Candy canes on trees. Sprinkles on cookies. Peppermint on everything. If you can’t already tell by your winter waistline, Christmas is a huge candy holiday.
Consumers will spend $1.93 billion dollars on candy this year during the Christmas season, according to the National Confectionary Association. Sales will increase an estimated 2% over last year, which the NCA attributes to the improved economy and extra long shopping season this year. (There’s one more day between Black Friday and Christmas in 2017.)
The National Retail Federation projects the average consumer will spend $110 on candy and food this holiday season — twice as much as most will spend on holiday decorations.
So which states favor which holiday candies?
Candy Store surveyed 50,000 of their customers then double checked their data with major candy distributes to bring you the interactive illustration above.
What candy does your state have a sweet tooth for? Some of them are expected. California goes crazy for its local chocolate company, Ghirardelli, while New England loves its classic candy canes. Red and green M&Ms make several appearances, but what’s with all the Pez? Or how about Starbursts? That might seem more like a Halloween candy for those of us not living in Missouri. Alabama, Michigan and Utah bring us the biggest surprise — reindeer corn. It’s a red, white and green variation of candy corn. Isn’t one holiday of that tasteless triangle-shaped treat enough?
Regardless, there are plenty of delicious candies on this map that appeal to all palettes. And the holidays are, after all, about little indulgences.
May your holiday be filled with whatever sweet treats make you merry.
Also see, 10 crazy candy cane flavors you won’t even believe.
