Candy

There is no denying the appeal of giving and receiving gift cards for the holidays. As fun as it is to shop for gifts, and open a shiny present full of promise, the simple fact is that even when we know which stores our friends and family love, we don’t always know exactly what it is they love in those stores. Or which color. Or which size. You get the picture! It’s not that we aren’t listening or aren’t attuned to the things they like, it’s just that the possibility for making a mistake can be pretty high, and mistakes mean waiting in long lines after the holidays to make exchanges and returns. And that’s only if they feel comfortable enough asking for the receipt!

In tough economic times, many of us have cut back quite a bit on buying non-necessities. That makes the gifts we receive all the more important, allowing us the little luxuries we may not need, but definitely want! Getting gift cards from our favorite stores helps us check some items off this wish list without feeling guilty that we really should have saved the money, paid a little more on a credit card, or put it toward any of the other million more practical things. Gift cards force us to treat ourselves to something nice without worry, and that always feels good! But the simple fact remains that they aren’t as fun to open as presents. And giving pretty presents is as fun as opening pretty presents. Much more fun than just a card for sure. Oh, the dilemma!

Don’t worry, we didn’t just write this post to let you know we share in your struggle. We wrote it because we have the solution! And, as it so often is, candy is the answer. A whole box full of candy, in fact. With a gift card nestled inside. You get to give the gift of choice, they get to go shopping without guilt, and you can wrap all that awesomeness up with some fabulous candy so they have a box to open and candy to open. This fairy tale practically wrote itself.

So which candy to put inside? Consider the ages of the people you’ll be gifting, as well as how much candy you want to put inside each box, and how much you’d like to spend. Our white empty candy boxes start at just $6.95 for 25, and can be easily personalized with stickers, markers, or glitter glue. You can also simply wrap them up with a ribbon or top them with a bow! To keep the filler cheap, opt for selections from our parade candy and bulk candy lineup. Options include: Jaw Breakers, Tootsie Frooties, Dum Dum pops, Goetze’s Caramel Creams and Jolly Ranchers. All tasty, all perfectly-sized for customized candy boxes!

I’ve always believed that there are two easy ways to make something cuter, cooler or just plain funner – make it mini, or make it jumbo! Of course when the thing we’re talking about is candy, jumbo is the preferable choice. After all, you don’t often hear someone say, “This candy bar would be perfect if there weren’t so much of it!” That’s like wishing a bubble bath had less bubbles, or puppies were less adorable. Who would want that?! So with jumbo candy being the oh-so-better choice, it goes without saying that it makes an awesome Christmas idea that’s affordable and sure to bring a smile. And we just happen to have some of that giant goodness here at Blair Candy! Let’s look at 3 of our many tremendous treats…

Giant Gummy Bears – Nope, they aren’t an urban legend. Neither are they in a cage at a roadside carnival alongside the bearded lady or world’s tallest man. They’re right here at Blair, and they’re as delicious as they are delightful! These chubby fellas are a staggering 4 inches tall and 2 ½ inches across. Think of your average gummy bear and it’s easy to see one of these could serve as their gummy god or goddess! Packaged in a clear case to keep them clean between snackings (chances are good you won’t finish this all at once!), these make a really unique gift for just $3.50 each.

Giant Hershey Bar – This candy car isn’t messing around! It could crumble fun size bars with a passing glance, and leave classic size bars breaking into blocks with the sheer magnitude of its S’more-making possibilities. This Hershey bar is more than a handful or mouthful at a whopping 5 pounds. Yup, FIVE POUNDS of pure Hershey heaven. One weighs as much as some newborns! Two weigh as much as a bag of potatoes!

Giant Jawbreakers – Whether you choose ‘The Bruiser’ or ‘Psychedelic Sours’, these jawbreakers are a definite multi-day snack. Each box holds 12 individually wrapped giant jawbreakers, making these colorful candies less than $2 apiece. A fun take-home treat for a holiday party, or a sweet stocking stuffer for someone with quite a few socks to fill, we recommend giving your tongue a break once in awhile with these. The temptation to keep licking will be strong, but talking, breathing and drinking are important, too!

If your Christmas Morning Agenda (CMA) is similar to mine, the first thing you reach for with one groggily-opened eye is your stocking. And apart from it simply being tradition, there are a few very good reasons the stocking gets top billing. Not only does it hold the little things I so love, but it’s also easy to drag back to the recliner with me where I can plop it in my lap and open everything slowly while I struggle to really wake up! Also, if Santa was good to me, I’ll find breakfast inside my stocking, too. And not the bacon and eggs variety…even better. The candy kind of breakfast. The kind you only get to enjoy on special holidays (and when no one’s looking; don’t judge me!)

