MYNORTHWEST BLOG

How could this be Washington’s most popular holiday candy?

Dec 13, 2017, 7:28 AM | Updated: Dec 4, 2018, 7:20 pm

While Halloween is known for its seasonal sweet tooth, the holidays have also grown a reputation for sweets. It, therefore, came as no surprise that someone did some digging to determine Washington’s most popular holiday candy.

The results are disgusting.

RELATED: In the kitchen with the creator of Cinnabon rolls

Source: CandyStore.com

Candy canes are apparently the holiday sweet that Washingtonians can’t get enough of. Coming in at second place is Reese’s Minis. Third place goes to Skittles.

The folks at CandyStore.com surveyed 50,000 of its customers as well as major candy distributors to determine the top three most popular holiday candy in each state. I admit, their methods are decent. But validity that only makes it worse.

Candy canes are an honorable mention when it comes to sweets in general, let alone holiday candy. They only get invited to the Christmas party because they dressed the part. They’re left over from a time long ago when a tacky stick that left a sugary mess was a delight when compared to the other most popular treat of the day — a regular stick.

This is a candy in which the only good thing anyone has ever said about it is, “At least it’s not candy corn.” Which, by the way, is Washington’s favorite Halloween candy — another abomination, but that’s another story. In fact, CandyStore.com also did a poll for America’s most hated holiday candy — candy canes came in at 11. Non-peppermint candy canes ranked eighth.

Better holiday candy

Therefore, I offer to my fellow Washingtonians my top three holiday candy options that are better than candy canes.

  • Anything.
  • Reese’s Minis: In this case, Washington picked well. Even if it’s only the second most popular candy in the state.
  • Local candy: If you’re going to up your risk of diabetes, you might as well support your local economy. Do you realize how many sweets peddlers are from the area? From Theo Chocolate in Seattle to Bon Bon Candies on Bainbridge Island — you have options. Jones Soda — which refers to itself as a “treat” — is based in Seattle. There’s also Aplets & Cotlets out of Cashmere. Brown-Haley has been producing Almond Roca out of Tacoma for nearly 100 years.

And many of these products have something wonderful in common — they aren’t candy canes.

MyNorthwest Blog

satellites, night sky...

Bill Kaczaraba

Opinion: With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world

American author Max Ehrmann wrote a poem in 1921. It was distributed in a Christmas card in 1933,

3 months ago

Gingerbread House...

MyNorthwest Staff

KIRO Newsradio wins Bonneville Gingerbread House competition

In a tradition unlike any other, the second annual Bonneville Seattle Gingerbread House competition was fierce between multiple departments.

3 months ago

recount election king...

Bill Kaczaraba

Kaczaraba: It took an election for me to figure out I don’t live in Edmonds

I was excited to get to vote on Edmonds mayor because I had been seeing signs all over the neighborhood. But it was not to be.

5 months ago

All-Star Game T-Mobile Park...

Bill Kaczaraba

Kaczaraba: MLB All-Star Game a picture perfect day for Seattle

What we witnessed this week was a spectacular Seattle. Homeless encampments were gone. Sidewalks were power-washed. There were even baskets with flowers hanging.

9 months ago

summer solstice...

Bill Kaczaraba

Kaczaraba: Summer solstice brings season of concerts, hikes

The summer solstice has come and gone, ushering in everyone's favorite season across the Pacific Northwest.

9 months ago

Seattle Sonics...

Bill Kaczaraba

Could Seattle Sonics 2.0 be on the horizon?

With the NBA Finals in full swing, league Commissioner Adam Silver is talking about a possible revival of the Seattle Sonics.

10 months ago

How could this be Washington’s most popular holiday candy?