National Jelly Bean Day
About National Jelly Bean Day
When is National Jelly Bean Day? This holiday is always celebrated on April 22
National Jelly Bean Day, an April 22 holiday, is a time to enjoy gobs and gobs of jelly beans. Anyone who loves jelly beans, knows they are not just for Easter. Sure, they are very popular at Easter. The Easter Bunny knows to put them into Easter baskets. But, they are also enjoyed year-round. The flavors are limited only by the imagination of candy makers. If you’ve never enjoyed the multitude of flavors in a box of gourmet jelly beans, we suggest you head right out to the store and buy some.
Jelly beans date back to at least the 1860s. Advertisements promoted sending jelly beans to Union troops fighting in the Civil War. The original candy maker is unknown.
Do you know how to celebrate National Jelly Bean Day? We thought so!
Jelly Bean Trivia
As you munch on a handful or two of jelly beans today, expand your knowledge on one of your favorite candies.
- They were first made by an unknown candy maker in the 1800s.
- This American candy has roots in Turkey. “Turkish Delights” are a chewy, powder-coated candy that was around before jelly beans.
- In the 1910s and 1920s if you called a guy a “Jelly Bean”, you were calling him a gigolo or a ladies’ man.
- Originally, there were just eight flavors. Now there are over 100. This includes many gourmet flavors.
- There were first served to soldiers during the Civil War.
- Americans consume over 15 billion jelly beans over the Easter holiday.
- There was a bowl of Jelly beans in the Oval Office during President Ronald Reagan’s tenure as president. It was his favorite candy.
- In 1983, President Reagan sent jellybeans into space on the Challenger Space Shuttle. We suspect the flavors were “Out of this world”.
- Boys are more likely to eat a handful at a time. Girls are most likely to select and eat one at a time.
- Jellybeans store well. They have a shelf life of one year.
- It takes 7 to 21 days to make a jellybean. The starch and glucose mixture is poured into molds where it takes a day to dry.
- No one knows why they are shaped like beans.
How to Celebrate National Jelly Bean Day
Here are a few ideas on how to celebrate this holiday:
- Put out a dish of them on your kitchen table or counter. Have an extra bag or two handy, as soon you will need to refill the candy dish.
- Give them away to family and friends.
- Bring a bag or two to work and share them with your co-workers.
Today's Quote
“You can learn a lot about a fellow’s character by his way of eating Jellybeans.” – – President Ronald Reagan (He loved jellybeans.)
This Day in History
Here are a couple of things that happened on this day:
- Elvis Presley’s first hit record, “Heartbreak Hotel”, reaches #1 on the charts. (1956)
- The First Earth Day celebration is held, founded by Gaylord Nelson. (1970)
- Oscar-winning actor, director, producer, and writer Jack Nicholson is born on this day in 1936.
History and Origin of National Jelly Bean Day
Our research did not find the creator or the origin of this day. Frankly, this is a little perplexing. Sure, the creator’s mouth was full of jelly beans so he couldn’t talk about this day. However, his hands were free to pen the details of this special day.
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