By Haley Kelley
Happy National Candy Corn Day!
Did you know this sweet treat had its own holiday today? Many will beg the question as to why.
Candy corn is one of the most controversial candies of the decade, but is it really that bad?
Most people associate candy corn with Halloween, but it lacks in popularity ranking somewhere between circus peanuts and those mysterious, black and orange-wrapped honey peanut butter chews. From candy dishes, to trail mixes, and to free floating at the bottom of a jack-o-lantern, much of candy corn seems to usually get thrown away four weeks later.
We surveyed students, teachers, and administrators and the results are in…
- 56.67% of all surveyed like candy corn
- 43.33% disliked the sweet treat.
This concludes that we are slightly over being equally divided in favor for the candy. Mr. Miller voted in favor of candy corn, so the holiday will not be overlooked.
Most citizens don’t usually think of candy corn, and say “Oh! That candy must have its own holiday!”
National Candy Corn Day is on October 30th, and we asked some of our fellow students their opinions about the candy joyous holiday. Overwhelmingly, results concluded people were in favor of having this candy holiday.
“I like [candy corn] because it’s sweet and festive. —Bright, happy colors, and it looks like a Jack-O-Lantern,” said junior, Emily Raglin.
Mrs. Spell added, “I only enjoy candy corn with roasted peanuts.”
Candy corn was invented in the 1880s at the Wunderlee Candy Company, but wasn’t produced in any mass quantities until the Goelitz Confectionary Company (now the Jelly Belly Candy Company) produced the treat at the turn of the 20th century (1898).
The sweet treat is produced with the original recipe still, although the methods have changed slightly.
The candy is made from sugar, confectioner’s wax, corn syrup, and many different artificial colors and flavorings. The candies are mixed and then put into a cornstarch molding process, which creates the fun kernel shape. The candies are then sifted and put into a large drum pan, in which they will be polished.
While the popular treat is usually known as being the ripe colors of autumn, many may not know that the treat is featured in different varieties such as: Indian corn, Christmas-inspired reindeer corn, Cupid corn, and Bunny corn. Indian corn is often a Thanksgiving treat, and instead of the autumn colors we adore, they have brown, orange, and white colors.
Christmas corn is produced with green, white, and red colors, while Cupid corn is produced in pink, red, and white. Another version, bunny corn, is often found in a variety of pastel colors. Other brands of candies also produce different flavors of the sweet corn, such as: cinnamon and apple flavors.
Sometimes it’s fun to have a holiday to honor something such as a polarizing candy. It juxtaposes real problems, and reminds us that with all the challenges we face in the world, with all the disagreements and division over more pivotal issues, we can come together in heart and in fun to unite for or against something as trivial, harmless, and wonderful as candy.
Happy Halloween, CHS!
THE WARRIOR WORD 