A Brief History on the Sweetest Holiday Custom
Candy and Valentine’s Day have been linked for more than a century and like many modern traditions, it started with a mix of romance and clever marketing.
Valentine’s Day has existed in some form since the 1400s. Think knights gifting roses to “fair maidens”. We have to jump ahead to the mid-1800s to get the other component: Candy. Sugar and chocolate existed back then but they were still considered luxuries and not part of everyday life.
That’s when Richard Cadbury (yes, that Cadbury) changed things. After improving his cocoa butter extraction methods, he began making new varieties of "eating chocolates”. But the real breakthrough came in the 1860s, when he introduced decorative, heart-shaped chocolate boxes designed specifically for Valentine’s Day.
These boxes weren’t just packaging, they were part of the message. In a time when expressing romantic feelings openly wasn’t always easy, candy and packagaing became a simple, elegant way to communicate affection.
The idea took off. Other companies followed suit, and before long, candy and heart-shaped boxes became Valentine’s Day staples. What feels obvious now was actually a thoughtful innovation that brought sweets into the mainstream.
Today, Valentine’s aisles are filled with heart-covered packaging. And while there’s nothing wrong with that, we think what’s inside matters more.
That’s why gifting Tom & Jenny’s is about more than a box or a bow. Our caramels say you care and still provide an indulgent, genuinely delicious sweet made with thoughtfully chosen ingredients. A modern take on a classic tradition.