The "Sweets For My Sweet" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just opened my Valentine's card from my wife after watching her open the sweetheart greeting I got for her.  The "When you care enough to send the very best" cards were great this year, as usual, but the chocolates that accompanied them were even better.  Seems that Carol bought me her favorite chocolates while I bought her my favorite chocolates.  We naturally have to share with each other, so we are both pleased with our gifts.  One item that we did not share with each other this year were the little valentine greetings that are stamped into tiny sugar hearts that at times can taste like cardboard. But then who would know what cardboard tastes like but me.  Called Sweethearts and are made by the Necco company.  One of America’s oldest candy companies, Necco was founded in 1847 in Boston by Englishman Oliver Chase, who got the business off to a good start by inventing devices that cut candy lozenges and pulverized sugar. Necco first sold confections similar to Sweethearts, but in the shape of scallop shells.  Messages written on colored paper were tucked inside the fortune cookie-style candy. Fourteen years later, Oliver’s brother Daniel designed a machine that stamped words directly on the candies with red vegetable dye.  And, the rest is history as they say. My mom used to buy me a bag of the Sweethearts to take to my elementary school and give to my friends at Valentine's Day.  Back then you were allowed to share food and no one was afraid to eat what they received in their paper bag that was taped to the front of their desk to hold all the treats and naturally the cards.  I always saved the mushiest Sweetheart greetings for my favorite girl. I was reading in Wired Magazine last month that Necco just retired 20 more of the sayings that are stamped into the sugar treats as well as added a few new ones that are more pertinent in today's society.  Five letters on the top and four on the bottom are all that can be stamped on the tiny chalk-like colored hearts.  New ones like "Tweet Me", "Text Me", and "Love Bug" have replaced old ones like "Dig Me", "Cool Dude", "Groovy", "Fax Me", "Hot Cha" and "You Are Gay".  The company has also tinkered with the Sweethearts’ flavors. Marketing research showed that children prefer bolder tastes and colors. Out went banana, cherry and wintergreen and in came bright blue raspberry, lemon and green apple. This caused a bit of a backlash from sentimental baby boomers who wanted their old candy back. The company was inundated with calls, letters and e-mails complaining about the change. Facebook pages were created to spread the word and fans ranted on blogs about the new confections: “toxic,” “yuck,” taste like “aspirin.”  For me, I always thought they tasted terrible, but they still seem to sell their 13 million pounds of Sweethearts every Valentine's season.  As for me, I'm so glad I gave up all that sugar and stamped nonsense for plain old chocolate which I read all the time is good for you!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.