveland, Ohio, candy company employee. He wanted to bring happiness to the lives of those who were often forgotten. So he and others distributed candy and small gifts to orphans, and people who were shut-ins.
By the 1930s, movie stars got in on the fun. Ann Pennington gave candy to Cleveland newspaper boys while Theda Bara offered candy to theater-goers and patients in Cleveland hospitals.
While the day was (and still is) most prevalently acknowledged in the Great Lakes region, it has became a holiday recognized throughout America. In the 1960s, Hallmark even began producing Sweetest Day cards.
The day is simply meant to be a reminder that a thoughtful word, deed, or token gift can bring a smile to someone who could use a little extra dose of joy.
Today would also have been my mom’s birthday.
When I was young, I thought it was pretty special the Sweetest Day sometimes fell on her birthday. It seems like a few times one of my aunts even did a little something extra to celebrate the holiday landing on Mom’s birthday.
I hope today you’ll take a few minutes to do something sweet for someone else. Any gesture or kind word, no matter how small, can make someone’s day.
Wishing you a beautiful and Happy Sweetest Day!
