What is Sweetest Day? When did it begin, whose idea was it, and why is it celebrated? Other than a boyfriend or husband getting in trouble for forgetting about the holiday, there is not a big celebration of it in some areas of the United States. Actually, Sweetest Day is a regional holiday celebrated in the Midwestern area of the United States and to find someone in a different area of the country who knows what it means to celebrate Sweetest Day is would be a rarity. Unless, of course, they are a native Midwesterner.

Sweetest Day is generally the third Saturday in October and is celebrated in Ohio, Wisconsin, and Michigan. To celebrate Sweetest Day is a popular romantic holiday in those areas of the country, sort of like an autumn-based version of Valentine's Day. The holiday originiated in 1922 in Cleveland when a man who worked at a candy company decided he wanted to distribute some small gifts to children and shut-in people to brighten their day. This man was Herbert Birch Kingston, also a local philanthropist in his day. On the first Sweetest Day movie stars and some others got in on the candy-giving gesture and helped make it a regional success. The idea to celebrate Sweetest Day is gradually spreading in popularity decades later and is currently observed in sporadic locations across the United States in addition to the Midwest. It has went from a holiday of giving people who are not expecting a gift of candy and have been forgotten to a romantic celebration of roses, elegant dining, and greeting cards.

Friends can also be given gifts too, it does not have to be just your significant other that receives a gift on Sweetest Day. Traditional romantic gifts such as chocolate and roses are easily found and are suitable for the occasion. Celebrate Sweetest day with your own twist, however: consider something other than the traditional red rose, or instead of a box of chocolates maybe a small chocolate cake. Jewelry is always a winner for any romantic holiday when selecting a gift for a woman. Maybe your guy has had his eye on some new tools or car related items and now is the perfect time to get him a surprise. A romantic card found at the store is a great way to say that you care about someone, but so are cute little notes on the mirror and in other locations around the house, or slipped into a lunch or a jacket pocket. There are a wide variety of cards for lots of people and the selection seems to grow each year. Favorite perfume or cologne might be a kind gesture for anyone, so long as you know what their favorite fragrance is. In an age where everybody has everything, a gift card to someplace might be an easy selection that is a big hit with your honey. Then, there is always a romantic dinner at a restaurant. Or maybe it will be more magical cooking dinner for two and staying in for the night. Perhaps you will celebrate Sweetest Day without a significant other? A kind gesture towards a stranger might brighten their day and not take much effort, which was the idea surrounding the first Sweetest day celebration. Leave a kind note for the mean old lady who lives down the street, or put a box of candy at her door maybe. The idea is not to be overly extravagant, just to brighten someone's day and bring a smile to their face. That can be done with a simple "Hello" everyday, if tried.