“Life and candy are reminders that the world is full of sweetness”

It’s amazing how a bit of candy from your youth can stir up memories. I received this box of assorted goodies as a gift and what I found inside was more many more memories than sugary treats.

Anyone growing up in Cambridge Ma. has to know the Necco wafer … From 1927 until 2003 NECCO was headquartered there and its water tower was painted to replicate the familiar NECCO wafer discs. In 1927, this factory was the largest in the world devoted to candy making. Walking the streets around Lafayette Square one could detect the sweet of candy from the Necco building and kids loved to buy seconds candy (not perfect) from the factory stores at big discounts. Today, NECCO is the oldest continuously operating candy company in the U.S. although the company has moved to Revere plant and Wisconsin.

Sugar Babies reminded me of the movie theater soft, chewy caramel guaranteed to glue your jaws shut, well that is if a Turkish Taffy or a Black Cow didn’t do the trick. If you liked options in your sweet pleasures then Chuckles, Dots, Mike & Ikes offered variety. For laughs Wax Lips were a great way to practice kissing without commitment and guaranteed to make everyone laugh…I’d chew mine into a ball and swallow them still wondering to this day how my body processed all that refined wax. Speaking about chewing how about Bazooka, Teaberry, Black Jack and Choward’s chewing gum? Incidentally, I gave out bubble gum cigars after each my daughters were born to celebrate because I hated the smoke from cigars … Lucky Lights were those candy cigarettes that has a red tip to simulate the fire end of the smoke…my wife was surprised to learn about the red end as she thought it was a lipstick mark like her aunt used to leave on here smokes. Again remembering candy marks how about those candy necklaces we wore on a sweaty summer day that left rainbow marks on your neck?

On a day when we tend to think back over how it felt to be younger I can tell you that a small box of assorted retro candies can help you zoom back in time…

“Try a bit of candy to enjoy some sweet memories they are a gift from days gone by”.