Lollipops have been the source of children’s dreams for over 110 years. Although this type of candy comes in a wide assortment of flavors and colors, just about everyone can recognize them by the stick they’re mounted on. This treat is so beloved and enjoyed by many people that a holiday was invented just to pay homage to it.

This holiday, known as National Lollipop Day, is celebrated annually on July 20th and certainly brings back fond memories for many adults as well as children.

The History of National Lollipop Day

According to popular lore, National Lollipop Day was invented by the National Confectioners Association, although we couldn’t find out when they created it. Fortunately, we not only know who invented the lollipop but also when it was invented, so we’ll tackle that in the next section.

The History of Lollipops

Even though we’re sure that the idea of placing hard candies on a stick has probably been around since the Middle Ages, the person who is credited most often with creating it is George Smith of New Haven, Connecticut.

According to a book called “Food For Thought: Extraordinary Little Chronicles of the World” by Ed Pearce, published in 2004, George Smith invented the lollipop in 1908. It’s said that Mr. Smith named his creation “Lolly Pop” after a popular racehorse of the era. In 1931, he would trademark the lollipop name.

Fun Lollipop Facts

While researching the history of lollipops, we came across some very interesting facts about them that people might want to think about the next time they’re celebrating this holiday.

• Ancient Asian and African cultures actually invented the first lollipops by using honey to coat candied fruits and sticking a stick into them to make them easier to eat.
• The first mass-production lollipop machine was invented in 1908. This machine could make thousands of lollipops a day.
• Dum Dums’ Mystery Flavor is created from two leftover flavors when flavor vats are changed, so each one is actually a mystery.
• The biggest manufacturer of lollipops is Tootsie Roll. They make over 16 million of them a day.

Celebrating National Lollipop Day

National Lollipop Day can be celebrated by enjoying one of these suckers for yourself or by buying some for friends and family. People can also post to their social media accounts using the hashtag #NationalLollipopDay so that everyone knows they’re celebrating this holiday.

And for anyone who is curious about how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop, they can put on their lab coat and spend the day trying to figure out the answer. After enjoying all those suckers, everyone should be sure to thoroughly brush their teeth.