On December 7th each year, we honor a nostalgic fairground favorite with National Cotton Candy Day. This delightful treat, with its feather-light texture that dissolves magically in the mouth, is cherished by individuals of all ages. Typically associated with carnivals, festivals, and amusement parks, this spun sugar treat takes center stage on this day.
On National Cotton Candy Day, let’s toast this timeless sugary confection, and take part in the celebration by indulging in a cloud of cotton candy.
History of National Cotton Candy Day
Cotton candy’s roots go all the way back to 15th century Italy. At that time, expert sugar-craftsmen would meticulously hand-spin solar sugar into strand-like structures. However, it was a time-consuming process, resulting in cotton candy becoming a luxury enjoyed only by the well-off.
The first machine-made cotton candy as we know it today wasn’t invented until the 19th century. In 1897, John C. Wharton, a confectioner, and William Morrison, a dentist, introduced a device that could melt sugar and spin it through a wire screen to form crystals, efficiently creating “Fairy Floss.” They presented their creation at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair which is why they are often credited with creating cotton candy.
However, the term “Cotton Candy” itself came about in 1921, thanks to yet another dentist, Joseph Lascaux, who designed a machine similar to Wharton and Morrison’s. Strangely enough, widespread use of “cotton candy” as a term didn’t occur until the 1950s, after Gold Medal Products crafted their own machine.
With the advancements in cotton candy machinery and the treat’s growing popularity, it started to feature prominently at circuses, carnivals, and fairs. In an ironic twist, cotton candy, a product invented by dentists, is surprisingly bad for your teeth, considering it’s made purely from sugar.
National Cotton Candy Day Timeline
Invention of Cotton Candy
William Morrison and John C. Wharton, candy-makers from Nashville, created a treat initially known as 'Fairy Floss.'
Introduction to the World
The sugar-spinning machine was introduced to a wide audience at the World's Fair in St. Louis.
Patent by Joseph Lascaux
New Orleans dentist Joseph Lascaux patented a similar machine and renamed the product to 'Cotton Candy.'
Color Added to Cotton Candy
Food coloring was added to the sugar mixture, resulting in the now-classic pink and blue varieties of cotton candy.
National Cotton Candy Day
National Cotton Candy Day is observed to promote this sweet treat and its history.
Ideas to Celebrate National Cotton Candy Day
Cotton Candy Making Party
Gather all your friends and family and host a cotton candy making party. Make your own cotton candy machine or rent one and enjoy creating and eating fluffy and sweet cotton candy. Don't forget to try out different flavors!
Cotton Candy Decor
Use cotton candy as an inspiration for your room decor. Pink and blue colors and fluffy textures could be the perfect thematic decoration. You could also make cotton candy garlands as a fun and cute decoration.
Cotton Candy Fundraiser
Spread sweetness not only by eating cotton candy but also by helping others. Set up a cotton candy fundraising stand where the proceeds go to a local charity.
Cotton Candy Movie Marathon
Select a list of your favorite movies, prepare a lot of cotton candy and enjoy a cozy movie marathon at home.
Cotton Candy Photography Session
Hire a professional photographer, or do it yourself, and have a fun cotton candy inspired photoshoot. Use cotton candy as props and create unique, sweet memories.
7 Interesting Facts About Cotton Candy
Origin of Cotton Candy
Cotton candy was first introduced to the world at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair by a dentist named William Morrison, and a confectioner, John C. Wharton. Back then, it was known as 'Fairy Floss'.
Naming Innovation
The term 'Cotton Candy' was only popularized in the 1920s when a machine was invented by another dentist, Josef Lascaux.
Unusual Cotton Candy Creators
It's an ironic fact that two out of the three known creators of cotton candy were dentists.
Cotton Candy Ingredients
The fluffy sweet treat is simply made of sugar and food coloring. The sugar is melted to a liquid state, then spun out through tiny holes where it solidifies and gets collected in a larger container.
Different Names in Different Places
Cotton Candy is known by various names around the world. In England, it's called 'Candy Floss', in Australia, 'Fairy Floss', and in France, 'Barbe à papa', which translates to 'Daddy's beard'.
Record-Breaking Cotton Candy
The longest serving of cotton candy ever made was achieved by Kocaeli Fuar Müdürlügü in Izmit, Turkey in 2009. It measured 1,400 m (4,593 ft 2 in) and weighed over 300 kg.
Low Calorie Surprise
Despite being pure sugar, a typical serving of cotton candy only contains about 100-120 calories due to it being mostly air.
National Cotton Candy Day FAQs
Next National Cotton Candy Day Dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | December 7th | Thursday |
| 2024 | December 7th | Saturday |
| 2025 | December 7th | Sunday |
| 2026 | December 7th | Monday |
| 2027 | December 7th | Tuesday |
| What is the pattern? | Every December 7th | |
National Cotton Candy Day Word Search
- Cotton
- Candy
- Sweet
- Sugar
- Fluffy
- Pink