 |
Forest of Love Newsletter |
|
From the desk of the Forest of Love Forest Ranger: Hey fellow tree huggers! Sweetest day is right around the corner! Depending on where you live you may or may not have heard of this relatively new holiday devoted to your sweetie. In this edition of the Forest of Love Newsletter, I’ll talk a little bit about Sweetest Day and scour the net in order to find some neat Sweetest Day facts, gifts, and ideas to make this a special day for you and yours. Sweetest Day takes place on the third Saturday in October, which is the 20th this year. That gives you just a few days, so don’t forget (guys, I’m talking to you) to get your sweetie something. Even though there is a bit of controversy about the holiday itself, I personally think that any excuse to go all out and show your love for someone is a good thing. Besides, there are plenty of really neat things you can do for little or no money and just a little bit of your time. But you already know that, because you’ve planted a tree in the Forest of Love, right? Right. First though, a bit of history according to WikiPedia. Taken from the Wikipedia article at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweetest_Day: The origin of Sweetest Day is frequently attributed to candy company employee Herbert Birch Kingston as an act of philanthropy. However, Bill Lubinger, a reporter for The Plain Dealer, contends that "Dozens of Cleveland's top candy makers concocted the promotion 84 years ago and it stuck, although it never became as widely accepted as hoped." The Cleveland Plain Dealer's October 8, 1921 edition, which chronicles the first Sweetest Day in Cleveland, states that the first Sweetest Day was planned by a committee of 12 confectioners chaired by candymaker C. C. Hartzell. The Sweetest Day in the Year Committee distributed over 20,000 boxes of candy to "newsboys, orphans, old folks, and the poor" in Cleveland, Ohio. The Sweetest Day in the Year Committee was assisted in the distribution of candy by some of the biggest movie stars of the day including Theda Bara and Ann Pennington. There were also several attempts to start a "Sweetest Day" in New York City, including a declaration of a Candy Day throughout the United States by candy manufacturers on October 8, 1922. In 1927, The New York Times reported that "the powers that determine the nomenclature of the weeks of October" decreed that the week beginning on October 10, 1927 would be known as Sweetest Week. On September 25, 1937, The New York Times reported under Advertising News and Notes that The National Confectioners Association had launched a "movement throughout the candy industry" to rank Sweetest Day with the nationally accepted Mother's Day, Father's Day, and St. Valentine's Day. In 1940, another Sweetest Day was proclaimed on October 19. The promotional event was marked by the distribution of more than 10,000 boxes of candy by the Sweetest Day Committee. The candy was distributed among 26 local charities. 225 children were given candy in the chapel at the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children on October 17, 1940. 600 boxes of candy were also delivered to the presidents of the Jewish, Protestant and Catholic Big Sister groups of New York. According to the Wikipedia article Sweetest Day is mostly observed in the Midwest and Northeast, and I can certainly attest to that having lived near Chicago for most of my life. Since moving away to the Southwest I haven’t heard nary a peep about the holiday, while in Chicago I’m sure the radio airwaves are simply full of advertisements for candy, teddy bears, and flowers. I’m not sure why this is the case, but I certainly see no reason to confine the holiday to the Midwest or anywhere else! Just because Sweetest Day isn’t popular in your area doesn’t mean you shouldn’t celebrate it, and imagine the reaction you’ll get when you spring such a beautiful holiday on an unsuspecting loved one! Many people believe that Sweetest Day is a "Hallmark Holliday," contrived in order to sell candy and gifts during a slow time of the year. Who cares? It's just another opportunity to show someone else how much you love them, and you don't even need to spend a ton of money to do it. Since Sweetest Day isn't nearly so big a holiday as Valentine’s Day, many times all it takes is a simple hug and "I love you." If you’re more ambitious (or live where Sweetest Day is popular) and want to give a real gift, here are some great ways to show them you care: Plant a REAL tree in their name: http://arborday.org/shopping/giveatree/giveatree.cfm Now here is a GREAT idea that isn't expensive and will really impress your tree hugging significant other: Donate $5.95 to the National Arbor Day Foundation, and they'll not only plant a real tree in the honor of your loved one, but you'll get a card to give them for Sweetest Day. This is really neat because not only is it a great gift, it's great for the environment too! A real win-win idea. Vermont Teddy Bear: Show you care, send a Vermont Teddy Bear! These things are really cool. If you've never got a Vermont Teddy Bear for that special someone, now is the perfect time. They are a bit on the expensive side, but they're certainly not cheaply made, and the reaction you'll get is worth every penny. Trust me on this. Personalization Mall: Personalized Sweetest Day Gifts from PersonalizationMall.com You already know how special a real personalized gift can be, so why not continue the trend by giving a tangible personalized gift? Many things aren't very expensive at all, and with 25% off right now and guaranteed delivery by Sweetest Day, Personalization Mall may be just the ticket. Loving You Free E-Cards: http://cards.lovingyou.com/gallery.cgi?mdb=gallery&cat=swday Ranger Tested and Approved! Really, you have no idea how much time I've spent looking for an e-card that isn't cheesy, isn't spammy, and doesn't require some kind of sign up offer or something… but LovingYou.com does their e-cards right. Pick your card, background, message, and date… and they'll send out the card when you want to who you want. You'll even get a notification when it's been received. Best thing is, just like Forest of Love, it’s free! And now, before I sign off of this Sweetest Day edition of the Forest of Love Newsletter, some random Sweetest Day Facts for you: Ohio is the number 1 celebrator of Sweetest Day, probably because that's where it originated. Looking at gift sales for the day, however, Texas, California and Florida are among the top states, and they certainly aren't Midwestern! In 2000, Hallmark had 48 Sweetest Day cards. This year they have over three times as many – 163. And I think that'll do it for this edition of the Forest of Love Newsletter. This is the part where I'll ask to you to recommend to your friends and family that they plant a tree in the Forest of Love for their loved ones so we can all share the Love they feel. I'll also tell you not to forget to hug your special someone and tell them you love them today, and I'll thank you for being a part of the Forest of Love! I guess I just did that huh? Well, until next time… thanks again, and I wish you and yours all the best! -Ed, the Forest of Love Forest Ranger. |
| If you would like to subscribe to the Forest of Love Mailing list, please Go Here |