I gathered my research participants like most scientists probably do: as I went about my daily routine- at gas stations, grocery stores, shopping malls, the police station (don't ask), and the post office. I figured this gave me a pretty decent cross examination of the population. And like I usually do with anyone I'm standing next to for over a minute or two, I struck up a conversation.
My lead in was pretty straight forward. After the usual hellos, I followed up with: "So, Sweetest Day is Saturday. Any plans to celebrate it?"
AT THE GROCERY STORE:
Younger, well dressed mother wrangling up her children behind me in the check-out line: "Not with these two. The sweetest thing I'm hoping for is peace and quiet for two minutes."
Point well taken. But she's not a complete hater of the holiday.
Man working behind the deli case: "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard of. Spend a lot of stupid money on flowers that will just die anyways. Besides, I'm nice to my woman every day. They don't get sweeter than me."
Yeah, sure sounds like it. I bet all the women that let that one get away are losing a lot of sleep.
AT THE POST OFFICE:
Female clerk with a very sparkly broach pinned on her lapel: "Oh honey, when you get to be my age, there's nothing sweet about it."
Ok, there's something to look forward to.
AT THE POLICE STATION:
Seated next to a young man in all black with more metal in his face than I have in my own jewelry box: "What?" So I rephrased the question a bit. And then he just stared at me for a few seconds before putting in his earbuds, leaning back, and closing his eyes.
I just quit while I was ahead with that one.
AT THE MALL:
Total opposite looking guy compared to 'metal-face at the police station dude': "God, that's Saturday? That's such a Valentine's wanna-be. Hallmark holiday. {grumbling of things I couldn't quite hear} Thanks for reminding me."
Hey, anytime Sunshine.
AND AT WORK:
My co-host, Steve: "We don't do Sweetest Day. That's a made up holiday."
Well, yeah. Aren't they all made up? Someone at some time had to say, "Let's designate December 25th and call it Christmas." Father's Day wasn't a holiday until someone made it one. And New Year's Day was just January 1st until someone decided to make it into something special. You get what I'm saying? All holidays were made-up. But why hate Sweetest Day so much?
Is it because people don't really understand it? Without boring you with a history lesson (because that was my least favorite of all subjects back when I was in school), let me instead just tell you a quick story.
Sweetest Day was MADE UP in the 1920s. Yup. Imagine that. Someone made up a holiday. It was made up in Cleveland, Ohio of all places. Now I'm not just a Sweetest Day fan because of it's location in origin, but as you know I love my Cleveland Browns.
The act that inspired this made-up holiday happened when a few people (a candy store employee and a couples celebrities) took candy and small tokens of sweetness to orphanages, shut-ins at local hospitals, and to public places to give to people to show that someone cared about them. That's it.
Nowhere in the Sweetest Day handbook (if there even was one) does it say anything about having to spend money to celebrate Sweetest Day. It's just about doing something kind and out of the ordinary to show someone- even a perfect stranger- that they are loved and appreciated.
It's always the 3rd Saturday in October- which is today! And I just think that until we get to a point in the world where we can all say "Ya know, everyone is just too nice. There's not enough mean people and ugly things happening in the world....", why wouldn't we want to spread a little more sweetness around?
So from me to you: Happy Sweetest Day from the bottom of my heart.
While I can't write each of you a personalized little note to say how much I appreciate you reading my literary work and listening to my show in the mornings, I do wish you a day filled with love, sweet things, and happiness. Because the world needs a lot more of that.