Sweet - I can catch up

NaBloPoMo - I haven't missed your sweet August ride yet
Memories of candy  - ooh!
I have oh so many, but what comes to mind right now is dad's 80th birthday.
Just a few years ago, after we'd moved to Texas, he decided to have his first birthday party.

Never having had very many birthday parties myself, I suddenly understood a little better why. Not that I'd ever felt deprived, I'm not all that much a fan of attention.
I do, however like dancing ... and birthday cake!

I'd always known that my parents grew up in difficult times and had little of what seems common and every day by today's standards. They have absolutely no sense of entitlement that we worry about our own offspring ... (the next generation) developing (and hence spoiling them rotten until they've morphed into self-centered little-or-big brats).

But his first birthday party.
Awesome.

Since I was traveling 1500 miles to get there, I wasn't in on as much of the planning and details as my sisters, but I did come up with a few ideas.

The sweet one, was finding small brown paper bags for party favors. Because  75-80 years ago no one bought plastic pre-printed spiderman party bags.... and turning 80 is so far past the age of making jokes about being over-the-hill.

At 80, you have climbed the highest peak, conquered all the hills and --- say -- at 80 if you haven't been spoiled you should allow yourself to be spoiled for the next dozen or so years - and enjoy!

Seems Target doesn't carry much of a supply of nostalgic old time candy. I'm not talking about pop rocks and fun dip - those might seee vintage to my generation . . . Pre-WWII candy is a whole different ballgame.

First, I got Sugar Daddies. You know, those impossibly hard to bite into rectangular-shaped caramel lollipops in the bright yellow wrapper.
Sugar Daddies were invented in 1925 - true vintage for a man born in that same decade. They were originally named "Papa Sucker" but changed in 1932, to the same slang term known now that suggests generosity and has the connotation of one who, uh, shares wealth. Ok, perhaps the slang meaning has more of a PG-13 rating a little since 1932 .

Next - Abba Zabba.
Created in 1922 it also sports bright yellow, but bright yellow checkerboard - it's taffy with - yum, peanut butter inside! I was tickled to learn Abba Zabba candy bars are kosher.

Last, and truly his favorite.
The Big Hunk.
Straight out of the 1930's, the company that invented them was bought in the 70's. STILL - hard to find.
Big Hunk is 2 ounces of chewy nougat -  peanuts jammed here and there as if they'd been trying to swim for freedom when the nougat solidified. For sure, it isn't really rock solid, though the wrapper suggests microwaving for 5 to 10 seconds to make it super soft. (Who has a microwave while they're out riding their bike!)
Stick it in a pocket and after a good ride, it willl have softened up.

That was it - but it was a true surprise so it may not have been grand or costly - but made the birthday boy AND party revelers all very happy!