While everyone’s Christmas candy preferences vary, with the possible exception of Reese’s Peanut Butter Trees, which I’m pretty sure everyone loves, we have a few nearly foolproof ideas for adding Christmas breakfast to the stockings you’re in charge of stuffing this year. It is, after all, the most important meal of the day – even Christmas Day.

Marshmallow Christmas Lollipops – Ooey, gooey goodness in Santa and Snowmen shapes, these plump lollipops are almost too cute to eat. Except, well…no matter how cute they are I’ll eat them anyway! Just don’t eat them too close to the fire. Santa is a winter weather kinda guy, and we all know how well snowmen handle the heat. There’s a song and a movie about it and everything.

Milk Chocolate Hershey Snowman – Generously-sized at 3.5 ounces, this festive little fella is the perfect culinary complement to the Christmas lollipops above. Sometimes the simplest sweets are the best, and Hershey’s reminds us of that time and again with every holiday-themed incarnation of their classic milk chocolate bar. Or should we say mmmilk chocolate bar!

Gummy Peaches – With the marshmallow and chocolate food groups taken care of, it’s time to freshen the palate with something fruity and fun to wear on my fingertips. Yup – gummy peaches! Starting with the left hand, I push a gummy peach to the top knuckle of each finger, excluding the thumb. The right hand is next, and it’s admittedly a tad bit tougher with gummy peaches already on every finger of the left hand. Nevertheless, I press on! I then happily wiggle my 8 peachy digits at anyone who will pay attention to me, before consuming them one at a tasty time.

Now that you know a little more about my CMA, I’d love to hear about yours! Will you be sitting in your own recliner working your way through the candy food groups your stocking holds, or do have different traditions you’re looking forward to this year?

With Christmas just a few short weeks away, many of us are making our gift list and checking it twice. And just as it seems to every year, it has grown! While this does mean we have the task of finding suitable gifts for more people, with some careful planning it doesn’t have to mean finding more money for those gifts. And on the big, bright side, it often means there are more people in our lives we truly appreciate, and that’s hardly something to be upset about!

From kids to cousins to aunts and parents, there are quite a few people on many of our lists whose presents must be carefully planned. But there is also a long list of people who we want to share a little holiday cheer with, but for whom we needn’t gift something of great expense or personalization. These people might include your mailman, hairdresser, pet groomer, next door neighbors and your children’s teachers. These are all important people, and often friends, but not everyone can get an Xbox or iPod! But what everyone can get is also something everyone can appreciate – candy!

It likely comes as no surprise that I often give candy as a gift. Sure, it’s an easy one to give, I’ll admit that much. But it’s also a fun gift to give and receive, especially when working with a theme and adding a special touch. The best way to do just that? By filling empty candy boxes with tempting treats and adding stickers, ribbons and bows. You can also save yourself the time of customizing your own boxes by choosing our empty Christmas candy boxes, available in 3 pretty patterns that are perfect for the season.

You can choose to fill your candy boxes with an assortment of popular candies, or opt for a theme/type and choose candies that complement that. Not sure where to begin? Below are 3 easy ideas that are sure to be appreciated!

Nosh on Nostalgia – There is possibly no other holiday that inspires nostalgia quite as strongly as Christmas. Whether we are 15, 50 or 80, thinking back on Christmases of the past is an emotional experience to say the least. Whether you’ll be sharing your candy boxes with people who will remember the treats in our nostalgic candy collection, or want to share some of your favorites with a younger generation who may have never tried them, a little blast from the past in a box is sure to inspire some very genuine smiles! Depending on the candy era you opt for, some box-friendly options include: Atomic Fireballs, Broadway Licorice Rolls, Teaberry Gum and a sprinkling of Satellite Wafers!

Tempting Taffy – The variety of quality taffies available at Blair Candy is nothing short of terrific. I’m not sure I ever realized how many delicious options we offer until just now, so bear with me while I toot the Blair horn! There’s always-popular Laffy Taffy, colorful and supremely sweet Flipsticks taffy, fun-to-smack-it-and-crack-it Bonomo Turkish Taffy and many more. Just be sure not to give one of these boxes to your dentist!

All About Red and Green – Perhaps you simply want to celebrate the colors of Christmas in your assortment? Well, with red and green being 2 of the most common candy colors, there’s no shortage of box-worthy options! There’s Green Apple Tootsie Frooties, Hot Tamales, Gummi Army Men, Zagnut and so much more. There’s also a whole section of Christmas Candy that is primarily red and green, so your options for this theme are seemingly endless.

