Top Gifts to Buy for Sweetest Day 2022

Every day, it seems like someone’s come up with a new holiday for us to remember. Whether it’s a company creating a special occasion to sell us something new or an internet troll trying to go viral, there seems to be no end to the list of unique holidays.

It’s essential to remember what we’re supposed to be thankful for or what to have pride in as the years pass. Holidays can be religious or patriotic, universal or niche, serious or fun — but they all started somewhere. Reminding ourselves why we celebrate these holidays is all about getting back to their origin.

One little-known holiday ⁠called Sweetest Day with roots of charity and kindness ⁠is gaining traction all over the United States ⁠— and for all the right reasons.

When Is Sweetest Day 2022?

Today, we celebrate Sweetest Day on the third Saturday in October. This year, Sweetest Day is on October 15, 2022.

What Is Sweetest Day?

Sweetest Day is an American holiday in October that is most prominent in the Midwest, particularly in the Great Lakes area. However, it’s also common in parts of Texas, upstate New York, California, Florida, and Pennsylvania.

Sweetest Day has no religious affiliation. Most people celebrate by giving sweets, gifts, or tokens of affection to their significant other. Some also use the holiday to show appreciation to all loved ones, including friends and family. Candy manufacturers have tried to popularize the holiday since its inception, but it never caught on nationally.

What’s the Origin of Sweetest Day?

In 1916, candy manufacturers noticed sales were down in the months leading up to Christmas. To increase revenue, the National Confectioners Association officially dubbed the second Saturday in October “Candy Day.” The companies advertised Candy Day as a day to give and receive sweets, as well as an occasion to promote appreciation and goodwill. However, make no mistake — the National Confectioners Association created Candy Day specifically to boost sales.

Candy Day gained a bit of traction, but failed to get national attention. Observant consumers began to see it for what it was — a marketing gimmick. To get ahead of the suspicions, the sweets manufacturers launched a high-profile giveaway of candy to disabled or less fortunate people.

In 1921, the candy manufacturers made the official change from “Candy Day” to “Sweetest Day.” Then, they began spreading the narrative that a man named Herbert Birch Kingston of Cleveland, Ohio, invented Sweetest Day. They told people Kingston was an employee at a candy factory, where he distributed sweets to orphans, homeless people, and those confined to their homes.

In the early 1930s, manufacturers brought in movie stars to help promote Sweetest Day. Actresses like Ann Pennington and Theda Bara distributed candy to Cleveland newsboys and hospital patients.

Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Midwesterners continued celebrating Sweetest Day on either the second or third Saturday in October. Candy manufacturers kept advertising Sweetest Day, with more of an emphasis on charity and generosity than candy. Somewhere along the line, the legend of Sweetest Day emerged, and history began to accept the Kingston narrative as fact.

Today, sources from Bustle to Retail Confectioners International all claim that Kingston started Sweetest Day. However, according to The Atlantic, 1920 census data lists Kingston’s occupation as “advertiser.”

While it’s unsurprisingly most popular in its birth state of Ohio, the holiday has not gained much traction in other parts of the country. However, fans of the holiday seem to take it with them when they move, as people buy Sweetest Day cards in far corners of the country.

Sweetest Day might not have the most righteous past, but modern celebrators use it as a reminder to tell their loved ones how much they care for them.

How to Celebrate Sweetest Day

Since its creation in 1921, the traditions of Sweetest Day have changed. Instead of giving out candy to the less fortunate, most people opt for giving sweets or other gifts to their loved ones. If you’re new to Sweetest Day, you can decide which type of celebration is best for you. You can choose to give to the less fortunate, shower your loved ones with candies and love, or both. As you can with any other holiday, you’re free to put your spin on it and celebrate your loved ones in a way that’s meaningful to you.

Since Sweetest Day is a little-known holiday in most of the country, many people have trouble figuring out the best way to honor the day. To get started, try these ideas for how to celebrate Sweetest Day.

