Christmas Hard Candy

I am eating Christmas candy as I type, specifically hard candy. I must have a Pavlovian condition/response to hard candy at Christmas time, because I consume most of the hard candy I eat from late November through January. One explanation beyond the fact that so much of those peppermint candy canes and sticks, Christmas ribbons, "cut rock", peppermint twists, and hard holiday mix stares at me in stores everywhere I go, is the past influence of hard Christmas candy on my brain.

My mom used to put our several Christmas candy dishes, the ones with fat Santa smiling invitingly to eat and make you a fatter person for Christmas. I can still see that candy and everyone grabbing and nibbling or sucking on the peppermint. I love peppermint Christmas candy, and as a boy I would pick out the peppermint candy selections and leave the fruit flavors behind, much to the irritation of my brother who also liked what I did. That hard candy training session of my youth makes me do the same thing my mom did, placing several candy dishes about the house with my flavored hard candy and other selections like chocolates, nougats, jelly beans and those awful, but wonderful tasting, spice drops and slices.

Another thing that makes me crave and eat hard candy at Christmas time is the fact that it makes me feel better about Christmas, acting as link between any ole day and Christmas Day. If we eat a candy cane we think about and anticipate Christmas more. Even after Christmas day passes, eating a candy cane or other Christmas candy almost brings it back. No wonder I put a big peppermint candy stick in Jane's mantle place Christmas stocking every year (as my mom did for me). Food does make much stronger associations for us and Christmas candy and Christmas are very close associations. I can almost hear Santa "Ho Ho Ho" when I eat a green spice drop, a Christmas nougat or barber pole candy cane.

There's hundreds of Christmas candies out there, but the card candy is my favorite. Those Pez Christmas Dispensers, popcorn balls, Reindeer Lip Lollipops and the rest won't do. At Halloween I appreciate novelty candy in monster shapes. but at Christmas I want to see and taste those peppermint stripes. And if you don't agree with me expect to find that awful black Christmas coal candy in your stocking this year!