Christmas isn’t just about candy, of course – the holiday season is so much more. Yet, the presence of candy is undeniable, from baking and decorating to crafting with kids. All these activities often involve a sweet treat or two.
Do candy canes dangle from your Christmas tree? Are candy bars a staple in your stockings? Perhaps you enjoy adorning snowman cookies with colorful sprinkles and peppermint candies? Well, you’re not alone in these festive traditions.
So, what are the most popular Christmas candies in your area? It’s an interesting mix that differs from state to state.
As an online bulk candy retailer, we’ve tapped into the insights of our CandyStore.com customers to uncover these sweet preferences. This year, we gathered opinions from over 16,000 respondents. Additionally, we consulted with major candy manufacturers and distributors to ensure our findings reflect broader market trends.
The results, showcased in the candy map above, are intriguing.
The latest NRF survey puts food and candy as a top item on consumers’ shopping lists, ranking significantly at 29% (toys came in at 37%). This indicates a strong inclination towards gifting candy and edible treats, reflecting a broader trend in holiday spending.
And now on to the results of our interactive map. Here are a few interesting insights we can gather.
Peppermint Bark Bounces Back
Peppermint bark has rebounded. It dropped a whopping six #1 spots last year after a strong 2021. This year it regained 3, flexing its strength throughout the midwest. Why do the midwesterners love Peppermint bark so much??
And don’t forget, we are not even taking into account the homemade bark made in your own kitchens. You know how midwestern moms love to bake (bake bark?).
Now, the bark has not regained their biggest previous conquests: California and Texas. If they can manage that next year, they will be the clear kings of Christmas candy.
Candy Canes Also Bounce
Candy canes fell last year, and similarly to peppermint bark, they have rebounded this year. Thanks mostly to two New England states, candy canes have made a respectable improvement. Candy canes are newly #1 New Hampshire and Vermont and looking strong going into the holidays.
But candy canes are not the universally-loved Christmas candy you might think. They are often found on the WORST Christmas candy list, in fact. People who don’t like them cite reasons like they can be messy to eat, hard to unwrap in one whole piece and, once sucked on for a while, become sharp and dangerous.
But a lot of people still love them. Me included.
Starburst Keeps Rising
Starbursts don’t seem like a particularly traditional holiday candy, but who knows what those crazy kids are up to nowadays. Starburst didn’t gain any new #1 spots this year, but they did pick up five new overall top 3 spots. This may not seem all that spectacular, but remember we’re talking about Starburst. At Christmas.
Christmas Candy Quick Facts
93% of people gift chocolate and candy for the winter holidays
29% of gift givers plan to give candy.
LEGOs are a top 3 Christmas gift for both boys (#1) and girls (#3).
43% of Holiday shoppers started by the beginning of November.
72% of people eat a candy cane starting on the straight end, the rest start on the curved end. Weird.
Approximately 150 million chocolate Santas are produced annually.
1.76 Billion candy canes are produced every year for the holiday season.
The largest candy cane in the world was made in Switzerland. It was 51 feet long.
December 26th is National Candy Cane Day.
59% of holiday sales are expected to be online.
Which Christmas holiday candy does your state loves the most?
Hearty recipes for celebrating from the comfort of home
(Family Features) While some St. Patrick’s Day celebrations call for green beer and large gatherings, you may instead opt for a cozy evening at home with comforting foods and close friends. Whether your shamrock spirit leads you out for a local parade or you’re more of a stay-at-home leprechaun, there is one tradition all can agree on: delicious Irish food.
If a quieter night cooking at home is up your alley, you’re in luck. You can put a meal worthy of gold on the table with these festive Irish favorites from “Cookin’ Savvy.”
A hearty home-cooked meal loaded with flavor and sure to fill you with cheer, Irish Beef and Beer Pot Pie is made piping hot to warm up any St. Patrick’s Day party. Full of hashbrowns, carrots, peas and beef, it’s a twist on tradition served with puff pastry topping the tasty stew. A cup of your favorite stout beer, of course, will come in handy for deglazing the skillet to ensure you enjoy every bit of beefy flavor.
