Who doesn’t love lollipops? The suckers that dissolve slowly in the mouth (you really are supposed to let them dissolve and not bite them 😉), the flavors, the different sizes and shapes, the colors…makes you want one as you read this, right? Well, you are not alone. Today, July 20th, is National Lollipop Day! So start your day by cleaning your tongue with your TUNG Brush and Gel so you can go celebrate with your taste buds ready to savor the flavor!!!
Candy on a Stick?
Archaeologists have found solid evidence nuts and berries were placed in honey and “stuck” on a stick for preservation purposes. The first recorded lollipops with sugar appeared in Europe in the 16th century! In the 17th century, London street vendors made these “lollypops” for their customers…and here is a fun fact – according to linguists, lolly meant “tongue” and pop meant “slap”, so the first lollypops were known as “tongueslaps” 😊 Imagine over 500 years of this confectioner’s delight!
We know that candy stores and pharmacies sold lollipops for both confectionery and medicinal purposes back in the 1860’s here in the United States, but it was in 1908 that the life of the lollipop we know and love began! A gentleman by the name of George Smith invented the modern lollipop, and said that he used the name of his favorite racehorse, Lolly Pops, to trademark the name of the new treat in 1931. (Perhaps he didn’t know the etymological history, but either way, the story is wonderful, isn’t it?)
Lollipop, lollipop, oh lolli lolli lolli…
In 1981, The Chordettes recorded their song “Lollipop” which was used in such films as Back to the Future. But this tasty delight has been a part of our pop culture since 1934, when the beloved child star Shirley Temple sang “On the Good Ship Lollipop” in the movie Bright Eyes.
And who can forget the Lollipop Guild who welcomed Dorothy to the Land of Oz with a giant sucker in 1939’s The Wizard of Oz?
In 1969, The Tootsie Pop was invented, and we watched the world wonder “how many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center”! And Kojak, detective extraordinaire whose pursuits of the bad guy captivated millions in the 1970s, showed his fans that even tough guys love their lollipops.
From Dorothy to Willy Wonka, from Shirley Temple to Kojak, the lollipop has been a favorite treat for generations. So why not celebrate the day? Enjoy a lollipop today and remember, don’t bite it! Savor it!
