National Cotton Candy Day

It's National Cotton Candy Day in the U.S.A! Cotton Candy is a favorite melt-in-your mouth sugary treat served up at county fairs, fests, amusement parks and carnivals during the dog days of summer. While the origins are unknown, no one is quite sure why this annual holiday occurs annually on December 7th.

Four men, Thomas Patton, Josef Delarose Lascaux, John C. Wharton and William Morrison, are usually credited as inventing cotton candy, originally called “Fairy Floss.” Morrison and Wharton patented the first electric cotton candy machine back in 1899. The duo first introduced the candy to the public during the 1904 World’s Fair. Selling the candy at 25 cents a box, it is estimated the two men made over $17,000!

Patton also obtained a patent in 1900, which he introduced to the public at the Ringley Brothers Circus. While the fourth man, Dr. Lascaux, did not receive a patent, he did share his product with his office – a dental office that is. Go figure!

Who says you have to be a kid to enjoy cotton candy? Dec. 7 is also Pearl Harbor Rembrance Day and Letter Writing Day.