Perfect for serving as a sweet complement to coffee or tea, or all on its own as a nightcap nibble, Irish Sweet Soda Bread comes together in a snap so you can let it bake while enjoying the main course. Offering an easy way to participate in the festivities, it might just become a household favorite to be savored year-round.
Make your home a St. Patrick’s Day haven with these hearty recipes then discover more celebratory meal ideas from “Cookin’ Savvy” by visiting Culinary.net.
Irish Beef and Beer Pot Pie
Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy” Servings: 4-6
1 pound ground beef
1 cup stout beer
3 tablespoons flour
1 can (15 ounces) tomato puree
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 cup beef broth
1 bag (28 ounces) hashbrowns with peppers and onions
1 can (14 ounces) carrots, drained
1 can (14 ounces) peas, drained
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1 egg
Heat oven to 400 F.
In large skillet or Dutch oven, brown ground beef; drain and set aside.
Over medium heat, deglaze skillet with beer and whisk in flour. After thickening, whisk in tomato puree and add Worcestershire sauce. Mix in ground beef, garlic powder and beef broth. Add hashbrowns, carrots and peas. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Place puff pastry sheet on cookie sheet. Beat egg and brush over pastry. Bake 10 minutes. Place hot puff pastry on top of beef mixture and serve.
Irish Sweet Soda Bread
Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy” Servings: 4-6
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
4 cups self-rising flour
1 cup currants
2 tablespoons sanding sugar (optional)
coffee or tea, for serving (optional)
Heat oven to 375 F.
Mix melted butter and sugar then add buttermilk. Mix in flour and currants.
Flour hands and counter. Add sanding sugar to dough, if desired, and knead into ball.
Grease small Dutch oven or pie plate and bake 40 minutes. Serve with coffee or tea, if desired, or as a dessert.
Substitutions: Raisins can be used in place of currants.
Some folks like murder mysteries, some like autobiographies of world leaders, and some love a good beach read otherwise known as a romance novel. I prefer a cookbook any day of the week. Lately, I have been going through my mom’s cookbooks, and I think the best are the pages that are beyond smudged and streaked with ingredients from long ago. You know somewhere on that page is a good recipe. Hopefully, you have an inkling of which one it is. My favorite go-to cookbook is my New Doubleday Cookbook and pages 682 and 683 are so mucky with years of dribble and flour residue. Those pages are the best because they offer about 15 bread recipes, including sandwich yeast bread, rapid-rise yeast bread, and milk bread varieties. These pages are the pages the book opens to when you just lay open the book. I encourage you to go to your mom or grandmother’s cookbooks and do the “lay it open” test and see which pages it automatically goes to because there is a golden opportunity to make something truly wonderful on that page. I love baking bread; the aroma of a house filled with freshly baked bread is an incredibly visceral experience. I don’t think a candle labeled “bread” could come close to replicating it. Baking cookies is a close second for me, with the smell of lasagna coming in as my third favorite scent in any kitchen.
Read the full Love & Luck food page in your Thursday Bowie News. Find some new delights to cook up for St. Paddy’s Day on Monday.
(Family Features) A warm, cozy meal may seem like a burden to make after busy winter days, but Skillet Lasagna lets you skip the craziness of home cooking with an easy, one-pot solution. Discover more comforting recipes that let you reclaim evenings with loved ones by visiting Culinary.net.
Skillet Lasagna
Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy” Servings: 4-6
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
44 ounces marinara sauce
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup ricotta
1 1/2 cups frozen spinach
9 lasagna noodles
1 cup mozzarella cheese
bread, for serving
Parmesan cheese, for topping (optional)
In large skillet or Dutch oven, brown ground beef with onion power, garlic powder and salt and pepper, to taste. Drain excess grease. Mix in marinara sauce, heavy whipping cream, ricotta and spinach.
Break up lasagna noodles and add to skillet. Cover and let set over medium heat 10 minutes. Stir and top with mozzarella cheese. Cover and let set 10 minutes.
Serve with bread and top with Parmesan cheese, if desired.