Have fun filling your empty candy boxes and creating affordable, memorable gifts for the many people who make life that much better!

Photo from TasteOfHome.com

As I stood in line at the grocery store over the weekend watching the woman in front of me unload what must have been the 100th can of soup onto the belt, I decided to make the most of my wait and flip through the magazines at the register. I skipped over the tabloids in favor of something more appealing – the brightly-colored little glossy full of Thanksgiving recipe cards, taste of home. While I whole-heartedly recommend you grab a copy for yourself, I should warn you this is not an issue to read while hungry. It is absolutely packed with deliciousness! But beyond the mouthwatering recipes for apple & herb roasted turkey and gingered pumpkin bisque – and mouthwatering they are! – I came across a couple dessert recipes that broke the traditional Thanksgiving mold of pies and muffins. Don’t get me wrong, I love pies and muffins! But these petite treats are much cuter, and include candy, which I’m kinda partial to.

Turkey Pilgrim Cookies – The first candy-covered dessert to catch my eye was the Turkey Pilgrim Cookies. These are almost too cute to eat, but I think if I close my eyes I can manage! The recipe calls for the following ingredients, which should give you some insight into what makes these so good: Oreos, candy corn, miniature peanut butter cups, candy corn kisses, chocolate frosting, vanilla frosting, mini marshmallows, mini Oreos, Rolos and orange food coloring. And the best part, other than all the tasty ingredients, that is? There is absolutely no baking required! The frosting serves as a ‘glue’ of sorts for all the candy and cookie building blocks making these a dessert the little ones that can help put together. As there is no baking required, the kids can create these while you’re cooking to keep them busy, or it can be a fun family project the night before.

Pilgrim Hat Cookies – Just like the Turkey Pilgrim Cookies above there is no baking required for these yummy treats. Ingredients include: vanilla frosting, yellow food coloring, orange mini Chiclets, miniature peanut butter cups and fudge-striped cookies – that’s it! These are even easier to create than the Turkey Pilgrim Cookies, though I have to admit they aren’t quite as cute. What can I say – a dessert with marshmallow eyes wins my top vote! That said, I plan to make both cookie and candy concoctions this season, if not for Thanksgiving itself as a fall-themed snack for anytime. After all, with so much amazingness on Thanksgiving day, and the days full of delish leftovers that follow, I want to give my candy-packed desserts an opportunity to shine.

The Thanksgiving Recipes Cards issue of taste of home is $4.99 and marked for sale through November 22, 2011. Grab your copy the next time you hit the grocery store, and check out more great recipes on TasteOfHome.com today!

I am writing this post while curled up on the sofa, wrapped in a warm blanket, my mind and body swimming with sugar, surrounded by piles of empty wrappers. Yes…it’s Halloween night! I’ve consumed enough Laffy Taffy to giggle for days, and enough snack size chocolate bars to build a buffet. You might assume that having eaten more than my share of sweets, they would be the furthest thing from my mind, yet that is simply not the case! But instead of thinking of the traditional Halloween candy, of which I have just immensely partaken, my mind is on the Halloween candy of the future. Or, more specifically, the new candy of today that may become the traditional candy of the future.

With all the exciting new treats that are created every year, and the fact that most of us (myself included) most often eat the same few favorites we’ve been eating for as long as we can remember, it can be easy to miss some bright new stars in the candy circuit. But for as satisfying as Peanut M&Ms may be, and as perfectly sweet as Trolli Gummi Peaches, its only fair to give the new candies a taste as well, for their benefit and our own! After all, what if nobody every tried that first handful of Peanut M&Ms many years ago and they weren’t still with us today? I know, I’m sorry…I shouldn’t have gone there. It’s too horrible to imagine, but I’m trying to make a point, so bear with me! And my point is simply that we should take a peek and lend a taste bud or two to some of the newest candy creations…

Hershey’s Air Delight Chocolate Bars – You already know how delicious Hershey’s chocolate is, and that much of the enjoyment of eating chocolate is in relishing its many tantalizing consistencies, so it’s only natural to want to give a new consistency a try – aerated chocolate! Bursting with airy bubbles, the Air Delight bar is unlike anything you’ve ever tried before, while still being decidedly ‘Hershey’s.’

