Old Fashioned Candy

This morning I had to be sneaky to get this photo? Why? Because I didn't want to bring attention to the large glass jar hidden in an obscure corner of my kitchen.

It is a jar brimming with "sugar plums" -- at least the visions of sugarplums I always see in my dreams. Old-fashioned candies like these chocolate drops, fruit candies and coconut bonbons. When I was a child, long before Christmas, my father would bring home an enormous sack filled with candy including his favorite -- chocolate drops and his next favorite, orange slice candy.

I wanted to mention this candy in my blog because I want everyone to know that you can still buy these old favorites that have delighted so many generations. The place where you can go to open a flood of memories is Arnall's Grocery in downtown Newnan, GA.

They have everything from old-fashioned soft peppermint sticks to ribbon candy to peanut butter treats and even chocolate covered raisins and pretzels. Arnall's is usually a favorite place of mine for garden supplies, but at this time of year I go there for candy. I am not sure how many candy varieties they have because I only bought our favorites this year. I tried to stay away from things that only I love.

Nothing peanut butter can come into my house because of allergies but our favorite is definitely the chocolate drops. My husband could eat his weight in those and usually does during December. I also love the bonbons and the cinnamon, peppermint and clove soft candy canes. That is why they are hiding in a dark corner. At this point I will leave them in plastic baggies and later I will take them out and pour them into a candy jar. I think the sound of the jar lid might deter some and the plastic bags take longer to get into.

At least that is my strategy to have some of these candies left for my candy jar later in December. I could also make another trip to Arnall's.