Iconic, goofy and sometimes romantic candy hearts from Necco are the second best selling Valentine’s Day candy, right behind chocolate. 8 billion little Sweethearts are produced each year. Their bright, chalky colors and pithy and sometimes irreverent candy heart sayings have been entertaining people and helping them declare love for 147 years, ever since the brother of the original Necco creator designed a machine that stamped words directly onto the candies with red vegetable dye. The original candies were large and had various shapes. When the company arrived at the small heart shape in 1902, the sayings got smaller to accommodate it.
Necco wafers themselves have been around 166 years and even accompanied two explorers on their expeditions (Admiral Byrd’s to the South Pole and Donald MacMillan’s to the Arctic) in addition to feeding the WWII troops. Necco’s wafers and sweethearts even survived a move to “healthier” flavors three years ago, which was thankfully scrapped.
I’ve watched the sayings get updated over the years, as new ones like FAX ME and E MAIL ME came and went. New sayings in recent years include TEXT ME and TWEET ME (how long will these last?) as well as MY PET and U R HOT, as an addition to classics like SOUL MATE, SWEET PEA, SAY YES, TRUE LOVE and ALL MINE. Perennial favorites from the early years include BE MINE, BE TRUE, MARRY ME and KISS ME. The company adds about 20 sayings, out of 80, each year, so naturally some older ones are not going to make the new group. New sayings are often themed, like these pet-themed ones from 2007.
Some of my favorite new sayings over the past decade include HEART OF GOLD, MELT MY HEART, CLOUD NINE and HONEY BUN. A few that have bitten the dust, mostly because their lingo became dated, include DIG ME, HEP CAT, HOTCHA, SAUCY BOY and OH YOU KID.
However you express it, Happy Valentine’s Day!
Photos: Necco, The Fun Times Guide
Bonus Trivia Question: What does Necco stand for?
Answer: New England Confectionary Company
Read more:
History of Sweetheart Candies, Smithsonian Magazine
10+ Years of Conversation Hearts, Readers Digest
How Do They Get Those Tiny Words on Sweethearts Candies?, Time Magazine
17 Amazing Retired Sweetheart Candy Sayings, The Atlantic
New Sweetheart Candy Sayings by Year, Infoplease
Mixed Reviews for New NECCO Sweetheart Candy Flavors, Slow Family Online
