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Saint Valentine’s Day – An Interesting History

Valentine’s Day is a day to embrace and celebrate romance, friendship and those who are dear – but it didn’t start off that way. Learn more about the history and traditions of this sweet and special day. It’s bigger than you think in ways you didn’t know…Oreo Cookie and Pretzel Tray Candyland Valentne's Day

The History of Valentine’s Day

“Lupercalia” was the ancient Roman Festival celebrated on February 15 – a day when priests gathered in the cave of Romulus and Remus, Rome’s founders, who were believed to have been raised by wolves (“Lupus” is Latin for wolf). As part of this ancient festival, the names of those likely to become sweethearts were drawn. Over time, Christianity mingled with the Pagan traditions, and by the fifth century there were two martyrs named Valentine: a bishop marrying couples against the emperor’s wishes, and a man who helped persecuted Christians. Thus, recognition of a hero was a welcome cause to be celebrated. Rather than sweethearts’ names being drawn, the names of saints were drawn.

As time progressed, Valentine’s Day celebrations dwindled by the Middle Ages, and in France and other countries by the 19thcentury. Britain however continued on, with Geoffrey Chaucer’s and William Shakespeare’s works promoting the idea of Valentine’s Day as a representationof love in referring to birds pairing off on that day.

Valentine’s Day Today

Clearly, Valentine’s Day has been central in religious and literary circles for centuries, expanding and evolving across the globe and along the way. Today, the exchange of Valentines gifts has created an industry that exceeds $1 billion per year. As that number continues to grow, we are heartened to know that more people than ever are now included in the celebration of Valentine’s Day.

The traditional day set aside to give candy and flowers to sweethearts has expanded to include celebrating friendships and those who matter to us. Think of it this way, really: no longer does it need to be the day that only lovers make a special effort to do something special – utter poetry, buy gifts, or perform other acts of chivalry. Now, the celebration is wider, more diverse, and certainly more all-encompassing. More happy people can now give and receive cards, flowers, and our favorite – candy – to anyone whose day they’d like to brighten up.

Your best friend, for example, may enjoy chocolate dipped strawberries and a simple card to let them know they matter.

Clearly, Valentines’ Day has a long, rich history, and has not always been about big business. For our part, we champion its origin and the latest trend.

If you’d like to show your friends, family, and loved ones that you care this Valentine’s Day – or even just surprise your co-workers with a treat – check out some of the delicious items we have.

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It’s Apple Crisp Season | Recipe

Fall is in the air, which means it’s apple picking seasons in New England. If you’re home from your apple-centric excursion and wondering what to do with your haul, we’ve got a delicious – and easy! – Apple Crisp recipe for you to try.

Apple Crisp

Apple Crisp

Ingredients.

  • 2 1/2 cups apples (peeled, cored, sliced)
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cups sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened.

Instructions.

  • Lightly grease 8” sq. pan.
  • Arrange apples evenly in pan.
  • Sift flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.
  • Cut in butter using a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal; sprinkle over apples.
  • Bake in preheated 375 degree oven 40-45 mins.
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Candyland’s Annual Trip to Fairs Across the Country!

Well, yes, it is a tough job – sort of – but somebody has to do it. Surrounded by sweets, the smell of roasted nuts, and the velvety swirls of melted chocolate that are about to make our gourmet apples even better. If summer is traditionally a relaxing, kick-back, indulge the sun and fun time for most people, it is a very different-but-fun story for us at Candyland.  It’s time to go to the State Fairs! Our annual road trip begins!Candyland Loading Truck

Seven Fairs in seven states. It’s a road trip that begins in July and wraps up in mid-November. In total, ten members of the Candyland family are beginning the nation-wide trek to set up exhibit space with aisles of candy, often in buildings 33’x165’, during nine months of the year. Typically, it takes 700-800 hours to prepare for the tour of national fairs each year, with our team logging hundreds of miles of travel, and months of 16-hour, fast-paced days.

Preparation begins with ordering and packing, of course. For us, that means, forklifting 39 3’x4’ pallets stocked with roughly 30,000 pounds. of candy onto trailers. Specifically, we’re loading up America’s favorite old-fashioned candies, nuts, and fudge. If you didn’t grow up eating it, your parents and grandparents probably did, and after one sample tasting, most adults wish they were kids again.Candyland Warehouse

 

By opening day in each state, we are ready for the visitors who can’t resist selecting penny candy from bins and lining up for the caramel and chocolate hand-dipped, decorated, gigantic apples, pretzels, and cookies. All of which are beautifully presented (if we do say so ourselves) on display trays, freshly re-stocked every day.

As the saying goes, “time flies when you’re having fun,” and it’s hard to believe that we’ve been at this for more than 50 years. These shows have become as much a staple of the Candyland Warehouse as the permanent, 4,000 square foot warehouse and 2,000 square foot retail space operating as Candyland Warehouse in Warwick, RI. For those who cannot visit our Rhode Island home, we think we’ve done a pretty good job of bringing everything to everyone in every state we visit.

If your family is one of the many headed out on a summer road trip this year, stop in if you’re near any of the states hosting these fairs. We guarantee it will create sweet memories that last a lifetime, or two. We can’t imagine not being there.

Here’s our schedule, hope to see you at the Fair!Candyland Ferris Wheel At Night

  • August 16th– 26th | Kentucky State Fair
  • August 23rd– September 30th | New York State Fair
  • September 12th– 30th | Big E
  • October 18th– 28th | Pensacola
  • October 23rd– 28th | Washington Horse
  • November 8th– 18th | North Florida
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Candyland Market Launches New and Improved Website

RI-Based Distributor of Candies and Chocolates Launches New, User-friendly, Responsive Site

Warwick, RI – Candyland Market, a Warwick, Rhode Island business founded in 1953 and now one of the largest suppliers of candies, chocolates, nuts, and confections in the United States, announced today the launch of its new website.

Candy Land Website Screenshot
The new website, http://candylandmarket.com, features a new, user-friendly, responsive design, streamlined navigation and enhanced purchasing and shipping system while also allowing users to easily view existing and upcoming promotions. The most significant improvement is that users are now able to quickly search through the nearly 800 products SKUs by category or by color. In response to direct customer request, Candyland now offers the ability to quickly search by specific occasions, such as weddings, events or themed parties. Additionally, users are now able to set up an account that can save their contact and shipping information to help expedite future purchases.

Beyond the improved functionality, the new site now includes information about a variety of holidays, special occasions and events, where selected items are used to create candy buffets, (for bridal showers, weddings, etc.) and corporate baskets, and where their gourmet, hand-dipped, hand-decorated chocolate covered apples are designed by holiday as well as for custom-order.

“We are pleased to have increased the functionality of our website,” notes Taylor Burke, Candyland Market manager and family member. We have generations of family members who shop at our retail location, visit us at exhibits and fairs, and we are now able to make shopping online seamless, easier, and more fun.”

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About Candyland Market
Founded in 1953, Warwick, RI-based Candyland Market is one of the largest purveyors of candies, chocolates, nuts, and confections in the United States. A family-owned and operated company, Candyland Market maintains a Warwick retail and production facility, an e-commerce site, sponsors and exhibits at state fairs and festivals across the country each year, delighting customers young and old with today’s most popular candies as well as those from bygone eras.

Candyland Market also operates the following business lines: Candies of Yesteryear, The Fruit & Nut House, Lady Ann Candies, and Candy Country Warehouse.

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