Skittles Blenders – As far as I’m concerned, with the possible exception of the green ones (sorry, green fans!), original Skittles are pretty much perfection in the non-chocolate category o’ candy. They’re my go-to favorite at the movies, I NEVER get tired of them, and even after all these years I can’t decide if I like the red or purple better. Ahh, they’re both so good! And the orange, and the yellow… Yes, original Skittles will make my ‘5 Candies You Can Bring to a Deserted Island List’ every time, no matter what. But for as strongly as I feel that the original is their best work, I have to admit that I’ve recently been more drawn to Skittles Blenders. It may be the rush of a new romance; the way the Melon Berry Burst makes me feel young again! It may be their brilliantly bright colors. It may be the way they dance across my tongue, exploding in a fruity splash of Skittles-tastic-ness! Whatever it is, please don’t tell original Skittles. I’m sure I’ll return to my true love one day, but for now I’m rather enjoying my Blenders adventures!

For as quickly as September slipped away, October went and won the race for speed! Even if these last 7 days trickle by like molasses, this month will surely come out on top for fastest. But just like December, October holds one of her most exciting days for the very last day of the month, and with that happy holiday on the horizon, we can’t quite find it in ourselves to complain that the month is almost over!

Yes, in just a week Halloween will be here, in all its ghoulish, goblin-y glory. And for as cool as all the costumes are, and as devilishly delightful the decorations, Halloween just isn’t Halloween without the candy! Have you been putting off Halloween candy shopping for fear that you would eat it all before the 31st? Don’t worry – you won’t find any judgment here; we’ve done it, too! But with Halloween just a week away, the time for candy shopping is now or never. And Blair Candy still has plenty of awesome choices available and ready to rock your goodie bags. Let’s look at 3 fun and unique options…

Glow Stick Pumpkin Lollipops – When it comes to trick-or-treating, the only thing that’s more important than having fun is being safe. The simple fact is that it’s getting dark earlier and earlier, and the brighter your costume and accessories the better. These lollipops help make it a bit easier to be seen with a stick that snaps and glows like a traditional glow stick. Kids should still carry flashlights and wear reflective gear, of course, but this adds a little extra illumination that’s also just plain cool!

Twisted Terrors Halloween Lollipops – Do you prefer to give 1 or 2 ‘big treats’ instead of a bag of smaller ones? Twisted Terrors lollipops are perfect for you! Each box contains 24 twirled lollipops in the shades of the season, which are decked out with 4 Halloween plastic rings shaped like skulls, spiders, pumpkins and witches. A super unique lollipop for kids ages 3 and up, these are sure to elicit at least a few exclamations of “Awesome!”

Palmer Eye Candy Mix – This bag proves that the eyeballs have it! The chocolate eyeballs, eyeball bubble gum and eyeball lollipops, that is. It’s not hard to ‘see’ that this is a full-on bag o’ fun, and with 60 pieces per bag it’s an awesomely affordable way to ‘envision’ Halloween goodie bags that are an absolute ‘ball’ for kids to dig into! OK, we’ll stop now.

It’s no secret that candy can be a sweet part of a balanced diet, whether you are on the path toward losing a few pounds, working to maintain your current weight, or are simply mindful of everything you eat on the journey to be as healthy as possible. What most of us have learned, whether we like it or not, is moderation is key! It turns out there is a difference between one serving of Peanut M&M’s and one bag of Peanut M&M’s. Oops. And as we all know too well, M&M’s are far from the only candy that makes a limit a tricky task. One other such treat is marshmallow Peeps.

Sure, we open the package knowing we should just have one or two. We open the package with the best of intentions. We open the package thinking, “These Peeps will last me a week! I will have no more than 2 per day, because I have self control!” But…that doesn’t always happen. And it’s not our fault! Once that ooey-gooey goodness touches the tongue, stepping on the brakes is so hard. Once that plump, pillow of sweet marshmallow finds its way to your mouth you are no longer responsible for what becomes of the package of Peeps. You are only human! Since the dawn of time, humans have been no match for marshmallows. It’s just science!

Shed no tears, marshmallow-lover. In this great battle between a balanced diet and that undefeated enemy – Peeps – there is someone in your corner. Someone you may have least expected. Yes, coming into the ring with an orange satin robe trailing behind is none other than Sugar Free Peeps! *The crowd goes wild!*

Who is this Sugar Free Peeps? What is the relation to regular Peeps? Don’t worry, there isn’t a soap opera-worthy family rivalry that you’ll find yourself smack dab in the middle of. Sugar Free Peeps and regular Peeps are practically besties! They’re both cute and colorful, and they both taste delicious. It’s just that the Sugar Free variety aren’t as likely to leave you bouncing off the walls at midnight because you accidentally ate six servings while you were watching Law & Order. They’re also a great choice for people who must closely watch their sugar intake, and those who simply prefer the taste of Splenda. As for me? I think I’ll keep both in the cupboard. I can “mmmm” my way through a pack of Sugar Free Peeps any day, but sometimes I like to bounce off the walls at midnight. When else is the bathroom going to get cleaned?!

