7 Candies That Will Bring Back Childhood Memories
My grandma used to pick out a small bag of candy every Saturday when her family visited their local meat locker. While her dad was stacking slabs of beef in the chilly deep freeze, she was in the nearby candy shop with her sister, carefully selecting candies from glass jars. Their favorite? Maple nuggets.
When they got home, they would all play cards together and share a small bag of potato chips, but (because they had to share with the rest of their brothers and sisters) they had to wait until the next morning to eat the tantalizing maple nuggets.
The anticipation. The chewy center and creamy, maple covering. The memories.
I’ve found that a lot of boomers have similar experiences with old time candies. It only takes one look, one smell, one word, and they are back in that candy shop with just a nickel or dime to spend. Here are 7 candies that may just take you down memory lane.
- Atomic Fireballs
These red, plastic-wrapped wrapped jawbreakers don’t start out too hot, but give it a few minutes, and you start to feel the burn. Let it set a while longer, and your mouth is on fire… a real face-contorting, tear-jerking, sweat- inducing treat. Did you make it until the end…or were you a wimp?
- Candy Cigarettes
Way back when, kids were chain-smokin’ these babies by the carton. They’re practically a chalky and sugary gateway drug to real tobacco…
All right, that’s probably taking it too far! But for real—did you know that candy cigarettes are banned in many countries for this very reason?
- Neccos: “The Original Candy Wafer”
Spearmint. Black licorice. Cinnamon. These chalky discs of sugar were stacked into a cylinder and wrapped in paper. They are basically glorified tums, but when you’re a kid, you don’t care! Candy is candy, after all!
- Clark’s Teaberry Gum (and the rockin’ commercial)
What made this gum special was not its flavor or the pink packaging, but its commercial. Does anyone remember the teaberry shuffle commercial? I bet some of you recall soldiers, shoppers, and football players alike popping a piece of gum and then busting a killer dance move… “Clark’s teaberry gum presents the teaberry shuffle!” After a little jig, they continued as if nothing happened. If you are having trouble picturing it, click the link to view the video. I had a good belly laugh…I’m sure you will too!
- Wax Lips
Ridiculous? Yes. Flavorless? You bet. Still pretty awesome? Of course! This Halloween gag is exactly what it sounds like: lips made of edible wax—fun to play with, not so much to eat.
- Squirrel Nut Zipper
These nutty, creamy, vanilla caramels are a classic. But do you know how they got their name? I read this story on oldtimecandy.com. It’s quite funny: After coaxing a drunken man down from a tree, the cops asked him to explain himself. He said, “It must have been the nut zipper,” referring to a popular alcoholic beverage in the town. One of the managers of the Squirrel Brand read the police report in the newspaper. He thought it was a great name for their new candy…and the rest is history.
- Sky Bars
Yellow wrapper. Red lettering. Milk chocolate compartments with a different delicious filling in each: one section of vanilla, one of caramel, one of peanut, and one of fudge. Eat your favorite section first or last. It’s up to you.
That’s all I got folks! I hope this post awakened your sweet tooth. And if it awakened any childhood memories as well, please share them in the comments. We want to reminisce with you!
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