Sweetest Day- October 21st

Sweetest Day began in Cleveland, Ohio, and yes, one of the largest greeting card companies in the world, American Greetings, is headquartered in the same city. But that’s just a coincidence. Sweetest Day, which is Oct. 21st this year, actually originated with the kindness of a Cleveland candy company employee.

It was Herbert Birch Kingston, in 1922 who decided he would bring a little cheer to local orphans, shut-ins and others he felt had been “forgotten.” With the help of friends, the big-hearted philanthropist distributed candy and gifts to these less-than-fortunate citizens.

The generosity and sweetness of the gesture caught on, and today Sweetest Day is commemorated by sending greeting cards and gifts to family and friends to remind them that they are loved and appreciated. This remains primarily a regional observance celebrated in the Great Lakes region and the Northeast. However, the observance is gradually spreading to other areas of the country. Industry wide, Ohio is the top state for Sweetest Day sales, followed by Michigan and Illinois.

Texas and Florida also observe Sweetest Day, but if you ask someone in Wisconsin or Connecticut or Montana about Sweetest Day, chances are, they may have no idea what you are talking about.”

On the first Sweetest Day, movie star Ann Pennington presented 2,200 Cleveland newspaper boys with boxes of candy to express gratitude for their service to the public.
Another popular movie star, Theda Bara, distributed 10,000 boxes of candy to people in Cleveland hospitals and also gave candy to all who came to watch her film in a local theater

As people become more mobile and jobs take them to different regions, the once-regional celebration of Sweetest Day is spreading throughout the country. In addition to remembering those sometimes forgotten and showing appreciation for family and friends, Sweetest Day also has become very much a romantic day in most locations.
In time, the Sweetest Day idea of spreading cheer to the underprivileged was broadened to include everyone from family members to sweethearts, and co-workers to acquaintances.