Footrace Against Time

Every year on the third Saturday in October, Sweetest Day is celebrated. This year it falls on October 17th. The celebration gives people opportunity to show their kindness for people in need.

Sweetest Day originated in 1922 at Cleveland in Ohio. It is frequently attributed to candy company employee Herbert Birch Kingston as an act of philanthropy. On this day, Herbert liked to bring happiness into the lives of orphans, the sick, the poor and others who were often forgotten. With the help of friends, he began to distribute candy and small gifts to the underprivileged. In order to remember his charitable work, people, especially those of the northeast and Great Lakes, started to celebrate October's third Saturday as Sweetest Day.

Over the years, Sweetest Day has evolved into a time to express romantic love and also to show appreciation to friends. Results from a recent survey conducted by American Greetings show that many people are unaware of the history and original intent of Sweetest Day. Nowadays people take it for granted that Sweetest Day largely involves giving small presents such as greeting cards, candy, and flowers to their loved ones. Some even ignorantly feel that Sweetest Day is just another Valentine's Day or just another big retail day for candy makers.

George Elliston once said: "How beautiful a day can be when kindness touches it!" Maybe it is time for us to stick to the true meaning of Sweetest Day. It should be accepted as a holiday that's celebrated with small gestures of kindness and charity, not lavish gifts for only your loved ones.

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