As deliciously untradeable as you and I may think they are, there will always be kids willing to take Mary Jane Candy and Gobstoppers to the Halloween bargaining table. It won’t be all of them, of course…but it will be some. And it won’t just be Mary Janes and Gobstoppers. There will be Smarties open for candy negotiation, Sugar Daddy lollipops awaiting a switch, Tootsie Pops added to the auction. And why would kids be willing to part with these sweets – the very bounty that is their pay for a long night of Trick-or-Treating? For one reason, and one reason only: chocolate.

Rest assured that the taste buds of today’s youth are very much intact, and they are fully capable of enjoying each of the above treats just as much as you or me. And, to be sure, almost any other time of year they would gobble them up without a second thought. Trade? What trade? Nom, nom, gone. But to be certain, this isn’t any other time of year. This is the time of year that comes immediately after ‘if I don’t eat this chocolate bar in 30 seconds or less it will melt all over everything within 5 feet of me.’ You know…that time of year!

Outside of a well-chilled chocolate bar here and there, fresh from the fridge or freezer, it has been months since we’ve been able to trust a candy bar not to melt into a pile of ‘oh no!’ at the bottom of our purses and backpacks. And in kid months, a few months is at least 4 ½ years. It seems like another lifetime when they were able to leave a Kit Kat in the car! And as such, the fall marks a return not only to school, changing leaves, pumpkin carving and long sleeves – it is also, more importantly, a return to chocolate. And NOTHING holds more value than that at the Halloween bargaining table.

If you’ve already got all the candy you need for trick-or-treaters, there’s no need to stress if you haven’t included chocolate bars in the mix. They may trade some of their stash for chocolate, but will surely partake of other favorites as well. And once chocolate fever has calmed down a bit and they are more accustomed to the chocolate-friendly temperature, their universal love of all candy will return! But if you haven’t got all your Halloween treat sacks packed just yet, consider adding some Fun Size Snickers, Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkins and M&M’s. Chocolate candy currency has never been worth more than it is now, and you could make the trick-or-treaters that find their way to your house the ‘richest’ kids in town.

It might just be our imagination, but the consensus at Blair Candy Headquarters is that September was the fastest month this year! It seems we just turned the calendar page, and tomorrow we will be turning it again. While we hate to see time move so quickly, when each passing day gets us closer to Halloween, we can hardly complain! Not only is it a fun-packed holiday full of sweets, but decorating for Halloween is a treat unto itself.

As much as I love my pretty Christmas décor, the creepy, cute, and creatively-designed decorations for Halloween are my favorite. And this year, I’ll be adding plenty of edible awesomeness to my decorations by incorporating Halloween candy into the design!

Decorating with Halloween candy can be as simple or as complex as you like. We’ve put together a little list of ideas for how you can add something sweet to your decorations this year, but don’t be limited by our ideas! Use as many or as few as you like, and always feel free to exercise your creativity and see what you can dream up. Just don’t forget to share it with us in the comments so we can try it, too!

Break out the Halloween candy bowls. Whether they are shaped like pumpkins and ghosts, or are simply ceramic bowls in the shades of the season, scattering candy bowls throughout your house not only adds a homey touch, but makes it easy to grab a caramel apple pop or two no matter which room you’re in!

Show the sweeter side of potted plants. If your thumb is lacking a green hue as much as mine, chances are good that you’ve lost more than one potted plant in your day. So what’s a guy or girl to do with all those pretty, empty pots? Fill them with marbles or decorative rocks of course! Once your pot is filled to within an inch or so of the top, plant some Halloween lollipops inside. Our witch finger lollipops won’t wilt like a daisy or sunflower, and they taste a lot better, too. So don’t be surprised if some of your ‘flowers’ go missing as time goes on!

Let guests know they’re being watched! We don’t recommend actually spying on your friends and family members, but you can add to the creepy feeling of being watched by adding gumball eyes throughout your home. Peeking out from behind pictures, sitting next to the hand soap in the bathroom, hanging from strings inside the refrigerator door – anywhere spotting a set of eyes peeking back will freak someone out is the perfect location!

And don’t forget one of the biggest advantages of all to decorating with candy – there’s no storage required. Simply snack your way to a post-Halloween house come November 1st. You don’t have to pack it away when you ‘pack it away’!