Give candy: Of course, a holiday called Sweetest Day is going to involve sweet treats. One way to honor the original intention of Sweetest Day is to give candy to those you love most. Whether you give them candy directly or hide some around for them to find throughout the day, this idea is a delicious way to say, “I love you.” Plus, with Halloween right around the corner, stores will be well-stocked.
Give homemade sweets: When it comes to sweets, the only thing better than candy is homemade cakes, pastries, and desserts. If you can’t afford to buy something for Sweetest Day or want to do something more personal, baking homemade sweets is a thoughtful alternative. Breaking out the recipe book and baking something tasty from scratch is always a fantastic gift. Sweetest Day is also an ideal time to break out the seasonal recipes. Try making a pumpkin pie or an apple cider doughnut cake.
Give flowers: You can still celebrate Sweetest Day even if your loved one doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth. Flowers are another way to remind someone how much you care for them, especially when they come with a thoughtful card. Flowers are a unique Sweetest Day gift, and Ode à la Rose makes it easy to buy lovely, handmade bouquets.

Give a card: It might seem simple, but a well-picked card can mean a lot. If you’re not one for flowers or sweets, a card is a simple way to remind a loved one how much you care about them. Instead of impressing your loved ones with your baking skills or taste in flowers, writing a heartfelt note in a card can be equally meaningful. Get creative with calligraphy or use special stationery to enhance the gesture.
Plan a night out: Sweetest Day always falls on a Saturday, so it poses an excellent opportunity to plan a special night out. If your loved one would rather have an experience than a material gift, this is a wonderful way to spend Sweetest Day. Best of all, it’s not a major holiday like Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day, so you shouldn’t have trouble booking a dinner reservation at the fanciest restaurant in town.
Plan a night in: Going out is great, but sometimes, staying in is even better. You can still have a romantic Sweetest Day from the comfort of your home. Cooking a meal, opening a bottle of wine, and watching a movie can be as sweet as flowers or candy. If you want an intimate experience without the extra cost or noise, this is the best choice. Plus, you can do it all in your pajamas.

Do something kind: When you love someone, you should try to do at least one thoughtful thing for them every day. Of course, between our daily lives, jobs, and stressors, we can sometimes forget. If you don’t have time to make plans or buy candy, you can still do something considerate for your loved one on Sweetest Day. Whether it’s leaving them a quick note or making them breakfast, a simple deed can easily make their Sweetest Day special.

Best Gifts for Her on Sweetest Day

Figuring out what to buy for Sweetest Day can be a daunting task. When it comes to gifts, knowing your significant other is your strongest asset. Understanding her likes, wants, and needs will be critical in picking out the best Sweetest Day gifts for your wife or girlfriend.

Consider how and when you’re going to give these gifts, as well. If you’re giving flowers, will they be waiting on her desk at the office or on the kitchen table when she gets home? If you’re writing her a card, will you hand it to her directly or leave it somewhere as a surprise? Factor in your schedules and what you want to gift to pick the best course of action.

To help guide you, here are a few Sweetest Day gift ideas for her.

Flowers: You can’t go wrong with flowers. They are a perfect gift for Sweetest Day, since they add beauty, class, and fragrance to any room in the house. Select blooms or blossoms in her favorite color for a thoughtful and personalized touch. You can also send flowers to her office for an added surprise. For a beautiful, chic bouquet, be sure to order from Ode à la Rose this Sweetest Day.
Sweets: Candies, chocolates, and sweets are all fantastic Sweetest Day gifts for your girlfriend or wife. Every time she reaches for one of those sweets throughout the day, she’ll remember how much you love her.
Sweetest Day card: Hallmark started selling Sweetest Day cards in the 1960s, and still does today. Whether you get a card specific to Sweetest Day or a generic one to tell her how much you love her, a card is always a thoughtful gift. It’s simple, affordable, and personalized — a sweet way to let her know how much you care. You can also gift a card in combination with the other gifts to buy for Sweetest Day.

Best Gifts for Him on Sweetest Day

Women aren’t the only people who want to feel loved on Sweetest Day — men like to feel appreciated as much as they like sweets and candies. Whether you’re looking to show gratitude for a friend, husband, father, or boyfriend, a Sweetest Day gift is the ideal way to spread the love.

It’s sometimes challenging to pick out gifts for men. Like getting presents for women, the secret to buying your boyfriend or husband a great gift is knowing what he likes. Does he appreciate material things or experiences? Does he have a sweet tooth? Does he prefer simple things? You can then plan how to give the gift to the man in your life, considering whether he likes surprises or would rather receive a gift directly from you.

