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National Gumdrop Day

Food · February 15

A day for gumdrops, the small sugar-coated jelly candies shaped like little domes and sold in bright colors and fruity or spiced flavors.

National Gumdrop Day falls on Monday, February 15, 2027. That is 111 days away.

Gumdrops are small, chewy candies shaped like a rounded cone, with a flat bottom and a coat of granulated sugar. They come in bright colors, and each color usually stands for a flavor, often fruit, sometimes spice.

The texture sits somewhere between a jelly and a gummy. The sugar on the outside crunches a little, then the center gives way slowly. They are firm enough to hold their shape, which is why they show up so often on top of things rather than just inside candy dishes.

That sturdiness makes them a favorite decoration. Gumdrops line the roofs of gingerbread houses, dot the tops of cupcakes and sit on cookies like buttons. Some people slice them into thin rounds or press them flat to make little shapes for cake decorating.

A bag of mixed gumdrops tends to start arguments about color. Some people save the spiced ones for last and some pick them out entirely. Sorting a pile by color before eating is a habit plenty of people admit to.

They also keep well in a sealed container, since air is what makes the outside harden. If a batch has gone stiff, a closed jar with a slice of bread inside can soften them back up over a day or so.

Ways to celebrate

• Share a bowl of mixed gumdrops and vote on the best color.
• Decorate cupcakes or cookies with sliced gumdrops.
• Build a small sculpture with gumdrops and toothpicks.
• Try a spiced gumdrop if you usually skip them.
• Sort a handful by color before eating, just to see.

Dates

All national days on February 15

Also on February 15

• Washington's Birthday
• National I Want Butterscotch Day
• Singles Awareness Day
• World Hippo Day
• Remember the Maine Day

Categories: Food days