|
E-mail me. Be my Icon. Fax me. Even the little pastel candy conversation hearts that have long been a Valentine's Day tradition are keeping pace with the times.
This year, the New England Confectionary Company decided it was time to update the old sayings of love that the sugary confections used to bear and added eight new sayings. Among the new sentiments are "Sister Friend," "Web Site," "www.cupid," and "You Go Girl."
"We are trying to keep up with the times," said Walter Marshall, the man responsible for writing conversation heart sayings for NECCO.
Marshall, who will appear on the Rosie O'Donnell show Friday, added the high-tech line of sentiments two years ago for the Cambridge, Mass. based company.
The company, which started making conversation hearts in 1902, currently has 100 ways to say I love you. The conversation heart, invented by Daniel Chase, used to bear messages like "if you dress in white, you married right." During the 1960s, "Groove Me," "Dig Me," and "Hubbahubba," were popular. But some sayings like "Be Mine" and "Be True," have stayed through the ages, Marshall said.
Today, the hearts are the largest selling Valentine's Day candy. Marshall said the company turns out 8 billion pieces of the pastel hearts every year. If measured, he said the candy would stretch 32,000 miles.
Because the candy's popularity has increased in the last six to seven years, Marshall said he constantly gets suggestions for new sentiments. He said the most popular suggestions have been "Phat," "Hottie," "You're da Bomb," and "Safe Sex."
But Marshall insists "safe sex," will never make it onto the sugary treats.
"We won't do naughty hearts," he laughed.
In the next few weeks, Marshall, who is known as the "King of Hearts," will be picking a new line-up of sayings for next year's hearts.
"How many ways can you say I love you?" he asked. "We have to find new ways."
|