If you’re looking for Sweetest Day gifts for your boyfriend, husband, or any man in your life, here’s a list of ideas to help you start.

Flowers: Who says men don’t like flowers? While it’s more common to give women a bouquet on special occasions, men also enjoy the sensory delights of flowers — whether it’s a holiday or not. Flowers are a beautiful way to show the man you love how much you appreciate him. Select shades of red, white, orange, or blue for masculine colors or arrangements with plenty of greenery to balance out the blooms.

Homemade sweets: What’s a better way to say “I love you” than with homemade goodies? The best Sweetest Day gifts for your husband, boyfriend, friend, or family member are the ones you make yourself. Baking sweets on Sweetest Day is a perfect way to get the house smelling great and show him how much you care.
Sweetest Day card: Cards are ideal for making your boyfriend or husband smile. You can include a note about how much you love him or a joke to make him laugh. Anyone can appreciate a loving note, and cards are always a thoughtful gift for Sweetest Day.

farm fresh dahlias

pink roses and flowers

How Ode à la Rose Will Make Your Sweetest Day a Success

Even if you love celebrating holidays, planning the perfect day or gift can be stressful. When it comes to purchasing flowers, Ode à la Rose will make sure everything goes right this Sweetest Day.

Our greatest strength is the quality of our bouquets. Our highly skilled floral designers make the most unique, high-end arrangements. We ensure each bouquet looks precisely like the photo on our website. To ensure your expectations match reality, we’ll send you a picture of your actual arrangement.

We pride ourselves in using the highest-quality flowers, which we source from the best farms in the world. We use a strict control process to ensure you get the best possible product. To create our stunning arrangements, we use roses, orchids, goldenrods, chrysanthemums, and many more beautiful blooms. That gives you an impressive variety to select the perfect gift from. You’re sure to get a splendid bunch of colors your friend, family member, or loved one will appreciate.

We deliver each bouquet in a chic gift box that complements the arrangement. Our flowers also arrive in water, ensuring peak freshness — something our competitors don’t promise. Whether you’re looking for a small bouquet to make someone smile or a large one to fill up a room, you’ll be able to find the perfect selection for any reason. With our comprehensive website, you can search for arrangements by size, color, occasion, or price, making it easy to get the gift you’re looking for.

We’re also proud to offer farm-fresh flowers for blooms of the highest standards from Holland, Ecuador, and elsewhere to give your loved one on Sweetest Day. Farm-direct flowers let us control the supply chain, and they provide you with fresh, seasonal blooms from all over the world right to your door. Create your beautiful arrangement to gift on Sweetest Day 2022. It’ll be the ultimate gift that combines the thoughtfulness of something you make yourself and the beauty of fresh flowers from Ode à la Rose.

Want flowers that last longer? Our Preserved Roses are classic rose arrangements in a decorative white ceramic vase. We preserve each individual rose for a bouquet that can last for up to a year. And with a simple, yet stunning, vase and a variety of colors, you’ll find a perfect, long-lasting floral gift for anyone in your life.

A beautiful arrangement is already a thoughtful present. But when your partner, friend, or dear family member can display that gift year-round, it’s even more special. They’ll decorate with Preserved Roses, admiring them throughout the day and remembering your thoughtfulness. Sweetest Day is all about appreciating the ones you love. Say “thanks” and “I love you” with Preserved Roses or other stunning flowers from us.

When you order flowers with Ode à la Rose, you’ll find even more gifts to buy for Sweetest Day. During the checkout process, we offer the option to personalize your order. You can upload a photo that we will print and deliver with the bouquet, or include a heartfelt note to commemorate the spirit of Sweetest Day. Some bouquets come with special add-ons, like candles or macarons. If yours doesn’t already come with them, you can upgrade your order during the checkout process.

Send Your Sweetheart Flowers This Sweetest Day

With so many corporate and silly holidays crowding your calendar, celebrate one that cherishes what matters most. When our lives get busy and filled with stress, it’s easy to forget the people closest to us. Sweetest Day is the perfect occasion to remember. Whether Sweetest Day 2022 is your first or 50th, celebrate in style with a bouquet from Ode à la Rose.