Sweetest Day is for everyone!

Florists have great ideas for celebrating Sweetest Day!

Candy and flowers make any Sweetest Day even sweeter!

It is an original American holiday that is not based on any single group’s religious sentiment or on a family relationship. Not meant to be a pale imitation of Valentine’s Day reserved for expressing romantic love, it was actually created specifically to express love and concern for individuals routinely neglected by society. Observed on the third Saturday in October, Sweetest Day began in Cleveland, Ohio.

Herbert Birch Kingston, a philanthropist and candy company employee, originally decided to bring happiness into the lives of children, orphans, the elderly, shut-ins and others he thought might be forgotten during other holidays. Birch inaugurated the first Sweetest Day in1922, giving more than 10,000 boxes of candy to primarily underprivileged children. Following Birch’s initial success, local candy makers in Cleveland and throughout the Northeast and Great Lakes regions continued the tradition of giving and referred to it as “The Sweetest Day of the Year,” leading to today’s shortened name of Sweetest Day.

The practice became so popular that many people began to look beyond the charity aspect and started providing treats not only for the underprivileged, but also for their friends and family members. Naturally, florists realized the many contributions they could make to this worthwhile holiday and soon became integral to the holiday’s popularity. Over time the popularity of Sweetest Day has spread throughout the United States, having retained its original purpose. However, it has also taken on a somewhat more romantic focus. This has reinforced the importance of florists who deliver chocolates, candy, and flowers, the most popular gift items, that will be sure to put the “sweet” in anyone’s Sweetest Day.